Campeche Island is one of our favorite tours in Florianópolis. It boasts the most beautiful beach in the city, in our opinion, and it’s just a piece of heaven in the south of Brazil.
Just 1.6 km (1 mile) off Praia do Campeche lies Ilha do Campeche (Campeche Island), home to the clearest, calmest water we found anywhere around Florianópolis.
We were there. Aug 2023 – Jun 2024 & Jan 2026 — about a year living in Campeche
Campeche Island at a Glance
- Where: about 1.6 km (1 mile) off Praia do Campeche, in the south of Florianópolis
- Getting there: by boat only, from Praia do Campeche (the quickest), Armação (our pick) or Barra da Lagoa
- What it costs: the city’s R$15 ticket, plus the boat: R$185 to R$250 per person in the 2025/26 season
- Visitor limit: 800 people a day
- Hours: boats can only land between 9 am and 5 pm
- Closed: in bad weather or rough seas, and for the mullet fishing season (1 May to 10 July in 2026)
- Trails: only with the island’s guides
- Bring: cash or Pix, water, food, a trash bag and a dry bag
Before You Go: The Rules on Ilha do Campeche
Campeche Island is a protected area, so be careful: you can’t just do anything there.
Where Campeche Island Is
Ilha do Campeche lies about 1.6 km (1 mile) off Praia do Campeche, in the south of Florianópolis. The island is about 1.6 km long and 500 m wide, with its one beach on the west side, facing Campeche.
It has been listed as national heritage by IPHAN, Brazil’s heritage institute, since 2000, for its landscape and its archaeology, and in 2025 it became a conservation area of the city, the Monumento Natural Municipal da Ilha do Campeche.
The Daily Visitor Limit and the R$15 Ticket
Visits are capped at 800 people a day, and boats can only land between 9 am and 5 pm. Every visitor needs a ticket from the city: it costs R$15 and is issued on the island’s official website, for the date of your visit and the boat you’re taking. If you’re going with one of the boat associations, contact the association directly.
The ticket can’t be rescheduled or refunded, even if bad weather closes the island, so check the forecast before you book. It’s only released 24 hours after your payment clears, so don’t leave it for the morning of your visit.
The limit is working: in the 2025/26 summer, it was passed on only four days, with a peak of 852 visitors, against ten days the summer before, when almost 1,900 people landed on a single day.
Guided Trails Only
To hike around the island, you have to go with a guide: you can’t just go by yourself.
The island’s trails are only open with its monitors, who explain its history, archaeology and nature along the way. The trails are paid, most are booked with the team on the island when you arrive, and they don’t run in the rain or when it isn’t safe.
Watch Out for the Coatis
Also watch out for the coatis (quatis): these little animals will come up to you and try to steal your food, so keep an eye on it. Try not to feed them, either. They are an invasive species on the island, and we don’t want to make life harder for its native species.
Coatis aren’t native to Ilha do Campeche: hunters brought them over in the 1940s, and with no natural predators, there are almost twice as many of them per area as on the mainland, where they belong.
The Three Ways to Get to Campeche Island by Boat
Altogether, you mainly have three options.
From Praia do Campeche: the Quick Crossing
The quickest one is to go from Praia do Campeche. From there, dinghies go out straight to the island: they beach the dinghies, people board, and off you go. You will get wet. It’s a bit of an adventure to break over the swell and the breaking waves. They tend not to go out if the swell is too big, but it’s an adventure.
It’s the quickest way, but also the most expensive, in our experience. For a crossing of about 1.6 km, they can charge you up to R$400 per person in high season. In the 2025/26 season, the boat to the island cost between R$185 and R$250 per person, depending on the time of year and where you leave from, so ask before you book.
From Armação: the Fishing Boats (Our Pick)
The second option, and our preferred one, is to go from Armação. From there, they have fishing boats, run by the beach’s association of artisanal fishermen. It’s around half the price of what the dinghies charge, though the ride is a lot longer. You will have to drive to Armação, even if you’re staying in Campeche.
We’ve visited the island twice, both times on a boat from Praia da Armação. The boats leave from a proper harbor dock there, and the ride runs along the scenic south coast. The boat is a bit bigger, but it also goes through the open ocean, so if you get motion sickness, be sure to bring some motion sickness pills. Then you get to the island, and you can enjoy the day there.
From Barra da Lagoa: the Full-Day Schooner Trip
There is also a third option: an even bigger, catamaran-style tour boat from Barra da Lagoa for a full-day tour that stops at Campeche Island. If you prefer to go with these bigger boats, we recommend this one.
Just know that this tour doesn’t land on the island: it stops for about an hour of swimming off Campeche Island, then spends an hour and a half at Praia da Celina, in Lagoa da Conceição. If you want to step onto the island itself, check that your boat lands there before you book.
