Destination: Florianópolis
The island of Florianópolis, object of desire of Argentinians, Uruguayans, Paraguayans as well as thousands of Brazilians (mainly from Rio Grande do Sul and São Paulo), is a well-rounded holiday destination that touches on the heavenly in some places. The combination of an excellent quality of life with beautiful beaches and hills make of Floripa, as it is known familiarly, the guarantee of a succesful holiday.
The island is roughly divided in three main regions: the north, where the beaches popular among Argentinians are; the centre, where the capital of the state is found as well as the Lagoa da Conceição; and the south, with beautiful beaches that attract less visitors than their northern counterparts.
WE LIKE THE MOST: the beaches, the gentle nature of the natives, food, landscapes, affordable prices, safety.
WE LIKE THE LEAST: poor infrastructures; it seems hard to believe that a tourist destination that generates so much revenue should have a road network in such a precarious state. Going places during the high season is torture. Getting to some of the beaches, hell. We also profoundly disliked all the building work completed and in progress in environmentally protected areas.
HOW TO GET THERE: by car, bus or plane. The first option is chosen by many Argentinians, Uruguayans and Paraguayans. There are regular bus services from Porto Alegre, Curitiba and São Paulo. GOL, TAM and Varig airlines all fly to Florianópolis airport. As well as numerous charter flights from Argentina and Chile.
CAREFUL WITH: the high season: a sizeable part of the island becomes a gigantic traffic jam; water supply to the northern part of the island becomes a problem too.
FAVORITE PLACES: Campeche island, Campeche beach, the Joaquina dunes, the Lagoa da Conceição
PIECE OF ADVICE:
- around the Lagoa da Conceição, and especially in the part known as Canto da Lagoa, there are numerous restaurants popular among Brazilians where few foreign tourists venture.
- one of the traditional dishes of the island is the seqüência de camarâo, several servings of prawns [shrimps] cooked in different ways, accompanied by fish and crab. It is found all throughout the island, but the most traditional place to eat the seqüência is the Lagoa da Conceição.
- although it is not impossible to travel by public bus throughout the island, it is an exercise that demands quite a lot of patience. If you are in Florianópolis for a short stay, our advice is for you to rent a car. For longer stays, when you will only be visiting one beach per day, you can use the public transportation system.
- crime rates in Florianópolis are lower than in other big Brazilian cities; it doesn’t mean crime doesn’t exist but, in this regard, Florianópolis is much safer than São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro or Recife.
- during the coming weeks we will publish detailed information on the blog on the beaches and places of interest of Florianópolis. Links to the new material will appear here as the entries are published.
ACCOMMODATION: We have full listings of accommodation for Campeche, Canasvieiras and Praia dos Ingleses.
If you want to book your accommodation in Florianópolis, you can do it through whl.travel by clicking on the banner below. whl.travel is a global hotel and tour booking network, focusing mainly on developing and off-the-beaten track destinations, with an emphasis on sustainable and responsible tourism.
LINKS: Guia Floripa, Visite Floripa.
WEATHER FORECAST: The weather in Florianópolis for the next 10 days
WEATHER: Average temperatures and rainfall in Florianópolis across the year
GOOGLE MAPS: Florianópolis
PHOTO ALBUMS: North (Santo Antônio de Lisboa, Jurerê, Canasvieiras, Brava, Ingleses, Santinho, Barra da Lagoa), Center (Mercado Municipal, Lagoa da Conceição, Praia Mole), South (Armação, Ribeirão da Ilha, Pântano do Sul), Campeche and Campeche island and sandboard in the Joaquina dunes.
OTHER BLOG ENTRIES ON FLORIANÓPOLIS:
- Map of Florianópolis
- Brazil in pictures: Florianópolis
- Florianópolis North: what to do and where to go
- Florianópolis Centre-Lagoa: what to do and where to go
- Florianópolis South: what to do and where to go
- Ilha do Campeche
- bar do Arante, Florianópolis
[Don’t forget to check out the list of other destinations already covered in this blog, here]
Billy from Philly & my wife Sunshine here…
I’m an American & my dream-girl wife is Brazilian. We’re living in Bahrain and planning a vacation trip to Florinapolis.
