Lagoinha do Leste, Florianopolis
The verdict
- Best for: Walkers, surfers and nature lovers who will trade a road, a kiosk and a lifeguard for a wild, preserved beach and a freshwater lagoon reached only by trail or boat.
- Best spot: A dawn hike in from Matadeiro, a swim in the lagoon behind the sand, and the climb to the ridge for one of the finest coastal views on the island.
- Know this: There is no road, no shop and no lifeguard, the ocean has real surf and currents, so carry all your water, start early and read the sea before you swim.
Published 21 February 2026. Last reviewed 6 June 2026
Lagoinha do Leste is the beach that reminds you what Florianopolis looked like before the roads and the resorts, and it survives because you cannot drive to it. It lies on the wild south east of the island inside a protected municipal park, a broad crescent of pale sand slung between two green hills, with a freshwater lagoon lying just behind the beach and not a single building in sight. Reaching it means a hike over the hills or a boat across the bay, and that barrier is exactly why it stays quiet, unspoilt and, for anyone who loves wild places, unforgettable.
The honest read is that this is a beach for people who are happy to work for it and to arrive with everything they need. There is no road, no kiosk, no toilet and no lifeguard, and the nearest anything is back at the trailhead. The most popular way in is a trail of about an hour from Matadeiro beach at Armacao, with a steeper, longer route of an hour and a half or more from Pantano do Sul, and small boats crossing from Pantano do Sul in summer. The paths cross open, sun exposed hillside, so proper shoes, an early start and far more water than you think you need are not optional here.
The reward is worth every step. You get a genuinely wild beach, a lagoon to cool off in that is calmer than the ocean, and a ridge walk above the sand that opens one of the best coastal views on the island. The ocean itself is open Atlantic with real surf and currents that draw surfers and demand respect, so read the sea before you swim and lean on the lagoon for a gentle dip. Camping has long been part of the culture here, though the park rules can change, so check before you plan to stay. Treat this fragile place gently, carry out all you carry in, and Lagoinha do Leste rewards you like few beaches anywhere.
Where to settle in
Lagoinha do Leste is a wild park beach with nothing built on it, so there is no club here, and our directory covers the serviced beaches elsewhere on the island.
There is no beach club at Lagoinha do Leste, and there never should be, because the whole point of the place is that it is wild and unbuilt. This is a beach for a picnic you carried in, a swim in the lagoon and a long walk, not for loungers and service. When you want that comfort, the island has plenty of it elsewhere, from the beach clubs up north around Jurere Internacional to the easier surf beaches with kiosks and bars, so pair a wild morning here with a serviced afternoon on calmer, reachable sand. Our Florianopolis beach clubs directory covers those venues, and if you tell us your dates we will pass your enquiry to the right operator so they can confirm space and any minimum spend, which vary by season and are best confirmed close to your dates.
Lagoinha do Leste has no road, so you arrive only on foot or by boat. The most popular trail runs about an hour from Matadeiro beach at Armacao on the south of the island, while a steeper and longer route of an hour and a half or more climbs in from Pantano do Sul, and in summer small boats cross from Pantano do Sul. Both trails cross open, sun exposed hillside inside a protected park, so wear proper walking shoes, start at dawn to beat the heat, and carry far more water than you expect to drink, along with food, sun cover and a bag for your rubbish, since there is nothing to buy once you arrive.
Treat the sea with real care. This is an open Atlantic beach with surf and currents that draw surfers, and there is no lifeguard anywhere, so read the water carefully before you go in and keep children and weaker swimmers to the calm freshwater lagoon behind the sand. Avoid the trail in heavy rain, when it turns slippery and the streams rise, and never assume the ocean is safe to swim just because it looks beautiful. Above all, protect this fragile park. Stay on the paths, camp only if the current rules allow it, keep noise and light down, and carry out every scrap you carry in. Conditions here are typical and never guaranteed, so ask locally and watch the sea before you swim.
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Plan your day on the coast
Pair a wild morning at Lagoinha do Leste with a calmer, serviced beach in the afternoon. Tell us your date and party and we will point you to the right base in Florianopolis. No obligation, and we reply within 24 hours.
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Common questions
How do you get to Lagoinha do Leste?
Only on foot or by boat, because there is no road to the beach. The usual routes are a hiking trail of around an hour from Matadeiro beach at Armacao, or a longer, steeper trail of an hour and a half or more from Pantano do Sul, both crossing hills inside a protected park. In summer small boats also run across from Pantano do Sul. Wear proper shoes, carry plenty of water, and start early, since the trails are exposed to the sun and there is nothing to buy once you arrive.
Is Lagoinha do Leste worth the hike?
For anyone who loves wild places, yes. Lagoinha do Leste is one of the most beautiful and unspoilt beaches on Florianopolis, a preserved crescent of pale sand between green hills with a freshwater lagoon behind it and no buildings in sight. The effort of the trail is exactly what keeps it wild and quiet, and the reward is a beach that feels a world away from the busy strands nearby. Go for the walk, the swim, the lagoon and the sense of true nature, not for facilities, because there are none.
Can you swim at Lagoinha do Leste?
You can, and many people do, but it is an open ocean beach with real surf and currents rather than a calm bay, so it demands respect. The waves draw surfers and the shorebreak can be strong, and there is no lifeguard, so read the sea carefully before you go in. The freshwater lagoon behind the beach offers a calmer, gentler dip. Conditions are typical rather than guaranteed and change with the swell, so never assume the water is safe just because it looks inviting.
Are there any facilities at Lagoinha do Leste?
No. Lagoinha do Leste sits inside a protected municipal park and has no shops, no kiosks, no toilets and no lifeguard, which is part of what makes it so special and so wild. You must carry in everything you need, water above all, along with food, sun cover and a bag for your rubbish, and carry it all back out again. Treat the beach, the lagoon and the trail gently, stay on the paths, and leave no trace, so that it stays as unspoilt as you found it.
Can you camp at Lagoinha do Leste?
Camping has long been part of the culture at Lagoinha do Leste, and many hikers stay overnight to watch the sunrise over the ocean, but because it lies inside a protected park the rules can change, so check the current regulations before you plan to camp. If you do stay, be completely self sufficient, protect the dunes and the lagoon, keep noise and light down, and pack out everything you bring. The park protects a fragile place, so leaving it untouched matters more here than at any managed beach.
