Beaches in Florianopolis

 

Florianopolis has a wide variety of beaches, ranging from green, clear calm waters to rougher ones. The layout of the island makes the water of the beaches on the continent side calmer and warmer than the ones on the Atlantic Ocean side. The beaches on the north side are the hottest and more crowded ones.

 

 

Caieira da Barra do Sul Beach

It has green hills filled with Atlantic Forest and a deep blue and calm sea. It is located 38km from downtown. It can be seen from Palhoça city.

Armação Beach

This beach is in the south of the island, it is 2.25 km long and it is perfect for tours, leisure activities, eating great food and fishing. It has good tourist and service infrastructure. It is a beach with clean clear water and has white sand. It is 25 km away from the Florianopolis downtown area. Armação Beach has its name due to the whale exploitation in this area, active until 1910. There, it is Sant'ana Chapel, from 1772, one of the oldest Florianopolis chapels. There is also Lagoa do Peri Park, and boats that leave regularly from the beach towards Campeche island. Beside it, there is Matadeiro Beach, one of the surfers' favorites and accessed to through a beautiful trail. It has several restaurants located across from a square with a century-old Azorean chapel. It is a Florianopolis traditional fishing community, where there is one of the most important archaeological sites.

Pântano do Sul Beach

Located in the south of the island, it is one of the richest fishermen villages and is 2.35 km in length. Amongst its main attractions are the calm turquoise-colored and extremely clean sea and many seafood-specialize restaurants. It is the most traditional fishing beach in Santa Catarina. It is 28 km away from the Florianopolis downtown area. The beach is very calm and quiet, perfect for resting and walking on the sea front. There are also amazing places like the archaeological site located in Cemitério Hill, the Lagoinha Beach's access trails and the boat tours. You should also visit Solidão Beach and make the trail to Saquinho Beach.

Naufragados Beach

Located at the furthest point in the south of the island. To reach this beach you have to travel 28 km from downtown to Ribeirão da Ilha, and then 12 km on an unpaved road to Caiera da Barra do Sul, and then will need to walk three kilometers through the hill in order to get there. Its name is due to the sinking of an Azorean ship in 1751. The beach has 1500 meters in length and white sand, it is also known for rougher seas, though much visited by those who prefer a wilder landscape.

Barra da Lagoa Beach

It is located on the east side of the island and is great for safer swimming, leisure activities, trekking, fishing and “light”surfing. It is one of the most popular beaches of Florianopolis. Despite being an open sea beach, the sea is more protected and calm, excellent for those who want to start surfing. In addition, the sand is very clear and fine and its water has low salinity due to the mixing with the fresh water from Conceição Lagoon. Officially it has 650 meters of coastline, but it isn't geographically separated from Moçambique Beach, which is 8 km long. It is a great place for trekking. Another local attraction is a Suspension Bridge that passes over the barra channel. Crossing this bridge, leads to a trail that goes to Prainha do Leste, a beautiful tiny beach with almost untouched nature, surrounded by rocks and a lot of vegetation. Barra da Lagoa has a very good tourist infrastructure, with several options for lodging and good restaurants. It is also the largest fishing nucleus of the island. Every year, in July, the Mullet fish Festival takes place. Its distance from Florianopolis' downtown area is 20 km and from the airport some 23 km.

Bom Abrigo Beach

It is a small cove with calm water and is very protected from the wind. It is located in a residential area, but has bars and restaurants.

Cacupé Beach

This sea area located in the western region of Florianopolis is a place where fishing is still traditional and where there is also an oyster cultivation. Excellent for those seeking for a peaceful and charming landscape. It is a good place for a picnic or a walk through to the bars and restaurants along the sea-front.

Campeche Beach

Located on the east coast of the island, 15 km from downtown and 10 km from Hercílio Luz International Airport, is a 5 km long beach, with white sand, clear emerald-colored waters and rougher seas. 2 km from the beach is Campeche Island, with a Caribbean-style beach: white sand, clear and transparent waters. Besides the natural beauty, this region is an important archaeological heritage of the state. There are more than 100 petroglyphs remains of civilizations that lived on the island from over 2000 years ago.

