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Beaches & Surf
If you’re looking for a place where you can have a great time surfing all year long, Florianopolis is the perfect city for you. The beaches offer consistent waves and beautiful views. There are places for beginners to advanced and professional surfers. Websites and the local radio disseminate news about the sea and conditions for surfing everyday so you can tune in to the best options.
Beaches
Mole Beach
A scenic beach with rough waters. It’s very popular for surfing and frequented by the LGBT community because of the Bar do Deca. It’s also a great place to practice paragliding and kitesurfing. It has great infrastructure, ranging from public parking to showers and nearby restaurants. Located 15 km from downtown.
Jurerê Beach
Jurerê is a very popular, beautiful beach with clear, warm and calm waters. It is great for families, children, and anyone who enjoys water sports. It has an excellent infrastructure: shopping, markets, restaurants, kiosks, lodges and hotels. Located about 23 km from downtown.
Ilha do Campeche Beach
About 2 km from Campeche Beach, you’ll find Campeche Island, surrounded by crystal clear water and offering snorkel options. Located 17 km from downtown, it is only accessible by boat.
Ingleses Beach
Ingleses is a wonderful beach is 5 km long, framed by a blue sea, but not many waves. You can see orcas playing in the sea in the winter. There is an excellent infrastructure with many hotels, shops, bars and restaurants, as well as sandboarding options and even boat trips. Located 36 km from downtown.
Campeche Beach
Campeche is a beautiful beach. Because of its rough waters, it is great for surfers and kitesurfers. Although mostly visited by young people, it is also family friendly. Located 15 km from downtown.
Santinho Beach
A beautiful beach, stretching 2.5 km, with clear and rough waters, excellent for surfing. Not far from the beach is the Outdoor Archaeological Museum, well worth a visit. Located 40 km from downtown.
Saudade Beach
It is a calm, small and narrow beach, usually very crowded. Swimming is only recommended depending on the season. Located 5 km from downtown.
Itaguaçu Beach
The sea is not suitable for swimming, but the beach is very scenic and great for friends to enjoy a relaxing afternoon. Located 7 km from downtown.
Bom Abrigo Beach
A beautiful beach to enjoy a sunset or to spend an afternoon out with friends. Not appropriate for swimming or surfing.
Joaquina Beach
This beach, 3.5 km long, is known for its beauty and perfect conditions for surfing. It has an excellent infrastructure, with chair renting services, bars, restaurants, showers and a parking area. Located 17 km from downtown.
Moçambique Beach
Part of the Rio Vermelho State Park, this 12.5 km beach offers open water swimming. It’s excellent for both surfing and relaxing. There’s not a great deal of infrastructure and it is quite isolated; therefore, attention should be paid to one’s car and belongings. Located 35 km from downtown.
Barra da Lagoa Beach
One of the most popular beaches, it has a great tourist infrastructure with restaurants, shops, chair renting services. It’s great for swimming, easy surfing and leisure activities. The sand is very clear and fine. It has 650 meters and changes to the Moçambique Beach. The beach is 20 km from downtown.
Galheta Beach
Galheta is a fun beach, great for surfers and nature lovers. It can only be reached on foot down a trail. It has no gastronomic services and is called a ‘virgin beach’. This beach is the only nudist beach in the area. Located approximately 20 km from downtown.
Santo Antônio de Lisboa Beach
Characterized by very calm and warm waters, it’s popular among fishermen. It is typically used for water sports, but not for swimming or suntanning. It’s a very touristic place for beachgoers of the Azorean culture, with bars and restaurants nearby. Located 14 km from downtown.
Sambaqui Beach
Sambaqui is a very traditional fishing area with calm waters. It has several bars and great restaurants nearby. Located 18 km from downtown.
Brava Beach
This beach is a 1.5 km long cove. It’s particularly suitable for surfers who like waves created by often quite agitated waters. Sometimes the sea is calmer and allows for safe swimming. Also good for practicing water sports. It has a great infrastructure and a panoramic view from the top of the hill. Located 38 km from downtown.
Lagoinha de Ponta das Canas Beach
A beautiful and small cove surrounded by hills and calm waters. Perfect for families and children. It has good infrastructure, with bars, hotels and restaurants. Located 33 km from downtown.
