Garopaba

Garopaba is a former whaling village turned popular surf and holiday town on the coast of Santa Catarina in southern Brazil. Its sheltered main bay and a string of nearby beaches give it a wide spread of waves and a relaxed, scenic setting.

The surf ranges from gentle to punchy. The main beach and neighbouring Praia da Silveira and Ferrugem offer everything from mellow, learner-friendly peaks to faster, more powerful walls, so surfers of most levels find something suitable. The variety of beaches facing different directions helps spread swell and crowds across the area.

Southern groundswells bring the best surf, strongest through the southern autumn and winter from April to September. Water is cooler here than in tropical Brazil, so a wetsuit is common outside the summer months, and mornings often bring the cleanest conditions.

Garopaba blends surf with nature and history. Southern right whales gather offshore in winter to calve, drawing whale-watchers, while the old fishing heritage lingers in the town's boats and colonial-era chapel. The surrounding coast of green headlands, lagoons and long beaches is among the prettiest in the region. With its mix of accessible waves, wildlife and easygoing charm, Garopaba is a favourite escape for surfers exploring southern Brazil.

The surrounding coast is a highlight in itself. Beyond the main bay, beaches like Silveira, Ferrugem and Rosa spread along a shoreline of green headlands and lagoons, offering surfers and walkers plenty to explore. Winter brings southern right whales close to shore, and the region has built a gentle whale-watching and eco-tourism identity around them. Pousadas and seafood restaurants cater to a steady but unhurried flow of visitors, and cooler southern water means a wetsuit for much of the year.