Garopaba is a former Azorean fishing village on the coast south of Florianópolis that has grown into one of the surf capitals of southern Brazil, while keeping its small old centre around a whitewashed church above the bay.
The town beach is sheltered, with fishing boats pulled up on the sand. The surf is on the open beaches nearby: Silveira, just over the hill, is one of the most respected breaks in Brazil, and Ferrugem and Barra, to the south, are lively surf-and-party beaches in summer. Between Garopaba and Imbituba lie the Siriú dunes, good for sandboarding.
Like its neighbour Praia do Rosa, Garopaba is on the southern right whale coast, and from July to November whales can be seen close to shore from the headlands. In January and February the town is packed; the rest of the year it is a relaxed, pleasant base.