Settled on the eastern coast of Brazil, Barra do Lagoa is a hidden gem that captures the essence of a tranquil coastal town. Located on the stunning Santa Catarina Island, this small fishing village has evolved into a popular destination, offering a perfect blend of natural beauty, cultural richness, and a laid-back atmosphere. The city has 60 beaches and is a center of surfing activity. It is a true paradise: calm lagoons and blue ocean meet together surrounded by green hills and tropical forests. Colourful fishing boats already carry the taste of what would be our main dish here.
We spent almost one week in this paradise dividing our time between surfing, hiking and tasting delicious food.
It is difficult to find words to describe the beauty of Barra de Lagoa. I leave you with some pictures so you can get the taste of it. Barra da Lagoa’s surfing beach is the main one, the hostel’s beach (Prainha) is a small beach perfect for a barbecue, las piscinas is great if you want a leisurely swim in clear water.
We also hiked up and down the hill to reach Praia Galheta and Praia de Mole. The last one is suitable only for very good surfers but everyone can have a nice walk here or simply relax while watching the pro surfers catching some of the best waves in Brasil.
Finally we took a bus plus hike to get to Joaquina with its spectacular dunes in the background. Although Barra is quite touristy during the high season, it still wasn’t ruined by the mass constructions and everything that comes with it. It still is a simple green and blue paradise with kilometres of empty beaches and dolphins occasionally popping up on the waves while you surf.
To get more inspiration for your hiking check all trails.com. Unfortunately the paths are not so well marked so it is useful to have an offline map on your phone.
Practical info:
The easiest way to get here is flying to Florianopolis international airport and then driving or bussing to town (it takes around 40-50 minutes). We bussed from the other coastal town called Porto Allegre. It’s 7 hour ride but it works too. Even in a high season you should be able to find a good accommodation in town as the offers is pretty big. We stayed in Aloha hostel which I can definitely recommend: super friendly owner and a good buffet breakfast for a super price. https://www.instagram.com/hostelalohasurf/?hl=it
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