Champagne taste…beer budget!
Help!
Time of Year: Oct ‘08 – Nov ‘08
1) Looking for: A studio or 1 bedroom apt near good restaurants, coffee shops, bars & night clubs (for about 5 weeks)
2) A 1 month Car hire: A cheap beach cruiser to drive around & explore and one which we won’t stress on getting dinged (or stolen)
I live for clean, glassy waves (bodysurfing), fresh grilled fish/shrimp/stone crabs washed down with dark rum & lime on ice… reading magazines or books
My wife is passionate for grilled Brazilian beef…rice and beans, late night dancing, volleyball, anytime Brazil’s World Cup team is playing, shopping for shoes & handbags… marathon card games & travel back-gammon tournaments.
Suggestions / ideas / places to visit and people to see?
Tentative plans are to fly into Sao Paulo and visit her family in Volta Ronde for a few days.
Prices for TAM airlines flying out of San Paulo to Florinapolis are $340 a ticket…how good/safe is the airline?
What’s the weather & surf like this time of year?
How ’bout night-life and where do the local Brazilians go?
Thanks,
Billy
Hi Billy, I’m not going to be able to help you much with the travel-agent side of things. But let’s see what advice I can give you.
The north coast of Florianópolis is heavily built and taken by Argentinians. By the description of what you are looking for I’d say you should look for something on the east coast of the island. I think Campeche is a spectacular place to be, well placed and at a convenient distance from the most interesting places.
While in Florianópolis, you should of course make sure you visit the entire island, and all its villages and beaches. You can do a few at a time, distances are not huge.
TAM is currently the no.1 Brazilian airline. It is reliable.
As for the weather, if you check the link I’ve provided on the entry with the historical average temperatures and rainfall you will get an idea of what to expect.
You will find lots of Brazilians at Campeche, Joaquina, praia do Mole and around the Lagoa da Conceição.
Dude – just caught your reply…big thanks!
What do u know about Praia da Daniela. My Brazilian family has suddenly grown and I’m now looking at Villas that sleep 7.
Revised dates are Nov 20 to Dec 18.
Regards,
Billy Bahrain
Hi William, Praia da Daniela is on the north west of the island, right next to mega-trendy Praia do Jurerê (where the rich have their mansions). Daniela is a quiet beach, 3km long, quite good for families with kids.
Hello again,
We asked the people for a place in Lagoa, but they are fully booked for the time that we are there! We are going on the 4th of November and we want to spend two nights there. Do you maybe have any suggestions of place close to where we wanted to stay or of places that is maybe closer to the beach?
Regards
Douw
Hi Douw. Will you be hiring a car? If so Campeche (hotels and pousadas in Campeche) can be an excellent alternative, as it’s just a 15-minute drive from the Lagoa. Otherwise, try finding something near praia da Joaquina (there’s no accommodation to speak of near Praia Mole).
Hi Tony – you’ve got a great blog! I am planning a trip to Florianopolis from December 10th to January 10th to learn to surf and have some fun. I am 29 years old and will be traveling by myself, but I have no idea what part of the island I should stay on/near. I plan to spend $20-70 (U.S.) per night on a room, obviously with more expensive rates near the holidays. I’ll probably go out 4-5 nights a week, so my top
priorities are to be close to a beach where learning to surf is easy and close to an active nightlife (not necessarily packed clubs, but fun bars and restaurants). Also I’d like to stay somewhere where I’ll be able to meet other travelers. Can you send my any advice? Anything you can would be greatly appreciated! Thank you so much.
Hi Justin, it sounds like you want to be based near the Lagoa da Conceição or, alternatively, close to the Joaquina beach nearby. Have a look at the map of Florianópolis and also at the detailed description of Florianópolis Centre-Lagoa.
You will see on the map a bridge splitting the Lagoa in two. Left of that bridge there is a town with lots of bars and restaurants and active nightlife. So any accommodation you find on the area will be great. There’s a lot of surfing going on at the Joaquina beach and the Mole beach nearby. Easy public transport to get you there. December will be pretty quiet until the final week of the year. Then hordes of people will arrive in Florianópolis.
