WTM 2014 Caderno SC

November 2014 London WTM | FOLHA DO TURISMO BRASIL | 1

With 560 km of coastline, the state has beautiful beaches and all of them are different from each other. Some are located in busy resorts; others are almost deserted and are only accessible by trails through the Atlantic Forest or by boat. Surfing, windsurfing, kite surfing, stand up paddle and sailing are all in abundance and you will fi nd good waves and perfect wind along the coast, in places like Ibiraquera Lagoon in Imbituba. For the more adventurous among us, the state has some of the best places in Brazil for rafting. A good example of this is the Itajaí-Açu River and its tributaries, in the Itajaí valley, where thrills are guaranteed. Canoeing is also a good on one of the many rivers, lakes and parks in the countryside of the state. If you prefer staying on dry land, then cycling is a good option to relax and discover a new kind of tourism - on two wheels. If you are looking for some natural beauty mixed with a bit of tradition, the diversity of the state will not disappoint. Santa Catarina’s canyons impress with their grandeur. In this case, rural tourism is especially good for horse riding and tours can last up to a week.

Santa Surfboards, bicycles and horses Choose and explore the state

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Abseiling in the Ingleses Mountains

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2 | FOLHA DO TURISMO BRASIL | WTM London November 2014

Paths of the CanyonsSculptures ofMother Nature

>> Th e Paths of the Canyons attract mainly

lovers of ecotourism. Th e expeditions explore

the high mountains that were abruptly cut

by Mother Nature. Th e impressive canyons

are located in the National Park of Aparados

da Serra and Serra Geral in the south of the

state. But the Paths of the Canyons also have

attractions on the coast and in the inner cities.

In total, seven cities make up the region:

Sombrio, Praia Grande, Jacinto Machado,

Passo de Torres, Balneário Arroio da Silva,

Araranguá and Balneário Gaivota. These

destinations off er a variety of activities related

to ecotourism and adventures like trekking,

rappelling, tree walking, zip lining, fi shing, boat

rides, cascading, mountain biking, cycling and

horseback riding tours. It also has a multitude

of trails, waterfalls, lakes and other natural

places that allow greater contact with its nature

and animal/bird watching. The crafts and

local culture are also attractions in the region.

SombrioTh e natural attractions and shopping tourism

are the main highlights of Sombrio. The

Cultural Boardwalk and the Mother Church

St. Anthony of Padua are must sees in the city

centre, where you will notice traces of the

Azorean and Portuguese colonisation. Don’t

miss as well, a boat ride on the Sombrio Lagoon:

the largest freshwater lake in the state, spanning

54 square kilometres. It’s worth a visit as well

as Morro da Moça, a 200m high mountain,

with vertical walls that resemble the shape

of ‘Sugar Loaf Mountain’, in Rio de Janeiro.

Praia Grande Settled in by descendants from the Azores,

Portugal and Italy, Praia Grande is an

ecotourism destination par excellence. Here

Aparados da Serra National Park can be found.

Th e stunning landscape is characterised by

vertical rock faces stretching upwards to 700m

in height and then abruptly tail off into the

gentle slopes of a plateau. Waterfalls make the

scenery even more charming. Th e protected

area is situated on the border between Rio

Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina, and has

three trails open to the public.

Jacinto Machado Th is is one of the best destinations in Santa

Catarina for ecotourism. Th e city is the main

access point to the Fortaleza Canyon, the

Hiking in Espraiado Canyon in Urubici; and Moça

Mountains, in Sombrio

Mak

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Juan Rivas Beasley


Free to fl y Santa Catarina offers many options for those who like throwing themselves in the air. You can go paragliding, parachuting or trips in a glider. In Balneário Camboriú, at Morro do Careca (Bald Hill), at only 80m high, so you can try it out to see if you like it. Paragliding fl ights last for about 15 minutes and are available with an experienced pilot (even for children 5 years an up) can be made here. Atalaia Beach has designated spots for free fl ight in an area owned by the Atalaia Club of Free Flight. Tangará, São Lourenço do Oeste, Gravatal, Garopaba, Santo Amaro da Imperatriz, Florianópolis, Itajaí, Camboriú and Penha are other destinations that also offer ramps for free fl ights and gliders.

region’s largest and also one of the largest in

Brazil, at 7.5km in length and up to 1,157 m

in height. Century old trails used by drovers,

waterfalls, rock pools, rocky rivers and lush

vegetation make the ride up the canyon a

real adventure, which must be done with

accredited guides. Abseiling, canyoning,

raft ing and trekking are some of the most

popular activities here.

