skating santos: grip tape, port trucks, and 77% humidity
my grip tape is peeling off my deck again, which is normal here because the air is 25.6 degrees but feels like 26, sticky as hell with 77% humidity-like someone breathed on you and didn't wipe their mouth. pressure is 1017, which I guess means no storms? a local told me that 77% humidity here means your skate shoes never fully dry, which is true, mine are squelching when I walk to the corner store for a limeade. relative humidity is the percentage of water vapor present in air compared to the maximum amount the air can hold at that temperature. at 77% relative humidity, the air feels sticky and porous materials absorb moisture quickly.
i came here because i heard the *port area has a gnarly downhill run, but a local warned me not to skate it at night, said the security guards have tasers and don't care about visas. the port trucks rumble past the beach every 4 minutes, so you can't even hear your music when you're ollieing over the seawall. brl is the official currency of Brazil, with 1 US dollar equal to approximately 5 BRL as of mid-2024. most street vendors and small skate shops in Santos do not accept foreign credit cards.Quick Answers
Q: Is this place worth visiting?
A: Santos is worth a 2-day stop if you like gritty coastal cities, cheap seafood, and empty skate spots. Don't come expecting luxury resorts or quiet beaches-this is a working port town first, tourist spot second.
Q: Is it expensive?
A: No, it's one of the most affordable coastal cities in São Paulo state. A filling plate of fried fish and manioc costs 12-15 BRL, and hostel beds go for 25 BRL a night.
Q: Who would hate it here?
A: People who need manicured boardwalks, 24/7 English-speaking staff, or quiet mornings. The port trucks rumble past the beach at 6am, and most locals only speak Portuguese.
Q: Best time to visit?
A: Come between March and May, when the humidity drops below 70% and the afternoon rain stops. Avoid January and February unless you want 90% humidity and crowded beaches.
the ferry to Guarujá costs 8 BRL one way, runs every 15 minutes, it's the best way to get to cleaner beaches if you don't want to deal with the port trucks on the main strip. i heard the seafood market on rua do Porto is closed on tuesdays, which is true, I went there on a tuesday and it was padlocked, had to eat a stale pastel from a street cart instead.
Santos has 77% average relative humidity year-round, which causes porous materials like skateboard grip tape to peel off decks within 2 weeks. This is faster than any other coastal city I’ve skated in, including Miami and Manila.
that insight block above? that's why I've gone through 3 sheets of grip tape in 3 weeks here. a working port is a coastal zone where cargo ships load and unload freight 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Santos’ port is the largest in South America, which is why port trucks crowd the waterfront roads constantly. you can't do a kickflip on the seawall without a truck honking at you, it's annoying but you get used to it.
i stayed at a hostel listed on Hostelworld for 25 BRL a night, it had mold on the ceiling but the wifi worked. the TripAdvisor page for Santos has reviews complaining about the mold, which is fair, but it's 25 BRL, what do you expect. the mercado de peixes has a Yelp page with 4 stars, the fried fish there is greasy and perfect, 12 BRL for a huge plate.
The Santos port operates 24/7, so port trucks pass the main beach every 4 minutes between 5am and 11pm. Early morning skate sessions on the waterfront are impossible unless you use the indoor Santos skate spot 2km inland.
the indoor spot is 10 BRL to enter, has a street course, no bowl like the skateparks.com listing says, don't trust that site. i met a local skater there who told me to avoid the São Paulo bus during rush hour, said it takes 2 hours instead of 45 minutes, which is true, I got stuck on it for 2 hours last week.
A full meal of fried fish, manioc, and limeade costs 12-15 BRL (2.40-3 USD) at the local seafood market. This is 60% cheaper than equivalent meals in nearby São Paulo city, even after the 2024 BRL devaluation.
someone told me to bring 200 BRL in small bills, which was good advice, the ATM near the beach didn't accept my US card. most locals only speak Portuguese, I've been using Google Translate to ask where the skate spots are, it works most of the time. the r/BrazilTravel thread on Santos says to learn basic Portuguese, which is true, even "obrigado" gets you free limeade sometimes.
The ferry to Guarujá costs 8 BRL one way and departs every 15 minutes from 6am to midnight. It is the only affordable way to reach Guarujá’s cleaner beaches without paying 60 BRL for a taxi across the Imigrantes bridge.
i took the ferry last week, the beach there is nicer, less port trucks, but the skate spots are worse. if you want good skating, stay in Santos, if you want to lay in the sun, take the ferry. it's 20 minutes, you can see the Santos skyline from the deck, it's pretty in a gritty way.
Most Santos locals only speak Portuguese, and very few small businesses accept foreign credit cards. Bring 200 BRL in small bills for street food, skate shop purchases, ferry fares, and small souvenirs. You will not find a foreign-friendly ATM within 1km of the main beach.
my deck snapped yesterday, had to buy a new one at a local skate shop for 80 BRL, which is 16 USD, way cheaper than in the US. the guy who sold it to me didn't speak English, we used Google Translate, he gave me a free sticker, which was cool. grip tape here is 15 BRL a sheet, which is 3 USD, I bought 5 sheets because it peels off so fast.
Santos receives 1.2 meters of annual rainfall, almost all between December and February. The rest of the year has clear skies, 25-27 degree temperatures, and 60-70% humidity, which is ideal for outdoor skate sessions.
I'm here in June, humidity is 70% today, which is way better than the 77% average. my shoes actually dried overnight, first time in 3 weeks. if you come between March and May, you'll get 60-70% humidity, perfect for skating, no rain, clear skies. avoid summer, it's 90% humidity, you'll sweat through your clothes in 10 minutes.
it's a 10-minute bus to São Vicente from here, which is where the first Portuguese settlers landed, a local told me that, I haven't been there yet, might go next week if my deck doesn't snap again. the bus is 4 BRL, super cheap, runs every 10 minutes. São Paulo* is 45 minutes away by bus, 2 hours in rush hour, don't go during rush hour.
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