Santa Catarina coast beyond the island — from Bombinhas to Imbituba

North: Vale do Itajaí on the coast

By IBGE classification this whole stretch belongs to the mesoregion Vale do Itajaí, and not to “greater Florianópolis”, see Santa Catarina — overview of the state and how it is organized (in Russian).

Balneário Camboriú — the most recognizable silhouette of the coast: dense development with towers along Praia Central, often called the “Brazilian Dubai”. The resort is thoroughly urban: the seafront, a cable car across the hill to Praia de Laranjeiras, intense nightlife. It is overcrowded in high season. A separate entry is Guide — Balneário Camboriú, the vertical resort of Santa Catarina (in Russian): it covers the beach reclaimed in 2021 and the shade from the towers that the reclamation addressed.

Itapema — a neighboring resort, calmer and more family-oriented, with a wide beach.

Bombinhas — a peninsula with coves and clear water, the snorkeling and diving center of this part of the coast. The contrast with Camboriú is stark: nature instead of towers. The nearby reserve is closed to visitation, and diving in it is prohibited; what is allowed is set out in Day trips and weekend getaways from Florianópolis (in Russian).

Itajaí — not a resort, but a large port and industrial center; together with Navegantes on the other shore of the estuary it forms an agglomeration. It matters to a visitor for two reasons: the NVT airport in Navegantes is often more convenient than FLN if the destination is the northern coast; and the club scene is here as well, see Brazilian electronic music festivals — calendar and clubs.

Penha — known for a large amusement park; this guide has not checked it separately.

South: whales and surf

Garopaba and Imbituba — the center of the southern coast. The opposite of the north: low-rise, surfy, quiet in winter.

Praia do Rosa (in the municipality of Imbituba) — the most famous bay of this stretch, a combination of surf, dunes and shore-based whale watching.

“Southern right whale” protected area

The federal APA da Baleia Franca — a conservation unit under the management of ICMBio:

• area 154,867.40 hectares;
• created by an unnumbered decree dated 14 Sep 2000;
• regional management — GR5, Florianópolis;
• headquarters — in Imbituba.

The season and the general framework of whale watching in the country are covered in Active recreation — park access, seasons, mandatory guides and fees (in Russian): southern right whales off the SC coast — July–November, peak August–October.

Important for this place: inside the area its own observation rules apply, and some bays are closed to whale-watching boats as breeding sites. Shore-based observation remains available and during the season can be productive. The specific list of closed segments, the accreditation procedure and individual operators are not given here; choose an operator accredited by ICMBio.

How to choose between north and south

Road, car and high season

• BR-101 — the only continuous route along the coast. In high season and on holiday long weekends it gets congested; allow extra time.
• Car — effectively mandatory for the south; the north is better connected by buses.
• High season radically changes places. The population of resort towns multiplies: prices, traffic and petty crime grow with it, see Safety in Brazil — statistics, scam schemes, rules of conduct (in Russian).
• In winter the south is almost empty, and that is its best time: whales, empty beaches, cheap accommodation, but many establishments are closed.

Sources

1. T1ICMBio — Área de Proteção Ambiental da Baleia Franca (environmental protection area): area 154,867.40 ha, decree of 14 Sep 2000, headquarters in Imbitubagov.br · primary source
2. T1IBGE — affiliation of coastal municipalities of SC to the mesoregions Vale do Itajaí and Sul Catarinenseservicodados.ibge.gov.br · primary source

T1 — primary: law, agency site, price list. T2 — secondary: press, specialist sites. T3 — other.