Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ARRIVAL AND GETTING AROUND
PORTO BELO
9
By bus
Viação Navegantes (
T
0800 724 1234,
W
viacaonavegantes.net) runs buses between Florianópolis
(65km) and Porto Belo (Mon-Fri 7am, 9am, 11.30am,
2pm, 5pm & 6.30pm, Sat 8.30am, 2pm & 5.30pm, Sun
8.30am & 6.30pm). Praiana (
T
0800 647 8400,
W
praiana
.com.br) runs buses every 20-50min between Balneário
Camboriú and Porto Belo (1hr; R$4.20), though services
reduce at the weekends; it also runs a couple of direct
services to Bombas (Mon-Fri 10.15am & 5.35pm; Sat
2.35pm & 11.20pm; R$8.92). Frequent buses zip between
Porto Belo and Bombas (15min; R$3) and Bombinhas
(30min; R$3).
ACCOMMODATION
Pousada Gaúcha
Rua Castanheira 27, Bombinhas
T
47 3369 2472,
W
pousadagaucha.com.br.
The best
beach hotel in the area, though it's pricey in high season.
Rooms are fairly standard, though the breakfast is
excellent, and there's a full gym
and jac
uzzi, but this is
really all about the prime location.
R$345
Pousada Villa Verde
Rua Domingos Jaques 867,
Perequê, Porto Belo
T
47 3369 8994,
W
pousadavilaverde.tur.br.
Right in town on the edge
of the beach (with its own beach chairs and umbrellas),
with
spaciou
s, modern rooms and a heated swimming
pool.
R$210
Toca Da Moreia
Rua Sardinha 51, Bombinhas
T
47
3393 7470,
W
tocadamoreia.com.br.
Best budget digs in
the area, which are very close to the beach and offer a
choice of spotless a/c dorms or doubles, plus free wi-fi and
a decent breakfast thrown in.
The
bar atta
ched o
ffers
snacks and cheap booze. Dorms
R$60
; doubles
R$110
Balneário Camboriú
If you are travelling in search of the Santa Catarina party scene, look no further
than
BALNEÁRIO CAMBORIÚ
, an effervescent resort town 85km north of
Florianópolis 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. Indeed,
Camboriú has something of a Mediterranean holiday resort feel to it, with its
high-rise buildings and pedestrian streets lined with artists peddling souvenirs.
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.
Cristo Luz
Rua Indonésia 800, Bairro das Nações • April & Sept Wed-Sat 4pm-midnight; May, Aug & June Thurs-Sat 4pm-midnight; July, Oct, Nov
Tues-Sat 4pm-midnight; Dec-March Mon-Sat 4pm-midnight; year-round Sun 10am-midnight • 10am-7pm R$12; after 7pm R$24 •
T
47 3367 4042,
W
cristoluz.com.br
Camboriú even has its own 33m-high Rio-style Christ statue, the
Cristo Luz
(though this one, rather bizarrely, holds a symbol of the sun), completed in 1997
and illuminated at night, 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.
Parque Unipraias
Av Atlântica 6006 • Daily 9am-8pm (last ride 7pm) • Cable car R$36; Arvorismo R$25; ZipRider R$39; Youhooo! R$25 •
T
47 3210 4567,
W
unipraias.com.br
The forested hillside of Morro da Aguada in the southern part of town is a nature
reserve-cum-theme park - the
Parque Unipraias
. You can reach it via the 3.25km
Bondinho
(cable car) 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
trails in the
Parque Ambiental
(same hours; included in price), enjoy the 140m
canopy trail (
Arvorismo
), the 750m drop on the
ZipRider
zip-line, or the
Youhooo!
60km per hour toboggan ride. The cable car continues down to the beach at
Praia Laranjeiras
.