Passo de Torres Located on the border with the state of Rio

Grande do Sul, Passo de Torres is a very popular

resort for surfers. Th e beaches of Molhes, Rosa

do Mar and Bella Torres are the most famous.

Other attractions are boat trips to the Lobos

Island, an environmental conservation unit

created to protect wolves and sea lions, and

the Macacos Morro, park for the protection

of monkeys, located 8 km from the centre.

Balneário Arroio da Silva Th e 22 km of beaches is the main attraction

of Balneário Arroio da Silva. The City

organizes most of the sports and recreational

activities - especially in the summer – that

all take place here. Th e highlight is the Truck

Drag Race (Arrancada de Caminhões), one

of the largest events of its kind in the world,

attracting up to 100,000 people every year.

Th e Entremares Fishing Platform, another

point of interest for tourists is 5 km from

centre, in Meta Beach.

Balneário Gaivota With interconnected beaches, dunes, lagoons,

salt marshes and remnants of the Atlantic

Forest, Balneário Gaivota is a quiet destination

most of the year. In the summer however,

tourists come from all over and change the

dynamic of the city. Surfi ng, fi shing and power

boating take place along the 23km long coast.

Th e busy Balneário Gaivota, in the centre,

and the quiet Cortada Lagoon, are a must

do for walking, swimming and sport fi shing.

Araranguá Ecotourism and shopping are the two main

attractions of Araranguá, a city colonized by

descendants of the Azores, Italy, Germany

and some African-Brazilians. Th e central

region of the city has wide avenues and

many shops, bars, restaurants and nightclubs.

Going to the coast, the highlights are the

beaches, lagoons, dunes, caves and the mouth

of the Araranguá River. In several places,

nature provides perfect places to go hang

gliding, sand boarding and various off -road

activities. You can also book horse rides to the

Aparados da Serra Park. Th e main attractions

of the town are the dunes of the Morro

dos Conventos. Th ey form a slope 30m in

height, allowing for descents of up to 35kph.

Trail of Furnas, Macacos Mountains, in Passos de Torres, and Paragliding in Mole Beach, in Florianópolis

Makito


>> Surfi ng and its variants - windsurfi ng and

kite surfi ng - are popular in Santa Catarina,

attracting legions of fans that have a diff erent

lifestyle. In total, the state has 560 km of

coastline and around 130 beaches suitable

for the sport. It’s hard to single out which is

the best beach for surfi ng due to the amount

of options. Among the best known and most

popular are Joaquina, Mole, Moçambique,

Morro das Pedras and Campeche in

Florianópolis; Guarda do Embaú in Palhoça;

Vila (the only Latin American beach that

will host the World Championship Tour

- WCT) and Rosa, in Imbituba; Silveira

and Ferrugem, in Garopaba; Prainha, in

São Francisco do Sul; Atalaia and Brava, in

Itajaí; Estaleiro, in Balneário Camboriú; and

Mariscal and Quatro Ilhas, in Bombinhas.

As for other sports, such as windsurfi ng

and kite surfi ng, the most popular beach

is Ibiraquera, especially the Ibiraquera

Lagoon in Imbituba. With a backdrop of

dunes, rivers, islands and lagoons, Ibiraquera

houses a quiet fi shing village. Th e area is very

popular for its boutique B&Bs and for its good

restaurants, with pink shrimp dishes that are

traditionally fi shed, in the Ibiraquera Lagoon.

Th e waves of the region are considered one

of the best for kite surfi ng and windsurfi ng

in Brazil. Each year in October, the global

elite of both sports gathers on the sands of

Ibiraquera for the most awaited competition On th

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Trekking, rappelling and a Zip line: adventure sport for all One of the main destinations for trekking and rappelling, Urubici has a wide variety of places, mountains and hills to explore. Thrills await you at Serra do Corvo Branco, which is located 30km from Urubici city centre. It has stunning scenery that begins in the crevice that cuts two massive rock faces. The road that descends towards Grão Pará is dizzying, dazzling and reveals wild and varied landscapes. The destination delights tourists, providing activities like trekking, rappelling and other extreme sports. In Balneário Camboriú, the highlight is the Unipraias Park. It is possible to go tree climbing with canopies up to 130 meters and zip line called the ZipRider, a breakneck descent of 750 metres amidst the Atlantic Forest, where you are suspended by just a cable, sitting in a modern seat that reaches an average speed of 60 km/h and has the pleasure of enjoying the scenery and the feeling of freedom. It also has suspended walkways for ecological walks through the Atlantic forest. Finally, at 998m, the Castle of the Bugres, in Joinville, has good facilities for climbing. There are two trails that lead to the top, passing through caves, rocky corridors and lookouts, like Pedra do Sofá. At the top, you can see the entire northern part of Santa Catarina and part of Paraná state.

in Latin America, the Ibiraquera Wave

Contest. Competitors amaze with their

manoeuvres cresting the waves of Ibiraquera.

