Góis Beach, Beach in Guarujá, Brazil

Praia do Góes is a beach in Guarujá featuring white sand along the Atlantic coastline, with steep rocky formations rising at each end to create natural boundaries. The shore stretches between these stone cliffs, forming a sheltered swimming area.

In December 1531 the colonising expedition led by Martim Afonso de Sousa anchored its ships off this beach, then called Praia do Sol, on the Ilha de Santo Amaro; the next day he crossed the channel to the Ponta da Praia, where a port already existed. A small fort built on the beach supported the Fortaleza de Santo Amaro da Barra Grande against invasions and to block other vessels from the Bertioga channel. Trails the Portuguese cut for access to the fortress can still be walked.

Local fishermen continue age-old practices along the shore, with boats and nets visible as morning catches are brought in and prepared. These working scenes shape how people experience the beach today.

Reach Praia do Góis by boat from the Ponte Edgard Perdigão in Santos, or on foot along a trail from Praia de Santa Cruz dos Navegantes. Trails also link the beach to deserted Praia do Sangava, at the mouth of the Baía de Santos. The water is calm, without currents or waves, but deepens quickly close to shore.

Low tide reveals natural rock pools along the shoreline where small marine creatures live among the stones. These temporary water pools change appearance throughout the day, offering visitors a different view of the coastal ecosystem.