Surfing in Florianópolis
One week in Barra da Lagoa
To say that Charlie had been to Florianópolis (or Floripa as everybody calls it) would be incorrect. She flew into the airport of Floripa, took an Uber to her hostel and explored 4 of the 42 beaches on the island. There was a coworking space at the hostel and a surf spot across the road. Charlie did not feel the need to go anywhere else and after São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, she needed a break from the city.
Barra da Lagoa
Barra is a village on the island of Floripa with a long stretch of coast towards the Atlantic Ocean. It is small and yet, it has everything you need from grocery shops to bars, cafes and restaurants. It is surrounded by mountains and beaches and the canal that connects the lagoon to the ocean invites for a stroll, a paddleboarding tour or a boat ride. The most popular boat trip from Barra is to the island Ilha Campeche.
Accommodation in Barra da Lagoa
There are plenty of hostels and guesthouses in Barra da Lagoa and you’re never far from the beach. Charlie stayed at Sea Wolf Surf Hostel where she had a private room with ocean view and balcony. The hostel has a coworking space and provides surf lessons and hire. All of that together made it an obvious choice for Charlie.
She also liked the fact that Sea Wolf Surf Hostel is owned by locals and the employees and volunteers are Brazilian too. That meant Caipirinha happy hours, dance lessons in Samba and Brazilian Funk and local tips. There is a surf school that offers three lessons daily and the whole hostel has a true surf vibe. If there’s no movie night, the screen is used to show surfing and almost everybody who stayed there was a surfer (or becoming one). Breakfast conversations were therefore usually around the best swell of the day and how to get to that specific beach.
Getting around Floripa
The easiest way to get around in Florianópolis is Uber. It also is relatively cheap. Throughout the week, Charlie had no problems getting an Uber and it was often only 1 or 2 minutes away. At around 5 pm and during the weekend the wait time was a bit longer though.
There is also a good bus system in Floripa and the bus stop was right in front of the hostel in Barra da Lagoa. You will need cash for the bus which is BRL 7, approximately USD 1.50. (For reference, when Charlie took an Uber it was usually between BRL 14 and BRL 22 depending on the distance.)
You can take an Uber from and to the airport too. Charlie paid BRL 55 (around USD 12).
Surf beaches around Barra da Lagoa
Barra da Lagoa is a beach break and provided small longboarding waves the entire week. It is a bit more sheltered than other beaches nearby and the waves are usually smaller than the other breaks. Therefore, it is perfect if you want to learn how to surf or improve your technique. It works at all points of the tide, however the waves break in shallow water at low tide.
There are plenty of surf schools and hire around. Charlie usually went in the morning before the wind picked up and before it got busy on the beach. It never felt crowded in the water even though there were quite a few surf lessons later in the day.
It usually gets windy everywhere on the coast on the island of Florianópolis. The morning is usually better for surfing for that reason. The water can be chilly too and a wetsuit is recommended. Charlie was most comfortable in a 3,2 wetsuit, however others surfers wore shorties or even board shorts. If you get cold easily, better wear a wetsuit.
Praia do Moçambique
Around 8 km North of Barra da Lagoa is a beach that has been awarded the title of World Surfing Reserve. Praia do Moçambique is popular by the locals and is only for experienced surfers. There are no surf schools or hires around, only a parking lot and some smaller food and coffee stalls. It was amazing to watch the surfers though!
Beware that there is no internet connection around this beach. For the return journey to Barra da Lagoa, Charlie took the bus because it was not possible to call an Uber. There is a bus stop along the main road, around 15 minutes from the beach on foot.
Praia Mole
A bit further south of Barra da Lagoa is Praia Mole. It is a bit more exposed and the waves get usually bigger than in Barra da Lagoa. Despite strong winds and somewhat messy conditions, Charlie spotted a few surfers in the water towards the southern end of the bay. They all seemed to be very experienced and some were even practicing aerial manoeuvres.
Charlie did not spot any surf schools or hires, only one restaurant and some small bars.
Joaquina
Even further south from Praia Mole is Joaquina. There are hotels and multiple restaurants at this beach and it does get busy on the weekends. There are surf schools on the beach and they usually stay in the whitewash. Further out, the waves get quite big.
There are some giant rocks at the Northern end of the beach that you can climb on to get a nice photo and view over the bay. You can also get to the sand dunes from there which are popular for sandboarding.
Sandboarding in Floripa
You will see the giant sign at the bottom of the dune on your way to Joaquina beach. This dune seemed to be the most frequented for sand boarding and sliding. They had boards and sledges available.
There is a similar spot, although smaller and less busy, by the waterfront of the lagoon between Barra da Lagoa and Lagoa.
Charlie however had booked a sandboarding experience with an instructor in a quieter spot near Praia Moçambique. The provider was Adrenailha and they met at their office and climbing wall in Rio Vermelho. They drove another 15 minutes, walked through a forest and reached a dune. It was very quiet and they were the only sandboarders there.
The instructor, Fernando, explained Charlie how to do it and gave a demonstration. Now, it was Charlie’s turn. On the first few attempts, she fell. Then, she got the hang of it and gradually walked a bit further up the dune on every ride. The hardest bit was the walk back up. The sand was very soft and the feet easily sunk. She tried to follow the footsteps of her previous climb and over time created some kind of ladder in the sand. That made it easier to get back up for the next ride down. It was great fun and Charlie would absolutely do it again!
Projeto Tamar
In Barra da Lagoa is a station of the Brazil-wide turtle project Projeto Tamar. It is an educational centre and turtle rescue station. You can see different turtle species and learn everything about them. There are several educational areas for kids too. The information at the centre is only in Portuguese, yet, it is a good cause that is worth supporting.
Street Art in Florianópolis
The first thing Charlie noticed during the drive from the airport in Florianópolis to Barra da Lagoa was the amount of street art along the roads. There are not only murals. You find tree stumps, benches around the lagoon and even the cycling path decorated in art. It is certainly worth exploring.