You may even bump into the WIND 2005

world champion Kauli Seadi, who lives here.

The Ibiraquera Lagoon has excellent

facilities for Slaloming (zigzaging), besides

being great for stand-up paddle (a sport

performed on top of a surfb oard with long

oars). Th ere you will fi nd equipment to rent

to create your own adventure.

Rafting Going down rapids in infl atable rubber boats

emotes much adrenaline and also puts you

amongst nature. Rafting, a sport sought

by adrenaline junkies, increasingly aff ects

Ecotourism and Adventure Tourism in the

region. Santa Catarina off ers a variety of tours,

with various levels of diffi culty available by

accredited companies, including all basic

training and all safety equipment needed.

Th e ducking (infl atable kayak for two people)

and canoeing on rivers and lakes are also a

good option for those who want to immerse

themselves in the nature of Santa Catarina.

Rafting on the river Itajaí-Açu and its

tributaries in the Upper Valley of Itajaí, in the

touristic region of European Valley, is considered

one of the best in Brazil. It’s a 7.5 km stretch with

interspersing rapids, calm passages, waterfalls

and spectacular scenery. Th ere are easy routes for

beginners and others for the more experienced,

which should only be made by veterans of the

sport. At the top of the 350m high starting

point, you have diff erent routes to choose from.

From the top, the view of the Canyon provides

a beautiful sight of the Santa Luzia waterfall,

which is 100m high and has several levels,

which make it favourable for rappelling and

cascading. At the bottom, there are natural

pools that were formed by the waterfall.

Waterfall in Itoupava, rafting in Ingleses Beach, trekking

and canoeing at the beautiful landscapes of Santa Catarina

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>> Many natural wonders and thrills await

tourists on Santa Catarina’s mountain bike

trails. Th e coast and the countryside of the

state have hundreds of places to be explored

on a bike, true paradises at the seaside or on

the slopes of mountains, canyons, valleys and

fi elds. In most cities, there are tour operators

who organize tours and expeditions and rent

out bicycles and accessories. Santa Catarina

is also a pioneer in Brazilian cycle tourism,

consisting of short trips, usually accompanied

by guides from specialised companies. Th e

routes connect various cities, passing through

trails and secondary roads that are quieter.

Th e best-known circuit is European Valley,

which passes through Timbó (about 30

km from Blumenau), Pomerode, Indaial,

Rio dos Cedros, Benedito Novo, Doutor

Pedrinho, Rodeio, Apiúna and Ascurra.

Th e Costa Verde & Mar Circuit gives the

chance of exploring one of the most beautiful

coastlines in the country, passing by quiet

country towns, with preserved forests, rivers

and waterfalls. It is the first cycle tourism

route in Brazil to cover a coastline. And,

when merging stretches of coastline with the

interior, it off ers great cultural diversity and

landscapes. Th e route goes past prominent

and local sights coupled with incomparable

scenic beauty. Popular beaches alternate with

other deserted ones and are surrounded by

green rainforest. Between the beaches, there

are challenging hills that also off er gorgeous

views. With mostly Azorean Colonization, the

coast safeguards strong Portuguese cultural

traits, expressed mainly in the festivities and

cuisine. In the countryside, the views are

littered with rice fi elds and wooden houses set

the tone of the trip. Other cultural infl uences,

notably German and Italian, can be seen here.

Th e cycle tour ‘cicloturista’ passes through 11

cities, eight on the coast: Balneário Camboriú,

Balneário Piçarras, Bombinhas, Itapema, Itajaí,

Navegantes, Penha and Porto Belo and three

more in the countryside: Camboriú, Ilhota

e Luís Alves. Totalling 270 km, the route

uses dirt tracks and urban roads, to avoid

busier paved roads. The tour was designed

to take six days, to give enough time to enjoy

the many attractions that the region has to

offer. In each section there are numerous

opportunities to enjoy other activities

such as hiking, diving, kayaking, surfing,

windsurfi ng, micro light fl ights, among others.

Th ere are also cultural and ecological riches

to be explored, such as archaeological sites,

historic buildings and trails for bird watching.

Cycling! Discover a new and beautiful Santa Catarina

Explore the state by pedal power. Different routes are available for Cycle Tourism


>> For the adventurous ones, in the Schroeder

region, Vale do Rio Braço do Sul is a place

full of springs and streams between the

Morro Agudo and Serra Feia. It is here that

we fi nd one of the most beautiful waterfalls

in the city, the Wasserhoff , as well as the best

downhill (a form of radical cycling consisting

of riding down a hill as fast as possible along

a specifi ed route) course in Latin America.