If you find a place to stay and want me to tell you what I think of the location just ask here.
All the best!
It is getting better lately with the infrastructure though! Floripa is going up
Hi there, if you talk to local residents that’s not the idea that comes through. Notorious water shortages during the high season and frequent power cuts reveal a far from ideal picture.
Hey Tony – thank you so much for the recommendations about Florianopolis accommodations. HOWEVER, now I am in quite a tight spot, and maybe you can help me again! I am supposed to leave for Florianopolis for a month this Friday, but I think I have to change my trip due to the poor weather. There have been disastrous floods very nearby in Santa Catarina, and it has been raining nonstop in Florianopolis. Of course, I’ve booked my ticket, arranged all my travel plans, and booked my hostel (backpackers sharehouse fyi) and taken the time off work. My plan now is to find another beach town in Brazil to visit. What I’m looking for is this: A great place to learn to surf with a vibrant nightlife – not as laid back as a small resort town but not as overwhelming as Rio. Florianopolis seemed perfect. Can you suggest somewhere else that might satisfy what I’m looking for? I think that I want to stay in the south. Please let me know if you know of anything – thanks!!
Justin, how could you possibly tell what the weather is going to be like in a month’s time? Nobody can! Anyway, it’s summer, hot temperatures and quite a lot of rain, usually at the end of the day. Hundreds of thousands flock to Florianópolis regardless of the weather. It is a great time to be there.
The floods in the north of Santa Catarina have wrecked havoc in the area, but Florianópolis has barely suffered any damage as a result of the rain. The tragedy this time is elsewhere.
Other places to surf: Maresias and Camburi in São Paulo (but they are small towns, with a big surfing crowd and a vibrant nightlife). Then you would have to go much further north.
If Florianópolis is not a good choice for you because of the weather, then you should discard any other destination further south of Florianópolis, as you are likely to find very similar weather conditions. The North East of Brazil might be your choice, but that’s miles away.
The bottom line is, do not change your destination just because of the recent floods.
Tony, I am considering a trip to Florianopolis at the end of January. We are considering staying either in Mole or Barra de Lagoa. I will be traveling with a few friends. We are looking for a fun place, lots of bars and nightlife, and beautiful girls. None of us speak Portuguese. Will only knowing/speaking English be a problem? Do you have any recommendations on either of the places I mentioned?
RJ, Mole is tiny, hardly any accommodation nearby. But if you stay in Barra you can get there easily. Barra is ok as it has some bars and it gives you access to other interesting places. But it’s not where the action is (you’d be better at the Lagoa da Conceição).
Not speaking Portuguese might be a bit of a setback as not many people speak English in Brazil. But Brazilians are in general very friendly and will make and effort to understand! I have no specific recommendations for the places you mentioned.
RJ – i am here now and it is great. don´t worry too much about not speaking portuguese. bring a dictionary so you can learn a few phrases, and as long as you try a little bit of portuguese, most locals are happy to help and speak enough english to be able to. stay at the backpackers sharehouse in barra da lagoa. it´s a hostel with about 30 beds and a fun atmosphere. it´s right on the beach and a little town, and close to many other beaches. you´ll have a blast!
Justin, I’m glad in the end you didn’t cancel your trip and you’re having a great time!
I am looking to travel to Florianopolis during late Feb, probably during carnival and looking for advice on which part to of the island to stay. My friends and i are in our mid 20’s and are wanting to be in an area where there is a busy nightlife with bars and clubs and where there are beaches with the most activity. Also any suggestions on where to stay preferable high end.
Brandon, I’ll repeat some of the advice I gave earlier to a fellow traveller. It sounds like you want to be based near the Lagoa da Conceição. Have a look at the map of Florianópolis and also at the detailed description of Florianópolis Centre-Lagoa.
