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Balneário Camboriú is the party animals’ destination in the state of
Santa Catarina. After all, it is known as the Brazilian Ibiza.
Add beautiful beaches to the equation and you have a great Brazil travel
destination on hand.
Camboriú is clean, has great infra-structure and you can get by if you
speak Spanish. There are several Argentinean-owned businesses in Balneário
Camboriú. Moreover, Argentineans love vacationing in this pleasant city,
so Spanish is kind of the second non-official language.
A
view from the top
 A good
way of beginning to know your whereabouts is to take the Parque
Unipraias tram - which carries up to six people – and takes you to the
top Morro da Aguada (Aguada Mount). It connects the beaches of Barra
Sul and Laranjeiras with a stop at the station of Mata
Altântica, in the middle of the forest. The view of the beaches and of the
protected rainforest below is simply breathtaking.
The
tram journey starts at Barra Sul Station that has shops, restaurants, bars
and a parking lot. The second stop is Mata Altântica, on top of the Morro
da Aguada. Up there, there is a park with trails, lookouts, coffee shops
and kiosks.
The big attraction on Morro da Aguada is the
Adventure Park. If you like
going around the forest Tarzan-style this is for you. The way you explore
the park is swinging from rope to rope and crossing rope bridges. It is an exciting way of experiencing the forest while enjoying
it and learning how to preserve and respect nature.
The last station
is Praia das
Laranjeiras. It is a small bay with calm waters
and excellent infrastructure. There are several restaurants, bars and
kiosks, you won’t go hungry or thirsty in Laranjeiras. And this is also the
beach for water sports such as jet-ski and water skiing.
Going by Ship
You can
 buy a return ticket for the Parque Unipraias tram or get a combined ticket
with the Captain Hook. You go by ship enjoying the company of pirates while
you tour the beaches and come back by tram. The ship is a great option for
kids because the staff dresses as characters and put on
a small show during the trip. With the ship you can also take a
close look at Ilha das Cabras (Goats Island) on the way.
Balneário Camboriú Beaches
With a
great number of restaurants and bars, Praia Central is sheer
entertainment, but it wouldn’t be my first choice for swimming. As in any
inner city beach, the sea is not always clean. However, it is perfect for
walks, to see people, to have a drink and fun.
The
most famous is Praia do Pinho due to its international fame as the
first official naturism beach in Brazil. There is Praia de Taquaras
for the ones looking for a peaceful time on the beach, and also
Taquarinhas good for fishing.
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Praia de Taquarinhas |
Praia de Taquaras |
Praia do Estaleiro is a beach of clear waters
where you can take it easy and bask in the sun. It has a good
intrastructure with bars and restaurants. If you want to go surfing
Praia dos Amores is your destination.
Eating, Drinking and Dancing
Via
Gastronômica. This is the name of the street where you can find all
kinds of restaurants. Simple, gourmet, Italian, Brazilian… you name it.
An Italian option we liked was the Pasta & Gril
restaurant (R. D. Afonso, 700 (Via Gastronômica).
It you fancy meat, try the Carnes restaurant (Av. Marginal Leste,
260/R. 3300). For a taste of the Brazilian cachaça two
options are Cachaçaria Uai (Av. Atlântica, 2334) and Empório e Cahaçaria
Inconfidêncfia Mineira (Av. Alvin Bauer, 100). To dance
chek out the Baurité
and the Ibiza. Nightlife entertainment in
Balneário Camboriú is five stars. Make sure you try some of it.
What
is nearby Balneário Camboriú?
Only 35
km to the north, in Penha, is the Beto Carrero World: the largest
theme park in Latin America. With wild animals, rides and shows this may
be a nice choice for families with kids.
If you
are the adventure type you should visit Ilha do Arvoredo (Arvoredo
Island). This is for good swimmers only. Rent a boat with a experienced
pilot because you will be in open sea. This trip takes three to four hours
by fishing boat.
A less
radical trip to Ilha do Arvoredo is to go to Bombinhas (32 km away)
by car and from there take a boat to the island. This trip takes less than
an hour and you get to enjoy a beautiful island all the same.
Distances
Florianópolis (capital of the state of Santa Catarina) 80 km, Joinville
107 km, Brusque 43 km, Itajaí 10km.
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