Canasvieiras Beach

Located in the north of the island, 27 km from downtown. It is a 2 km long beach. In front there is Francês Island. Its waters are clear green, warm, and calm and the sand is very fine. It is a perfect place for tours, leisure activities, swimming, trekking, fishing and boat tours because it has excellent infrastructure. There are many hotels and lodges, bars and restaurants and a lot of party activities. From a pier, schooner tours leave to other beaches and historic fortresses. There are also options for water sports like windsurfing, jet skiing, kayaks and banana boats. Tennis is another sport very popular in hotels and clubs there. It is possible to rent dinghies, which, with good wind conditions, take forty minutes to get to Anhatomirim Island. Bikes rental is another option on this beach.

Ingleses Beach

It is located to the north of the island, 36 km from downtown, not very wide, 5 kilometers long and has excellent infrastructure with many hotels, lodges, bars and restaurants. There are boat trip options and sand-boarding on the dunes. The origin of its name is attributed to the sinking of an English ship which occurred in mid-eighteenth century. Some crew members even chose to live in that region. It is a wonderful beach, with open sea but few waves and blue and warm waters.

Galheta Beach

It is located next to Mole Beach. It is a wilder beach, with open water and that can only be reached on foot. To get there, you must follow a 300 meters path amidst rock formations along its coast on the left side of Mole Beach. It has no gastronomic services. Since 1986 this beach is used as a nudist beach.

Matadeiro Beach

It is separated from Armação Beach by a small river, which can only be reached on foot. It is an excellent place for surfing, (but also safer swimming to the southern end), volleyball, racquetball, soccer, etc.. It has great variety of bars. Gravatá Beach It is a small and rounded cove, which makes it an almost deserted beach. It turns into a natural pool on the days of south wind, thus protected.

Itaguaçu Beach

Its name comes from the rounded rocks by the sea. Its water is not suitable for swimming, but it has beautiful landscape.

Mole Beach

It isn't indicated for children, is excellent for surfing with grainy,white sand, where paragliders make their landings. It has public parking, showers, and lifeguards. There are also bars that serve seafood and snacks. It is 15 km from downtown.

Morro das Pedras Beach

It is located 22 km from downtown. Its waters are very rough, so swimming requires some care. In front of it there is the "Jesuits Retreat House", a building made with stones taken from the region, where you can get a beautiful view of Armação Beach and Peri lake.

Santinho Beach

Located 40 km from downtown and has clear sea with waves, great for surfing. It is 2.5 km long. The main attraction is the Outdoor Archaeological Museum which has a heritage of stone inscriptions from 5 thousand years ago.

Moçambique Beach

Also known as "Praia Grande", it is the largest more isolated beaches of the island, with 12.5 km of soft sand. Located 35 km from downtown, it has a small commercial infrastructure. It is close to conservation areas such as the Rio Vermelho Park, a 400 thousand square meters reserve. It is a good option for surfing with its open waters. Its name is due to the sands that are plentiful with a shellfish called Moçambique, similar to oyster.

Jurerê Beach

Located to the north of the island, is about 23 km from downtown and 30 km from Hercílio Luz International Airport. It is a beach with clear, green and calm waters. It is great for families with children and for those who enjoy water sports like boating, sailboating and jet-skiing. It has excellent infrastructure such as: shopping, markets, restaurants, lodges and hotels. Due of its urbanization it was divided into Jurerê (traditional) and Jurerê International. Daniela Beach 3km long and located in the north of the island. Daniela is also a beach with calm waters, with few very small waves, perfect for swimming and especially for families with children. Excellent for calmer water sports and fishing.

Forte Beach

Its waters are calm and warm. However, it isn't a very crowed beach due to its difficult-access and limited variety of services. But there are some bars where they serve seafood, and you can rent boats.

Cachoeira do Bom Jesus Beach

It is 3 km long and located between the calm-water beaches of Ponta das Canas and Canasvieiras. It has good infrastructure with excellent hotels, lodges, restaurants, markets, schools and drugstores. It is located 27 kilometers from downtown and has several campsites.