You will see on the map a bridge splitting the Lagoa in two. Left of that bridge there is a town with lots of bars and restaurants and active nightlife. So any accommodation you find on the area will be great. There’s a lot of surfing going on at the Joaquina beach and the Mole beach nearby. Busy day and night. Easy public transport to get you there. Then it’s Campeche Island further south.
As you will be in the centre of the island, you’ll be able to reach north and south easily.
Can’t give you much advice on accommodation. There is a Praia Mole Eco Village, right in front of famous Mole beach. It looks nice but I can’t vouch for it. There is nothing nearby, you’ll need a car to get you to the Lagoa nearby.
Hey Brandon – i just came back from there for a month and had an unbelievable time. lots of partying going on in lagoa. if you want to stay somewhere cheap and fun, check out backpackers sharehouse. they also have a sister hostel, backpackers sharehouse sunset, which is not on the beach, but closer to town and might be better because there could be a lot of traffic going to and from town (where the bars/restaurants are) that time of year. i met someone who stayed at praia mole eco village – they seemed to like it, it is more high end.
Hi Toni,
My wife and I are Canadians looking for a place to spend 4 to 6 weeks in Florianopolis sometime between Jan. and March. We would like to be on the beach with reasonable privacy (no all inclusive. Restaurants and clubs within walking distance and kitchen facilities. A small cabana would be perfect. What area would you suggest. Thank-you
George, 4 to 6 weeks is a lot of time, you’ll have time to explore the entire island and a good number of locations on the continent too. I like Campeche, south of the Lagoa. It’s quiet, next to a beach (and right in front of spectacular Ilha de Campeche). The Lagoa da Conceição (where there are tons of bars and restaurants) is just a 10-minute drive (if you have a hired car) or less than 1/2 hour by bus.
I don’t know of an area with beach & restaurants and clubs within walking distance. To be more accurate, that’s what the beaches on the north of the island are like but I wouldn’t recommend staying there to anyone, it is where most tourists concentrate, you won’t find privacy there. The only problem with Campeche is that it lacks a decent nightlife.
Hi Tony,
I looked at the average cost of flying from Rio de Janiero to Florianópolis is about 375 – 500 reals. Which is a bit expensive for me and my girlfriend since we want to party it up in Florianopolis for 2 -3 days. Do you know how much it cost take the bus and approximately how long it would take to get from Rio to Florianopolis?
Also if you have busing information for getting to iguazu falls from Florianopolis that would be great.
Thanks
Vince
Hi Tony,
One other thing. Would it be worthwhile for me to go around the week of March 1. Is it extremely busy around that time? It would be ashame if i got down there and spent majority of my time in traffic or stuck somewhere.
Thanks
Vince
Vince, airfares are currently very expensive in Brazil. You can easily find the bus information you’re searching for using the tools I explained at bus transportation in Brazil. Try first with link number 3 (that should do) and, should that fail, then number 2. I reckon travel time will be around 18 hours.
Catarinense goes from Florianópolis to Iguazu.
March 1 might be a bit tricky as it will be the day when many people will return from their extended carnival bank holiday. If you could make it March 2 that’d be better.
Hi Tony
My girlfriend and I were thinking of having a holiday in Florianopolis for a couple of weeks in late April. What would the sea temperature be then? We’d like to stay somewhere quiet but within reach of restaurants and nightlife and would like to be near to a beach which is calm for swimming and a different beach where you can bodyboard – not big waves. Could you help us?
Thanks
Matt
Hey Tony,
I’m looking at flights from Rio to Florianópolis and was wondering if GOL airlines has seat sales?
I can book a flight for 379 reals one way, should I wait for price to drop or should i jump to that price.
Once again, thanks for the helpful advice.
Vince
Matt, you can check out the average temperatures for the year (link provided) to get an approximate idea of how the weather changes along the year. I would say the water should be ok in April, but if winter came earlier that might not be the case. But I’m quite sure you’ll be fine. As for your choice of place to stay, as I’ve already mentioned in previous replies, the center of the island (the area around the Lagoa da Conceição in special) is great as it provides easy access to all parts of the island. I would try to find a place to stay near the Lagoa or in Campeche. Unfortunately, you won’t find calm waters on the beaches facing the ocean, for that you’ll have to go north of the island (not my favourite place). There’s always going to be a compromise. Joaquina beach might be ok for bodyboard but I’m no specialist on the topic. So, somewhere quiet near center of the Lagoa with the bars and restaurants nearby and beaches too would be my recommendation. Can’t give you specific names of places, though.
