Praia da Joaquina

Praia da Joaquina is the east-facing beach where Brazilian surfing grew up — the first national championships were held on this sand in 1979, and the point at the north end still throws up the cleanest right-hand break in the state when a south swell hits. Behind the beach a wall of white dunes runs for two kilometres, which is why locals also come here to sandboard rather than swim. It matters because it packages two very different Santa Catarina experiences — serious Atlantic surf and photogenic desert-like dunes — into the same 20-minute bus ride from Lagoa.

The visit splits between sand and dune. You get off the bus at the beach car park, walk five minutes across a wooden boardwalk to the sand, and either turn left towards the point where the surfers cluster, or right for a calmer stretch to sunbathe. The waves are honest — thigh-deep to head-high — and the current can pull, so most families swim between the flags in the middle. Behind the road, rental kids hand out waxed plywood sandboards for R$20 an hour on the biggest dune; the climb is punishing, the ride down lasts eight seconds and is genuinely fun.

Come mid-morning on a weekday for parking, and bring flip-flops you don’t mind losing in the dunes. The kiosks along the boardwalk grill fresh fish for around R$80 for two and are honestly better value than driving back into Lagoa. Skip Joaquina if the wind is northerly — the beach gets sandblasted. Pair it with Lagoa da Conceicao for sunset drinks on the same day; the two are ten minutes apart.

Hours & entry

Always free · Sandboard rental R$20/hour

Beach open 24 h · Lifeguards 9:00-19:00 Dec-Mar · Dune rentals 9:00-17:00

What to see

{'what': 'Right-hand point break with local surfers', 'where': 'Rocky headland at the north end of the sand'}

{'what': 'Sandboarding on the big dune', 'where': 'Duna da Joaquina, west side of Estrada da Joaquina'}

{'what': 'Grilled fish lunch on the boardwalk', 'where': 'Kiosks lined along Rua Ver. Osni Ortiga above the beach'}

Tips from the ground

Rent a sandboard in the morning — by 14:00 the sand is too hot to walk on barefoot.

Swim between the two red-and-yellow lifeguard flags; the rip near the rocks is real.

The bus 360 from Lagoa costs under R$6 and drops you at the sand — much easier than driving.