I found my spot in Santos just outside of Santos—Praia das Pitangueiras, in Guarujá.

Since I wasn’t going to make the pirate boat cruise a daily thing, the next day I walked to the port again to find the Santo-to-Guarujá boat. Turned out the trip across the estuary was quicker, faster, easier and cheaper than I had thought—there are boats going back and forth 24/7 and the ticket is only 3.10 real.

“Ahem… have they ever considered building a bridge?” Feng asked.

“Well, according to Google Maps, Santo-to-Guarujá overland is a 50-minutes trip even though it’s only 14 kilometres. It looks like locals all cross the estuary… you should see the traffic jam at the ferry boat! Look, I don’t get it either, but that’s irrelevant because I love taking the boat.”

I do. Honestly, it’s a fun commute—at least for me, the newbie who haven’t been doing it twice a day for years.

It’s a four-kilometre beach walk from Praia do Gonzaga to the end of Santos’ beach, at Ponta da Praia. Then I put my shorts back on and I follow the shore to the port, a nice stroll on a large sidewalk. I hop on the boat and a few minutes later I’m across the estuary, in Guarujá. The bus terminal is downstairs and easy to find. It takes about twenty minutes to get to Praia das Pitangueiras, Guarujá’s first long beach. From there, I can keep on going straight and get to Praia Enseada, the city’s longest and most famous beach—or I can just stay in Praia das Pitangueiras, my favourite spot because it’s smaller and more relaxed.

Beach-boat-bus-beach-beach.

A pretty good mix if you bring a book, a sarong and your swimsuit.