Brazil - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 351

BALNEÁRIO CAMBORIÚ
If you are travelling in search of the
Santa Catarina party scene, look no
further than BALNEÁRIO CAMBORIÚ ,
an effervescent resort town 112km
south of São Francisco do Sul with a
distinctly hedonistic approach to life
often dismissed by cariocas as the
“poor man's Copacabana”. Either way
it's a popular summer destination with
young Brazilians, Paraguayans and
Argentines, and the town is packed out
during the peak season with sunbathers
and fun-seekers.

trails in the Parque Ambiental (same
hours; included in price), enjoy the 140m
canopy trail (Arvorismo; R$20) or the
Youhooo! 60km/hr toboggan ride ($15).
The cable car continues down to the
beach at Praia Laranjeiras.
ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION
By bus Camboriú sits on the main Curitiba-Florianópolis
highway (BR-101), and is just 80km north of Florianópolis.
Buses arrive at the rodoviária ( T 47 3367 2901) on Av
Santa Catarina, at the edge of town close to the highway.
Destinations Buenos Aires (1 daily; 28hr); Curitiba (22
daily; 2hr 30min); Florianópolis (38 daily; 1hr 30min);
Joinville (26 daily; 1hr 30min); Porto Alegre (9 daily;
8-9hr); São Paulo (13 daily; 8-9hr).
Tourist information There is a tourist information o ce
at Rua 2950 no. 771 ( T 47 3367 8005, W guiacamboriu
.com.br).

WHAT TO SEE AND DO
Camboriú has something of a
Mediterranean holiday resort feel to it,
with its high-rise buildings and
pedestrian streets lined with artists
peddling souvenirs, and walking around
town you could be forgiven for thinking
that you were on the Portuguese Algarve.
The place is not without its charms -
not least its 7km-long Praia Central ,
offering safe swimming and golden sand.
Praia do Pinho , on the other side of the
peninsula west of town, is the site of
Brazil's first nudist beach.
Camboriú even has its own 33m-high
Rio-style Christ statue, the Cristo Luz
(April & Sept Wed-Sat 4pm-midnight;
Oct, Nov & July Tues-Sat 4pm-
midnight; Dec-March Mon-Sat
4pm-midnight; Aug & June Thurs-Sat
4pm-midnight; Sun 10am-midnight
year-round; R$10 10am-7pm, R$20
after 7pm; W cristoluz.com.br),
illuminated at night and casting a faint
greenish glow over the town. On summer
evenings the park at the foot of the statue
is the site of concerts, theatre and poetry
recitals. The forested hillside of Morro da
Aguada in the south of town is a nature
reserve-cum-theme park, the Parque
Unipraias (daily 9.30am-6pm; closed
Mon Nov-April; W unipraias.com.br).
You can reach it via a 3.25km cable car
(same hours; R$30) that starts at the
Estação Barra Sul on the Praia Central
before shooting up to the Estação Mata
Atlântica on the summit (240m), offering
glorious views over the town, beaches and
out to sea. From here you can stroll the

3

ACCOMMODATION
You'd be wise to book ahead in the peak season when
block bookings take up the majority of the more affordable
hotels. That said, there is always the possibility of reduc-
tions if you ask around during late afternoon, with hotels
desperate to be full to capacity. If you're in a group ask at
the tourist o ce about renting a house - it's cheaper than
you might think.
Hotel Arco do Sol Rua Cel. Benjamin Vieira 50 T 47 3369
4960. Plain but adequate option in the centre, offering
buffet breakfast and free wi-fi. Th e simpl e en-suite rooms
come with tiled floors, a/c and TV. R$120
Hostel Rezende Rua 3100, no. 780 T 47 3361 9815,
W hotelpousadarezende.com.br. Standard HI hostel
(internet, kitchen, breakfast) a few blocks back from the
beach. It's decent valu e for m oney, a nd dor ms are small
and uncrowded. Dorms R$40 , doubles R$89
Hotel Topázio Rua 11, no. 15 T 47 3367 1022, W htopazio
.com.br. Another small, basic hotel but a great deal and in
the centre of town, 50m from the beach. En-sui te rooms
come with a/c and cable TV, but no internet. R$109

EATING
In addition to the proliferation of fast-food joints and
lanchonetes that you might expect in a town populated
by twenty-somethings, there are also some excellent
restaurants around if you look hard enough, with seafood
platters featuring heavily on most menus.
Guacamole Av Beira Rio 1122 T 47 3366 0311,
W guacamolemex.com.br. Charismatic Mexican mini-
chain with live music, mariachis and “ tequileros ” who are
only too happy to wet your whistle. Latin dance shows
every Tues night add to the experience. Spicy mains from
R$25. Daily 7.30pm-2am.