Florianópolis Beaches Guide: Best Spots for Surfing, Nature & Relaxing

Florianópolis, on the island of Santa Catarina in southern Brazil, is home to more than one hundred beaches. The island is a popular summer destination for South American tourists, particularly from neighbors Argentina and Uruguay, who come to enjoy the sandy beaches and the adventures to be had here. Here is a guide to help you explore some of the island’s best beaches.

Praia Mole

This beach, located on the eastern side of the island, is a real slice of paradise, with unspoiled nature in every direction. The beach is famous for its soft sand (‘mole’ means soft in Portuguese) as well as its waves for surfing, having hosted competitions for the World Surf League. For me, this beach offers the best combination of natural beauty and accessibility anywhere on the island, with rolling green hills as its backdrop.

Praia da Joaquina

Another stop on the World Surf League tour, Joaquina is famous for its waves as well as the massive sand dunes that lead down to it. These dunes are a popular spot for sandboarding—that is, snowboarding on sand.

Praia do Campeche

Yet another famous surfing beach, Campeche is a long stretch of sand with plenty of space to spread out and relax. The beach is located directly opposite Ilha do Campeche, a small, uninhabited island reachable by boat that makes for a great day trip.

Praia do Santinho

Santinho is the best beach on the northern side of the island. Surrounded by protected nature areas, this is a tranquil place to spend your afternoon, with nice waves for bodysurfing.

Looking for more places to explore? Visit our Brazil page here.