Ingleses
Big, cheap and Argentinian in summer — 5-kilometre beach, working-class pousadas and dunes that connect to Santinho.
Wide beach with dunes at the north end of Praia dos Ingleses
Why people stay in Ingleses
Ingleses is the more popular, cheaper, less pretentious cousin of Canasvieiras. Five kilometres of north-facing beach, a proper working town behind it (bakeries open on Sunday, actual supermarkets, a post office that functions), and pousadas that undercut everywhere else on the north shore by 20–30%. In January it's packed with Argentinian families and Brazilian working-class holidays — bring cash, get in the queue at the padaria, order the R$16 X-Salada, this is normal Brazil at the beach.
The beach has real waves at the north end (near the dunes toward Santinho) — decent surf for beginners on a smaller day, not for absolute non-swimmers. The south end near Rua das Gaivotas is calmer. Downsides: the summer traffic on Rua das Gaivotas is genuinely awful, the beachfront has been over-developed with tall buildings, and the sand gets litter-strewn on peak weekends. If you want beauty go to Praia do Rosa; if you want a functional cheap beach week with everything you need in walking distance, Ingleses works.
By 9pm the strip along Rua Dom João Becker is loud and lit — plastic tables outside the padarias, families with small kids still out, a mix of Argentinian Spanish and Portuguese over the counter at the sorveteria. It is not sophisticated: no cocktail bar with a view, no beachfront restaurant worth a special trip, just grilled meat, pizza by the metre and R$12 chopp. That is the point. Ingleses suits travellers who want a full week at the beach without spending it, who do not mind concrete towers over dunes, and who will actually use the supermarket rather than eat out three times a day.
Outside December to February, Ingleses empties fast. Half the pousadas along Rua das Gaivotas close between May and August, the feira noturna stops entirely, and the beach can feel closed rather than calm — good for a quiet cheap week if you already know the town, less good as a first visit, since half the reason to come (the market, the crowd, the queue for pastel) simply is not there. Shoulder months, October and April, are the sweet spot: warm enough to swim, cheap rooms, and the town still half-open.
The three blocks inland from the beach on Rua Dom João Becker and Rua das Gaivotas are the walkable core — pousadas at R$150–R$280 peak, R$90–R$150 winter. For actual beachfront (with the noise trade-off) look at Avenida do Santinho, R$280–R$500. Avoid anything past the Rio Vermelho on the way to Santinho — technically Ingleses but a 30-minute walk from anything. The far south end near Rua Dom João Becker is quieter and 3 minutes from the beach. Costa Norte Ingleses and Slaviero Hotel Ingleses Convention are the two properties most travellers actually book here, both a short walk to sand with pools and breakfast included, R$220–R$400 depending on season. Ingleses Praia Hotel and Ingleses Palace Hotel sit closer to the older centre and undercut both by R$50–R$80 a night. Budget stays worth knowing: Pousada Praia dos Ingleses and Pousada Native for simple rooms under R$150 in low season, H70 Hostel 70 Floripa and Hostel Do Morro for dorm beds from R$60. For a no-surprises week in January, book Costa Norte Ingleses or Slaviero Hotel Ingleses Convention early — both sell out by November.
Things to do in Ingleses
From the north end of Ingleses beach (past the last building), a signed path crosses 800 metres of dune field to Santinho — a wilder, cleaner beach with the pre-Columbian rock inscriptions at the north end. 25 minutes across, take water and cover your feet.
The beach in front of the small square at Rua Dom João Becker has consistent beginner waves. Rental shacks charge R$60 for two hours of soft-top board and R$120 for a group lesson. Best mornings before the wind picks up around 11am.
The rocky headland dividing Ingleses from Brava. A concrete staircase from the north end of the beach climbs to a viewpoint with the whole 5 km curve behind you and Brava's cliffs ahead. 15-minute climb, best at sunrise.
Nightly summer street market from December to Carnaval, 6pm–11pm, along the pedestrianised stretch of Rua Dom João Becker. Grilled fish, Argentinian empanadas, R$15 caipirinhas from the corner cart. Chaotic but fun for one evening.
The municipal dune park (Parque Municipal das Dunas da Lagoinha do Rio Vermelho) sits between Ingleses and Santinho, reached via the same dune path or by car off SC-403. Board rental is R$20 an hour from stalls at the entrance, open daily 8am–6pm. Go before midday — the sand gets too hot to climb barefoot by early afternoon.
The small square by Rua Dom João Becker fills with a craft and food stalls market on Sunday mornings, roughly 9am–2pm, outside peak season smaller but still running. Cachaça, lace work, and pastel de camarão stalls are worth the walk even if you skip the rest.
What to see
Hotels near Ingleses
No hotels are listed in Ingleses yet. The nearest ones are on the region page.
Getting around Ingleses
Bus 210 from TICEN via Canasvieiras terminates at Ingleses, 75 minutes total for R$6. From Hercílio Luz Airport Uber runs R$85–R$110 direct in 45 minutes, cheaper and faster than the double-bus. Inside Ingleses, Rua das Gaivotas has local buses (line 271) shuttling to Santinho and Rio Vermelho for R$6. Everything on the main strip is walkable within 15 minutes. Scooter rental at R$80/day is the best way to combine Ingleses with Jurerê or Brava for the week. Parking along Rua das Gaivotas is tight and mostly paid in January; if driving, a spot at your pousada is worth checking before booking.
Questions about Ingleses
Canasvieiras for calmer water and slightly better restaurants; Ingleses for cheaper rooms, longer beach and the dune walk to Santinho. If your kids can’t swim, Canasvieiras. If you have teenagers who want space and cheap food, Ingleses. The two beaches are 15 minutes apart by bus so you can day-trip either way.
The north end has consistent beginner-to-intermediate waves most of the year, especially with a south swell. It's not Joaquina or Brava — the waves are smaller and less critical — but it's the correct beach for a first surf lesson. The south end near the main square is flatter and better for swimming.
About 30 km, roughly 45 minutes by car or Uber (R$85–R$110) with no tolls. The bus alternative involves a change at TICEN and takes closer to 90 minutes with luggage, so most travellers with bags just pay for the Uber. Outside peak traffic (before 9am or after 9pm) the drive is quicker still.
Yes for the core — the beach, Rua Dom João Becker, the supermarkets and the bus stop are all within 15 minutes on foot of most pousadas. You will want a bus, Uber or scooter for Santinho, Rio Vermelho or Canasvieiras, none of which are walking distance despite looking close on a map.
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