The tall dunes
Sandboarding.
MARIA VALÉRIA DE OLIVEIRA — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Susie Sun — CC BY-SA 4.0 · MTur Destinos — Public domain · Susie Sun — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Amanda Likes — CC BY-SA 4.0
Joaquina is an ocean beach in the east of Santa Catarina Island, about three kilometres long, discovered by surfers in the 1970s and since then one of Brazil's best-known surf beaches, host to world championships. A local tale says it is named after Dona Joaquina, a woman who made lace on its rocks and was swept away by the tide. What sets it apart for visitors are the tall sand dunes behind it, inside the Lagoa da Conceição dunes park, where people go sandboarding on boards rented at the foot of the dunes. Climbing to the top reveals the beach and the lagoon together. The beach has good facilities, with toilets, showers, lifeguards and parking, but its waves are strong, so swim only near the lifeguard towers. The sand gets very hot on summer afternoons, so take something on your feet for the dunes.
Sandboarding.
A world-championship beach.
Beach and lagoon.
East of Santa Catarina Island, about 15 km from central Florianópolis
On the Joaquina dunes behind the beach; boards are rented at the foot of the dunes.