Praia do Rosa is a crescent of beach between green headlands on the southern coast of Santa Catarina, about ninety kilometres south of Florianópolis and part of the municipality of Imbituba. It started as a surfers' discovery in the 1970s and grew into one of the most attractive small resorts in the south of Brazil, its pousadas scattered on the hillsides above the bay.
The surf is the original draw, and there are schools for beginners. The other is whales: from July to November, southern right whales come into these sheltered bays to give birth, and they can often be seen from the headlands above Rosa. The coast here is part of a protected area set up for them, and whale-watching from land is the recommended way.
Behind the beach, the Lagoa de Ibiraquera is a lagoon popular with kitesurfers, and trails lead over the headlands to quieter beaches such as Praia Vermelha. Summer, especially January, is crowded; spring and autumn are calmer, and winter brings the whales.