Ponta das Canas Beach

Located to the north of the island, it is bordered on one side with Cachoeira do Bom Jesus and on the other side with the beaches of Lagoinha and Brava. It is located 34 km from Florianopolis' downtown area and 40 km from Hercílio Luz International Airport. Along its 1.9 kilometers you can find great bars, restaurants, hotels and lodges. It is also an excellent choice for water sports.

Lagoinha Beach

This small beach is only 800 meters long, has a calm sea, clear waters and fine sand. Good for families with children. It is 34 km from downtown.

Lagoinha do Leste Beach

Located between Armação and Pântano do Sul beaches. You can only reach it via a hill trail walk (about an hour). It has neither bars nor restaurants. It has soft sand and a fairly rough sea. A small fresh water lagoon is located on the left side of the beach, a good place for camping. It has lush vegetation extending for approximately one and a half kilometers.

Lagoinha de Ponta das Canas Beach

Small cove surrounded by hills, with calm waters. It is a perfect beach to take children. It has good infrastructure, with bars, hotels and restaurants.

Joaquina Beach

Worldwide known for its perfect conditions for surfing, offers excellent infrastructure for its visitors. It is 3.5 km long and located 17 km from downtown. It is exposed to open sea. Its name comes from a story that an old lace-maker called Joaquina was in the sand doing her craft when she was engulfed by a huge wave. Its excellent infrastructure includes hotels, restaurants, bars, police station, lifeguards, public showers and toilets (that require a small fee to use). It also has a large parking area, ice cream shops and crafts. Since it often has big waves and strong currents, it is not so good for swimming. It also has a lighting system, making it possible to practice sports even at night.

Brava Beach

Located 38 km from downtown, is a 1.5 km long cove, where the blue sea contrasts with the green of the Atlantic Forest. This kind of vegetation covers much part of its slopes. Perfect for surfing because the sea is often quite agitated, otherwise with clear waters that often allow for safe swimming. It is also possible to practice diving and such extreme sports. It has good lodging infrastructure and a wonderful panoramic view from the top of the hill.

Ribeirão da Ilha Beach

Located in the south bay of the island, 27 km from downtown and 19 km from the airport, Ribeirão da Ilha district was the first European community of Florianopolis. Historians date back the arrival of the first European explorers to this region in 1506, and in the eighteenth century the settlement effectively populated. It's perfect for tours, leisure activities, eating great food, whilst visiting this historical heritage. The several small beaches in the district have very calm waters and thickish sand. They have narrow streets and numerous excellent restaurants.

Sambaqui Beach

It belongs to the Santo Antônio de Lisboa area with a beach of calm waters, a place where the "boi-de-mamão" culture -dance still thrives. It also has several bars and very good restaurants. The name comes from the accumulation of shells scattered along the sand, drawing attention to researchers interested in these examples of fossilized plants and animals, and also the cemetery- remains of its indigenous people, who inhabited the region.

Açores Beach

It is located 15 km from downtown, and is in the southern part of Pântano do Sul cove. It is a beach of hard compressed sand and cooler water, good for swimming, especially on days with little wind.

Santo Antônio de Lisboa Beach

It has warmer calm waters. This locality has strong Azorean influence. Here is where the first Azorean village was founded. It has large rocks and boulders scattered throughout its thick sand. Besides fishing, oyster cultivation is another important activity.

Saudade Beach

It is a calm, small and narrow beach, beside Desembargador Pedro Silva Avenue. It is usually crowded. It has a shady grove and is good for swimming.

Solidão Beach

It is a cove between hills and rocks in Pântano do Sul. It has a wide range of hard sand. It is good for swimming and has a waterfall with a natural swimming pool.

Tapera Beach

Located on the west coast of the island, near the airport, 30 miles from downtown and its waters are calm. It is one and a half kilometer long, with hard white sand. Next to it there is Largo Island. Tapera Beach has bars on the beach, and it is a nice option for a tour.