A few times here at the blog we have reflected on the importance surf has for the life of many youngsters along the gigantic Brazilian coastline. For them, surf is such a central part of their lifes as it can be for an Australian or a Hawaiian. Dunes along the coast provide these youngsters with another source of endless excitement: sandboarding.

Our first weekly shot is from the top of the mythical sunset dune in Jericoacara, Ceará. Our second shot is from the equally popular Joaquina dunes on the island of Florianópolis.

If you want more information on “Jeri”, have a look at our blog post destination: Jericoacoara. If you want more information on Florianópolis, head to destination: Florianópolis.

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For most visitors, Florianópolis encapsulates the perfect beach destination, and satisfaction comes in the simplest of ways: a beach recliner [sun-lounger] a sunshade and a beach. But even the most sedentary of tourists will at one stage or another want to leave the comfort of the beach where they are staying to visit other parts of the island. This entry is part of a trilogy (that includes forthcoming entries on Centre-Lagoa and the South) with tips and basic guidance on the most interesting points on the island.

On the north of Florianópolis we find the two beaches best loved by the Argentinians that crowd them: Canasvieiras and Ingleses. It is here that we find the biggest concentration of tourists on the entire island. Distances between beaches are not that big, although roads can become irritantingly slow during the high season, when bottlenecks are a permanent feature on an island with precarious road infrastructure.

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From west to east, the following are the main beaches on the north of the island:

On the west coast of the island, half way between the centre of Florianópolis and the northern beaches, you will find the Portuguese villages of Sambaqui and Santo Antônio de Lisboa. Two interesting places for a walk with the family, although the beaches are not good for bathing. Both villages have a handful of seafood restaurants as well as crafts shops.

Leave your general queries on Florianópolis at the entry Destination: Florianópolis.

The dunas da Joaquina (Joaquina dunes) are an excellent place to spend the afternoon having fun in the sand and contemplating the near-impossible movements of the sandboard pros. Sandboarding was actually born here, at the Joaquina beach.

The dunes are on the right-hand side of the road, you will see them shortly before you get to the Joaquina beach. You can park your car on the main road, but be extra careful not to get stuck in the sand.

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At the entrance to the dunes there is a hut where you can rent boards in case you want to start dabbling in sandboarding. Not all the dunes are the same, make sure you choose a slope that matches your skills.

As radical sports are not really my cup of tea, I prefered to trade the unavoidable fall on the sand for a photo session with the sandboard pros. On the day we visited the dunes we were lucky enough to meet with Eduardo Wuntz, aka Mister, Brazilian snowboard champion (yes, snowboard, it’s not a typo). Eduardo, who is an incredibly friendly fella, also does some charity work with deprived people from the region.

Mister and his friends left us speechless with their incredibly jumps and manouvres.

You don’t need to jump on a board to have a fun time at the Joaquina. We recommend you go there at the end of the day, to avoid the blazing midday sun. There isn’t a single shade at the dunes.

More sandboarding photos here: SANDBOARDING AT THE JOAQUINA DUNES

General information on Florianópolis at: Destination: Florianópolis.

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I have put together five photo albums from our recent trip to Florianópolis. They can be seen at my Flickr page.

The first album is dedicated to the north of the island, with photos of Santo Antônio de Lisboa, the Projeto Tamar in Barra da Lagoa, and the beaches of Jurerê, Canasvieiras, Ingleses, Brava and Santinho.

The second album is dedicated to the centre and the Lagoa da Conceição, with photos of the Mercado Municipal, of the Lagoa and of the Mole beach.

The third album is dedicated to the south of the island, with photos of Armação, Ribeirão da Ilha and Pântano do Sul.

The fourth álbum is dedicated to the Campeche beach and the idyllic Campeche island.

An the fifth and final album is dedicated to the Joaquina dunes and its sandboard artists.

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