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Which is better: Angra dos Reis or São Sebastião?

Short answer

Angra dos Reis is in Rio de Janeiro and its surroundings (RJ), while São Sebastião is on the North Coast of São Paulo (SP): different regions of Brazil. Angra dos Reis: gateway to more than 360 islands in Ilha Grande Bay; São Sebastião: the town that gives its name to the north coast of São Paulo state. The weather is similar in both this month.

Sources: INMET (updated 2026) · ANP · OpenStreetMap
Most reviewed activity in Angra dos ReisIlhas Botinas Boat Trip + Angra dos Reis Beaches★ 10 · 6 reviews · from US$ 35 · via CivitatisSee dates and price →
Most reviewed activity in São SebastiãoSão Sebastião Whale Watching★ 8 · 1 review · from US$ 102 · via CivitatisSee dates and price →
Angra dos Reis São Sebastião
Best time to visit May → Aug May → Aug
Weather this month 28° · 13 days of rain 26° · 15 days of rain
By car R$ 293 · from São Paulo R$ 107 + tolls · from São Paulo
Ideal stay 3–4 days 4–5 days
Best for Adventure, Relax, Family, Romantic Adventure, Relax, Family, Romantic
Choose Angra dos Reis if

you want a trip for adventure seekers and relaxation: a schooner in the morning, green sea in the afternoon and Ilha Grande a boat trip away.

See guide
Choose São Sebastião if

you want a trip for adventure seekers and relaxation: almost 100 km of coastline, from the surf of Maresias to family beaches and a 17th-century historic center that almost nobody visits.

See guide
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Where to stay

Where to stay: Angra dos Reis or São Sebastião

The average nightly rate is around R$ 242 in Angra dos Reis and R$ 412 in São Sebastião; what changes in practice is each place's season. Check current prices for your dates before deciding.

Compare hotels and places to stay in Angra dos Reis on Booking.com, with up-to-date prices and availability, before you book.

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Compare hotels and places to stay in São Sebastião on Booking.com, with up-to-date prices and availability, before you book.

Amora Hotel Maresias in São Sebastião 9.3 ★★★★ · 65 reviews Amora Hotel Maresias See on Booking → Suítes Las Flores Maresias in São Sebastião 9 ★★★ · 118 reviews Suítes Las Flores Maresias See on Booking →
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Rates change with the dates: confirm the price on Booking.com.

Frequently asked questions

Angra dos Reis or São Sebastião: which is better?
Angra dos Reis is in Rio de Janeiro and its surroundings (RJ), while São Sebastião is on the North Coast of São Paulo (SP): different regions of Brazil. Angra dos Reis: gateway to more than 360 islands in Ilha Grande Bay; São Sebastião: the town that gives its name to the north coast of São Paulo state. The weather is similar in both this month.
What is the best time to visit Angra dos Reis and São Sebastião?
The best time to visit Angra dos Reis is from May to August; for São Sebastião, it is from May to August, based on INMET's climate normals (temperature and rainfall for each month). If your trip already has a date, check each destination's page for your month.
Which of the two is cheaper to get to?
By car, leaving from São Paulo, Angra dos Reis is 384 km (239 mi) and costs about R$ 293 each way (fuel plus tolls); leaving from São Paulo, São Sebastião is 196 km (122 mi) and costs about R$ 107 each way (fuel only, tolls not included). The calculation assumes a car that gets 11 km/L. Lodging and activities vary with each place's season.
Where does it rain less, Angra dos Reis or São Sebastião?
Averaged over the year, Angra dos Reis has 12 rainy days a month and São Sebastião has 13. Angra dos Reis is the drier of the two over the year as a whole, but what decides the trip is the month: the rainiest month in Angra dos Reis is January and in São Sebastião, January. For temperature, Angra dos Reis is the warmer one (average high of 29° versus 27°).
How many days should you spend in Angra dos Reis and in São Sebastião?
To see the main sights without rushing, Angra dos Reis calls for 3–4 days and São Sebastião, 4–5 days. These are distant regions: with a week or less, it is usually better to pick one of the two and make the most of it.
Angra dos Reis or São Sebastião with kids?
Both work with kids: Angra dos Reis (365 islands in the bay; schooner trip; green sea and Atlantic Forest) and São Sebastião (dozens of beaches, surf, and ferry to Ilhabela). The choice usually comes down to getting there, not to infrastructure. With small children, weather matters: Angra dos Reis has fewer rainy days over the year.
What should you not miss in each?
In Angra dos Reis: Schooner trip around the islands, Ilha Grande (day trip), Lopes Mendes Beach. In São Sebastião: Praia de Maresias, Praia de Camburi, Praia de Boiçucanga. These are the sights that show up most in first-trip itineraries for each destination; the full guide to each has the whole list.