When most people think of a Brazilian vacation, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo are the two best-known destinations. But a short flight away is Florianopolis, a holiday gem that has yet to be discovered by tourists outside of South America. With over 100 white sandy beaches – large and small – this island is renowned for sunshine, water sports, delicious seafood, sizzling nightlife, and warm hospitality. The island is small, with one central town and tiny villages throughout the countryside and along the ocean shores. It is easy to travel around this paradise by car or public transportation.

Stops along the way on this walking and driving tour of Florianopolis include:

Naufragados Beach, Ribeirao, Campeche, Santo Antonio de Lisboa, Jurere, and Pontano do Sul.   For more tips and a sample video see this tour of Florianopolis: Brazil’s Paradise Island by Roy Heale. Roy was raised in England but has spent the past forty years living in Canada. His work experience has been in advertising, marketing, public relations and publishing. Now semi-retired, Roy is a freelance travel journalist and divides his time between Calgary, Canada and Buenos Aires.