The urban area is on the Atlantic coast, much of the area are heavily forested to the north and makes up Serra do Mar with no accessible roads to the north.

The coast is located in the commercial centre of the city. Between the city and the island is the Sao Sebastiao channel with 30 kilometres in length, and variable width (7km being the shortest crossing).

At channel there is an oil terminal that is owned by Transpetro, a subsidiary of Petrobrás, a petroleum company, that makes up 80% of the Brazilian combustible exports.

The city is famous for its beaches and tourism. Beaches include (from north to south) Preta, Grande (or dos Trabalhadores), Pitangueiras, Cabelo Gordo, Barequeçaba, Guaeca, Brava de Guaeca, Toque-Toque Grande, Toque-Toque Pequeno, Calhetas, Santiago, Paúba, Maresias, Brava de Maresias, Boiçucanga, Camburi, Baleia, Barra do Sahy, Conchas, Juquehy, Barra do Una, Jureia, e Boraceia. Near the boundary with Bertioga there is a small Amerindian village.

Wikipedia articles for Sao Sebastiao

• Caraguatatuba
• Itanhaém
• Itariri
• Peruíbe
• Salesópolis
• Salesópolis
• São Sebastião, São Paulo