Ponta das Canas Beach
This tranquil beach is 1.9 kilometers long. Popular among fishermen and great for water sports. It has a good infrastructure, with restaurants, bars and hotels. Located 34 km from downtown.
Cachoeira do Bom Jesus Beach
The white, fine sand on this 3-km long beach is good for walking and exercising. The waves are mild. It has a great infrastructure with nearby restaurant, bars, hotels and shops. Located 27 kilometers from downtown.
Forte Beach
This beach is similar to Daniela Beach, with calm, clean and warm waters. Very family friendly, and great for swimming and relaxing. The access to the beach is difficult. There are a few restaurants and bars as well as a chair renting service. Beachgoers can visit a fortress just a short walk from the beach. Located 25 km from downtown.
Daniela Beach
This family friendly beach is 3 km long. It has very calm waters that are very suitable for swimming and fishing. Not many services and eating establishments nearby, but there are a few chair renting services and some small markets. Located 25 km from downtown.
Lagoinha Beach
This 800-meter long, family friendly beach is scenic and tranquil, with clear waters. Located 34 km from downtown.
Canasvieiras Beach
The sea in Canasvieiras is clear green, warm, and calm. The sand is white and very thin along this 2 km beach. It has an excellent infrastructure with hotels, kiosks and restaurants. It’s a hotspot for parties. Located 27 km from downtown.
Cacupé Beach
It’s a beach where fishing and oyster farming is still traditional and small scaled. It’s a great place to relax, enjoy a nice meal and a drink. Even though it’s a beautiful beach, it’s not common to see people swimming or sunbathing.
Tapera Beach
It’s a family friendly beach and a good place to relax, with calm and cold waters and thick sand. It is 1.5 km long and has bars right on the beach. Located 32 km from downtown.
Solidão Beach
A stunning beach with a waterfall and a natural pool, excellent for swimming and families. Located 30 km from downtown.
Açores Beach
It is a nice beach with cooler water, good for surfing, and on days with little wind, swimming. You will find some infrastructure like chair renting services but not many bars or restaurants. It is located 15 km from downtown.
Ribeirão da Ilha Beach
This island has several small beaches, most of them with very calm water and thick sand. It’s excellent for tours, activities, eating at great restaurants, and visiting this historical heritage. Located 27 km from downtown.
Lagoinha do Leste Beach
This beautiful beach can only be reached on foot. It takes 2 hours along a hiking trail if leaving from Pântano do Sul. From Matadeiro, another trail takes 4 hours. There is a boat service in the summer but rides must be booked in advance. Because of the difficult access, there aren’t any bars or restaurants. The sea is quite rough, but there is a great place for camping around a small lagoon. Located 26 km from downtown.
Morro das Pedras Beach
The sea is very rough and swimming is not recommended, but it’s very popular among surfers. While there, visit the “Retreat House of the Jesuits”, open during mass hours. The building was made of stones taken from the area. There is a beautiful view of Armação Beach and Peri lake. Located 22 km from downtown.
Matadeiro Beach
This beach is next to Armação Beach. The only way to access it is on foot. It is an excellent place for surfing and sand sports. It has many bars nearby although it’s almost a deserted beach. It turns into a natural pool on days when the wind blows from the south. Located 24 km from downtown.
Naufragados Beach
To reach this beach you have to travel 40 km from downtown and then walk down a 3 km trail. The beach is 1.5 km long, with white sand and rough sea. It’s much visited by those who prefer a wild landscape.
Pântano do Sul Beach
Pântano do Sul has a calm and clear sea and many restaurants, mainly seafood, nearby. It’s 2.35 km long, and it is the most traditional fishing beach in Santa Catarina. The beach is known for the many burrows in the sand in the wash zone. Located 28 km away from downtown.
Armação Beach
One of the most popular beaches, it is approximately 650 meters long and extends to Moçambique Beach. It has a great tourist infrastructure with restaurants, shops, chair renting services. It’s great for swimming, easy surfing and leisure activities. The sand is very fine and soft. Located 20 km from downtown.
Caieira da Barra do Sul Beach
A beautiful, calm and deep blue sea. Very family friendly and a great place to relax. Located around 40 km from downtown and definitely worth the trip.
