Campeche & Rio Tavares

Campeche and Rio Tavares are fast developing beach towns in the south-west of the island, with easy access to the city center, airport, Lagoa da Conceição and to the south of the island.

Many young people live here and the beaches are very popular for surfing and kitesurfing. Strong winds and currents make these beaches more suitable for aquatic sports than for family leisure if day is windy, but the beaches are also hugely popular for families and tourists during calm weather days.

Inland there is an easy going nightlife and restaurant scene growing, mostly focused on food trucks, craft beers and such. This region as the rest of the south is safe and friendly for all tourists and visitors. There are no very busy night time streets or night clubs. The people living here enjoy a healthy lifestyle and as long as the weather permits, public spaces are filled with people exercising and playing sports.

Beach

The beach is easy to access from the airport or city center, following the main road and then the long Avenida Pequeno Principe, named after the famous children's' book "The Little Prince". There are many more access points, generally involving a little bit of climbing some sand dunes. It's hard to tell where Campeche beach ends and Rio Tavares begins. The stretch of sand is huge - reaching all the way from Joaquina to Morro das Pedras.

For the best beach experience you should avoid going in windy days - unless you practice aquatic sports. In that case you will find a huge community of surfers and kite surfers here. When the wind is right you can see innumerable kites swinging in the air by the beach. Surfing classes including boards are offered on the beach, and kite classes can be arranged with professional instructors.

Water temperature here varies with oceanic currents of the Atlantic, meaning that the water will not always match the air temperature of the day. On some furnace-hot summer days the water might be surprisingly cold, and vice versa. On the hottest summer days it is better to visit the beach in the morning or late afternoon a couple of hours before sunset.

The beaches are watched by life guards, recognisable in their yellow and red outfits.

Ilha do Campeche

This island sits right off Campeche beach, and is famous for incredible crystalline waters and caribbean looks. In summer this is a somewhat crowded place, and despite the short distance, the boat passage to get here is not cheap. Campeche island has some ancient rock engravings - "petroglyphs" - made by unknown natives.

If you want to see the glyphs or walk on any of the 7 nature trails in Ilha do Campeche you can arrange your tour with the government environmental officers stationed on the island. Most trails are 30-40 minutes in duration and groups depart hourly. Prices range from R$20 to R$60. Among the trails offered, one is a guided underwater snorkelling trail.

As food and drink offerings on the island are unsatisfactory, it is best to bring your own beverages and snacks. It is not permitted to stay on the island overnight.

Lagoa Pequena

This beautiful little natural preservation area is a well kept secret of the region. This fresh water lake is easily accessible, with a big statue of a burrowing owl marking the start of a short trail to the lake. You can also continue on the trail across a field and some sand dunes to reach the beach.

Lagoa Pequena is excellent for swimming and for families with small children. The natural preservation area is a corridor from the surrounding hills all the way to the beach. Despite persistent rumors, there are no crocodiles here anymore.

Morro do Lampião

Translated as "Lantern Hill" - this is a hill that many visitors staying in Campeche will climb, to get the best view of the surrounding region and beaches after a short 20 minute climb. It is especially worth climbing Morro do Lampião just before sunset on full moon nights - first enjoying the sunset behind the mountains and after a while the spectacular moon rise over the Atlantic ocean. Remember to bring some wine!

The name "Lantern hill" comes from the early days of aviating, when flights from Paris to Buenos Aires had to stop for refuelling in Florianópolis. The local populace would climb to the top of the hill to light beacons to help the pilots safely navigate.