Vince, both Tam and Gol run seat sales from time to time (although they have become quite scarce in recent times). I’ve got a blog on that topic: D Airfare. The most recent Gol promotion was covered here: Gol: new flight deals.
hello im james from england coming flora on the 2end of feb was just wondering about cheap aparments and do u no any thing about it and also whats it like geting a bus down from sao paulo ?
James, can’t give you any info on apartments (Florianópolis is huge, a good starting point is the following website: Alugue Temporada).
From São Paulo to Florianópolis it is a 11-hour ride. Two companies travelling that route are Catarinense and 1001.
Hi Tony,
I was thinking of driving from Floripa to Rio de Janeiro instead of flying. Is it about 13-14 hour drive and is it a nice route? where would you suggest it is a good place on the coast to stay overnight, half way?
Cristina, I would definitely advice you against driving. From Florianópolis to São Paulo you will drive a long a really treacherous road. Then you will have to cross São Paulo (a nightmare) and then go down the coast till you reach Santos. The road from Santos to Rio is beautiful but like I said, I wouldn’t drive the whole way. On top of that you have to bear in mind the hefty charges you will pay for renting the car in one place and returning it on a different one, as this is not a common practice in Brazil.
I am looking to go to Florianopolis with a large group of guys for spring break during the last week of March. We have heard that March is low season. Will there be enough people there to pack the clubs? Is the nightlife still good in March? Thanks
Victor, March is low season indeed, but it isn’t “dead season”. You will still find people around, particulary if the weather is still warm. But don’t expect packed clubs outside the weekend.
Tony,
Hi, great site. Quick question: my friend and I decided to plan a last-minute week in Floripa but I’m having a lot of trouble finding hotel availability. Is it really that difficult to find a room for the 16th-22nd of February?
Thanks,
Shawn
Shawn, you are arriving during the Carnival bank holiday, where hundreds of thousands of Brazilians travel to the beach. Florianópolis is one of those top destinations for those who don’t want to stay home during the carnival.
Hey mate. I love your blog. Its very helpful.
I was wondering in your opinion what is the best way to get to florianopolis from buenos aires? Without spending heaps on flights.
Thanks
Mitch, there are two bus companies running services between Florianopolis and Buenos Aires. Flechabus and Pluma (www.pluma.com.br). Pluma has the cheapest seat for that trip, not that long ago the price was R$272 one way. The trip takes about 24 hours.
Tony,
Very useful site! I’ve got a question I was hoping you could help me with. My boyfriend and I are looking at spending a couple of days in Florianopolis at the end of a 3 week trip to Brazil & Argentina (I know, way to short! Blame my boss…). We’re looking at arriving Saturday 24th of October and staying until the 29th. Is that a good time to visit if we want some decent weather, or is it advisable to go further North? Also, if we were to come to Florianopolis we were thinking of spending a couple of days at Ponto dos Ganchos. My guess is that its pretty far from the centre of the action? Should we also to plan to spend some time somewhere more centrally located? Also, presumably being a gay couple is not that much of an issue in Florianopolis?
Thanks!
Jop
Jop, keep an eye on the weather forecast. October is a treacherous month, if there was a cold front around temperatures could be on the chilly side. But with a warm front over the area you would be able to enjoy the beach. In case of cold, go further north, Paraty in the southern coast of Rio de Janeiro would be an excellent choice. Ponta dos Ganchos is the location for one of the most exclusive accommodation resorts in Brazil. If you are going to stay there, then you won’t probably want to leave the hotel, so remoteness will be fine. Otherwise, forget it. Gay couples should do ok in Florianópolis (as well as in São Paulo or Rio de Janeiro)! Brazil is quite a conservative country but thankfully it is quite liberal when it comes to sexual options.