Surfing
Campeche
When a south swell reaches this beach, it creates the perfect condition for experienced surfers. Only the southern beach of Campeche is suitable for beginners. Wave Type: Beachbreak peaks, sandbar Size of Swells: 3 - 8 ft Best wind direction: NW Suitable for: experienced surfers
Armação
It is a beach with white sand, clear water and rough sea. It’s suitable for beginners and advanced surfers with stronger waves more far north. It’s a beach-break with a sandy seabed and an uneven reef. Wave Type: Beachbreak Size of Swells: 3 - 8 ft Best wind direction: NW Suitable for: all surfers
Lagoinha do Leste
Only accessible by those willing to hike 2 hours or to take a boat if booking in advance and depending on wave conditions. It’s not only a beautiful beach, but also an excellent surfing spot with strong waves. Wave Type: Beachbreak peaks, hollow lefts and rights Size of Swells: 3 - 8 ft Best wind direction: NW Suitable for: all surfers
Matadeiro
You can only get to the Matadeiro Beach on foot; however, it’s not a long walk. It is mostly deserted. The strong left breaking short waves at the mouth of Matadeiro are particularly good, but also quite volatile. Wave Type: Rivermouth left Size of Swells: 3 - 8 ft Best wind direction: SW Suitable for: experienced surfers
Naufragados
This is a hard beach to reach. You can get there by walking down a 3-km-long trail, or by boat if booking in advance and depending on the waves conditions. All the hard work is well worth it because this is one of the best beaches for surfing if you’re an experienced surfer. You will find a high swell resistance and good hollow waves. Wave Type: Beachbreak peaks Size of Swells: 3 - 8 ft Best wind direction: NE Suitable for: experienced surfer
Barra da Lagoa
This beach is ideal for beginners, with several surf schools available. The waves have very consistent swells and are generally smaller and easier to ride than elsewhere. Wave Type: Exposed beach break Size of Swells: 3 to 5 ft Best wind direction: WSW Suitable for: all surfers
Galheta
Next to Mole Beach, it offers good wave conditions protected by a bay from the wind. The most suitable season to surf is during winter when the waves are best. This place is deserted. Wave Type: Beachbreak peaks, hollow lefts and rights Size of Swells: 3 - 8 ft Best wind direction: N Suitable for: all surfers
Joaquina
Famous for the ASP World Tour contest. It’s an exposed beach break, loved by the locals for its consistent ground swells, though the best waves are found in the winter. Wave Type: Left powerful, beachbreak peaks, sandbar Size of the Swells: 3 - 8 ft Best wind direction: NW Suitable for: beginners and experienced surfers depending on conditions
Ingleses
The beach break is quite inconsistent for surfing. You will only find good surfing conditions on the far left area. It’s very popular, so it’s often crowded, even though it is not a surfers’ paradise. Wave Type: Beach break Size of Swells: 1 to 6 ft Best wind direction: SW Suitable for: all surfers
Santinho
Santinho beach can be easily accessed and is considered to be the best one for surfing in the north. It’s a beach-break with a sandy seabed; there are good waves that mostly extend to the left. Wave Type: Leftover reef flushed. Size of Swells: 3 to 8 ft Best wind direction: N Suitable for: experienced surfers
Brava
A beautiful and agitated beach break with a sandy seabed. It has very consistent great waves from both sides, right and left. Wave Type: Sandbar break Size of Swells: 1 to 8 ft Best wind direction: W Suitable for: experienced surfers
Morro das Pedras
Very popular among surfers because of the rough sea. There are resistant right hand waves and it’s a point-break beach. The waves start to break near the rocks, so it’s not recommended for beginners. Wave Type: Right, flushed with reef Size of Swells: 3 - 8 ft Best wind direction: NW Suitable for: experienced surfers
Moçambique
The longest beach of Florianópolis, Moçambique is known for being the surfers get away. It’s very peaceful and never crowded. The beach has strong waves. The northern end is “almost walled up waves” and best suited for surfing. Wave Type: Beachbreak peaks Size of Swells: 3 - 8 ft Best wind direction: NW Suitable for: all surfers
Mole
This is an exposed beach break with the south winds offering some of the best waves, though there are great ground swells too. Thanks to the consistently good conditions, and both left and right hand breaks, this is a popular surf beach known for annually hosting the World Qualifying Tour. Wave Type: Hollow lefts and rights, beachbreak peaks, sandbar Size of Swells: 3 - 8 ft Best wind direction: S Suitable for: beginners and experienced surfers depending on conditions