Wild sand
Miles of nothing built.
Rejane Teixeira — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Rodrigo Soldon from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil — CC BY 2.0 · Andreia Reis from São Paulo, Brasil — CC BY 2.0 · Sanjayfm — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Andreia Reis from São Paulo, Brasil — CC BY 2.0
Moçambique is the longest beach on Santa Catarina Island, an open Atlantic beach in the island's north-east running about eight and a half kilometres from Barra da Lagoa in the south to Morro das Aranhas in the north. Its great charm is that there are no buildings at all, neither on the sand nor on the way to it, so it looks much as it must have centuries ago. The name has nothing to do with the African country; it comes from a small crustacean living in the sand, the «tatuíra», also known locally as «moçambique». It was once called Praia Grande, and the present name came into use around 1850. The beach lies within the Rio Vermelho Forest Park, a reserve covered in pine forest, separated from the sea by dunes and a strip of low scrub. It is ideal for long walks and horse riding; the waves are strong along most of it, and surfers ride its northern corner near the Aranhas islands. There are almost no services along it, so bring water and food, and swim with care near guarded spots.
Miles of nothing built.
Between forest and sea.
At the northern end.
East coast of Santa Catarina Island, between Barra da Lagoa and Morro das Aranhas, Florianópolis
From a small crustacean in its sand, the tatuíra, known locally as «moçambique», not from the African country.