Th ere is also a cross-country course of 8.3 km

that takes you through the woods and there

is also a sports complex for championships.

In Rio Negrinho, on the tourist route of

Príncipe Paths, there are natural hidden

places and farms in the region that have

nature trails for trekking, mountain biking,

off -roading in a Jeep or ATV. Motocross and

kart-cross tracks can be found in Estância

Colonial for those seeking other challenges.

In Imbituba, a special route takes cyclists from

the Itapirubá Beach to Sonho Beach in Palhoça

to watch right whales, which mate in the region

between June and November. Th e route passes

by cliff s, dunes and several other beaches in

Imbituba and Garopaba. The tour can also

start at the Santa Marta Lighthouse, located

Recognized by UNESCO as one of the most beautiful bays in the world, Rosa Beach still looks like an old fi shing village, with canoes, carts, artisanal fi shing of mullet and rustic lodges, which add charm to the area. Located 22 km from Imbituba city centre and 18 km from Garopaba, Rosa borders the Vermelha Beach, in the north, and Portinho Beach, in the south. The destination was discovered by surfers in the 70’s and today is one of the main points for the sport, especially south of Rosa, in Vila Beach. From August to November you can see the Right whales, which migrate to Rosa Beach to feed their young in their fi rst months of life. The area becomes a kind of natural nursery and attracts many curious people, increasing tourism in the region.

Whale watching

Explore and venture

in Laguna, and lasts two to four days, with

English, Spanish and German speaking guides.

On the other hand, the city of Itajaí off ers

a mixed destination, where tourists cycle

through urban and rural areas, covering

eight districts and nine out of the 17 rural

communities that are in the area. Winding

roads and new friendships complement the

landscapes that are enjoyed by those who

appreciate the calmness of a bike ride.

Finally, Porto Belo is a great option for off -

road mountain bike tours. Th e site also off ers

4x4 tours in cars, passing along rugged beaches,

lookouts, trails and other nature conservation

sites and there is also the possibility of rides

on nights with a full moon. Stops along the

route to cool off with a dip and hiking over

the nearby hills can also be done. Another

option is to explore this scenery riding

in groups accompanied by expert guides.


>> In Santa Catarina there are lots of

opportunities for horse riding, both on

the coast and in the countryside. It was in

Serra Catarinense that, in the 80s, the fi rst

Brazilian farm hotels emerged, paving the

way for the development of rural tourism

in the entire country. Some of the best rides

start at these hotels and some even last up

to seven days winding through totally wild

fi elds. Others have shorter itineraries and are

highlighted by visits to Coxilha Rural in Lages.

Two long horse rides are famous in the

state. The first is the Aparados da Serra

Horse Ride, in Araranguá, leaving Bom

Jardim da Serra and heading towards Rio

Grande do Sul. It happens in July and brings

together hundreds of people. Th e route of

almost 300km, includes old paths, passing

through cities like São José dos Ausentes,

Cambará do Sul, and some of the most

beautiful landscapes of Rio Grande do

Sul and the Santa Catarina mountains.

Th e event lasts for a week and takes place

annually in the winter. During the other

months of the year, Aparados da Serra off ers

walks or adventure tours up to three days

in duration. Th e tourists sleep on the farms

of the Campos de Cima da Serra.

The second is the Tropeira Horse Ride,

that goes from Lages to Tubarão and travels

along the historic path of the drovers through

Picadão da Serra. Th e arrival of the riders is

just one of the many festivities, celebrating the

anniversary of the city, which takes place in May.

In Lages, it is very common for regional

farm hotels to off er rural tourism that includes

horse riding and fi shing in lakes and rivers.

Th e region of Coxilha Rica, where Lages is

located, includes the historic path of Serras

Catarinenses, which takes you up and down

grassy hills, through forests, river crossings

and waterfalls of crystal clear water. Th ere

are stops along the route for refreshments,

to adjust the saddle, and to reach the next

farm for a meal, picnic or to rest. At night,

a guitar around a bonfi re, the traditional

mate drink, fresh milk and delicious typical

food, made with fresh local produce,

await for you on the last night of the tour.

In European Valley, rural inns off er lake and

river fi shing, horse riding and trekking in the

surrounding areas. Don’t miss the tour that leaves

from the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Azambuja,

in Brusque, and goes up to the Sanctuary of

Saint Paulina, in Nova Trento (35 km). Th e

horse ride attracts about eight thousand riders

and takes place in the last weekend of August.

silence and tradition of LagesHorse riding in the

Norberto CidadeMakito

Makito

Documents

WTM 2014 Caderno SC