Cigana

Cigana is in the Santa Marta Lighthouse area, on the south coast of Santa Catarina, between Cardoso Beach and Barra do Camacho, on a stretch that is still rustic and barely urbanized. The bottom is sand and the hill at the north end eases the entry through a channel that leads to the outside, from which long, barreling lefts come, while the rights break more toward the middle of the beach, with waves of 1 to 6 feet even though it's a low-difficulty spot.

Car access is difficult and is normally done by going through Cardoso Beach, which keeps the beach deserted during the week, although the crowd gets heavier on weekends. The wild scenery, with dunes and rocky shores, reinforces the refuge feel that attracts those looking to escape the buzz of the region's more urbanized beaches. The best season runs from autumn to winter, with northeast, west or north winds, so it's worth planning to arrive via Cardoso to save trail time.