Guarda do Embaú and Garopaba Day Trip Guide: World Surfing Reserve & Dunes

Just 46 to 75 kilometres south of Florianópolis along the mainland coast of Santa Catarina state via highway BR-101, the foothills of the Parque Estadual da Serra do Tabuleiro tumble directly into the South Atlantic at two of southern Brazil's most celebrated coastal gems: the river-mouth village of Guarda do Embaú and the dunes and whale-watching bays of Garopaba.

1. Guarda do Embaú: Crossing the Rio da Madre to a World Surfing Reserve

Located in Palhoça 46 kilometres south of downtown Florianópolis, Guarda do Embaú sits along the wooded bank of the Rio da Madre, a clean river flowing out of the Serra do Tabuleiro rainforest.

• The River Crossing and Pedra do Urubu Hike: To reach the wide white-sand ocean beach across the estuary, wade through the channel at low tide or hop aboard one of the brightly painted wooden rowboats (canoas) steered by local artisanal fishermen. Designated by the Save The Waves Coalition as the 9th World Surfing Reserve on earth and the first in Brazil, Guarda is famed for its left-hand river-mouth wave and the 25-minute trail up Pedra do Urubu overlooking the emerald river mouth and sandbar.

2. Garopaba, the Siriú Dunes, and Southern Right Whales

Continuing 28 kilometres south along coastal road SC-434 brings you past the monumental 5-kilometre Dunas do Siriú (rising up to 40 metres above the Siriú lagoon for sandboarding) into Garopaba. Walk the historic lanes around the 1846 Azorean Church of São Joaquim and the old fishing sheds (ranchos de pesca), then visit the turquoise headland channel between Praia da Ferrugem and Praia da Barra.

If you visit between July and November, Guarda do Embaú and Garopaba sit inside the federal Área de Proteção Ambiental da Baleia Franca, where dozens of southern right whales (Eubalaena australis) enter the shallow bays just beyond the surf line to nurse their calves.