Armação

Armação Beach is on the southern coast of Santa Catarina Island, about 25 km from downtown Florianópolis, in an old Azorean fishing colony that still gives access by pier to Campeche Island. The bottom is sand along almost 3.2 km of shoreline, with waves that rarely pass 1 meter, so the spot works well for beginners, although the north end, near Morro das Pedras, is rougher and leans toward intermediate-level surfing.

The activity in the water is usually calm compared with the island's more famous spots, which attracts many people looking for peace and quiet both on the sand and in the water. Between June and November you can spot southern right whales from the area's viewpoints, and the Sant'Ana church, built in 1772, reinforces the old-village feel the place preserves. It's worth surfing in the morning and keeping an eye on the tide, since wave shape changes a lot between the north end and the south end of the beach.