How to Book the Boat and the Ticket
Daily visitor numbers are strictly capped to protect the island’s ecosystem, so you’ll need to book an authorized boat tour in advance. We’d do this a few days ahead, especially in summer, when spots sell out quickly.
- Choose your boat: the dinghies from Praia do Campeche, the fishing boats from Armação, or a tour boat from Barra da Lagoa.
- Issue your R$15 ticket on the island’s official website, for the date of your visit and the boat you chose.
- Pay for it at least a day ahead: the ticket is only released 24 hours after your payment clears, and it can’t be rescheduled or refunded.
The Ilha do Campeche boat trip only runs when sea conditions allow, so it’s worth keeping a backup day for it.
On the Island: the Beach, Snorkeling and the Trails
At Campeche Island’s beach, you can snorkel, swim and enjoy the beach. That’s what we usually like to do: take pictures and just enjoy this paradise beach.
This uninhabited island has a wide white-sand beach framed by lush tropical forest and giant granite boulders, making it perfect for swimming, snorkeling or simply floating in the turquoise sea. Guided trails and snorkeling can also be booked on the island.
Guided Trails to the Rock Art
Away from the beach, the island holds the largest concentration of stone workshops (oficinas líticas) and rock engravings on the Brazilian coast, with archaeological sites dated to between 5000 and 3500 BC. You can only see them on the guided trails.
In colonial times, the island also served as a base for the whaling station at Armação, the beach the fishing boats leave from today.
Food and Drinks on the Island
There are some structures there, with people who sell drinks and some snacks. They tend to be more expensive than on Praia do Campeche, just across the water, but nothing too crazy. If you prefer, you can also bring your own food.
Make sure to bring some cash if you don’t have Pix, but also some cards: they usually accept them as well. Under the 2025/26 rules, no other services may be offered on the island, so you can’t rent kayaks, floats or boards there.
Tip
Make sure not to miss the last boat. Boats can only land and leave between 9 am and 5 pm.
What to Bring to Ilha do Campeche
Make sure that you have everything that you need:
- Some cash, if you don’t have Pix, and some cards
- Water
- Your own food, if you’d rather not buy snacks on the island
- A trash bag, to take your trash away with you
- A change of clothes and a dry bag, so they don’t get wet, especially if you go by dinghy
- Motion sickness pills, if you get seasick: the boats from Armação and Barra da Lagoa go through the open ocean
Best Time to Visit Campeche Island
Summer, from December to March, is high season: the island is at its busiest, and the boats cost the most.
The island closes in bad weather, in rough seas or when there are no monitors on it. In 2026, all boats to the island were also suspended from 1 May to 10 July, for the mullet fishing season (the tainha), when boat traffic scares the fish away from the artisanal fishermen’s nets. Check the dates before you plan a winter visit.
Where to Stay Near the Boats
The boats leave from Praia do Campeche and Armação, both in the south of the island. We lived in Campeche ourselves for a full year and loved it, so it’s the area we know best and recommend most.
When Michelle’s family came to visit us in April 2024, Pousada Ilha Faceira gave them a great place to stay, with a great breakfast, right by the beach and across the street from where we lived.
| Area | Best for | Where we’d stay |
|---|---|---|
| South: Campeche (our favorite) | A good balance of nature, great beaches, restaurants and nightlife | Pousada Ilha Faceira or Pousada Vila Tamarindo Eco Lodge |
| East: Barra da Lagoa and Lagoa da Conceição | Laid-back, beach-filled days and the best budget options | The Search House Hostel or Pousada Casa da Lagoa |
| North: Jurerê Internacional, Santinho and Canasvieiras | Calm beaches, all-inclusive resorts and luxury beach clubs | Fuso Concept Hotel, Costão do Santinho or Palace Praia Hotel |
| City center: Beira-Mar Norte | City vibes, bars and restaurants | Novotel Florianópolis or Majestic Palace Hotel |
Prefer a different area or budget? Check out our full guide on where to stay in Florianópolis.
FAQs About Visiting Campeche Island
How do you get to Campeche Island from Florianópolis?
Only by boat. Dinghies leave from Praia do Campeche (the quickest crossing), fishing boats from Praia da Armação (our preferred option) and bigger tour boats from Barra da Lagoa. You also need the city’s R$15 ticket for the date of your visit.
Do you need to book Campeche Island in advance?
Yes. Visits are capped at 800 people a day, and the city’s R$15 ticket is only released 24 hours after your payment clears. We’d book a few days in advance, especially in summer, when spots sell out quickly.
How long can you stay on Campeche Island?
Boats can only land between 9 am and 5 pm, and you can’t stay overnight. How long you get depends on your boat, so check the time of the last boat back before you go, and make sure not to miss it.
How much does it cost to visit Campeche Island?
The city’s ticket costs R$15. In the 2025/26 season, the boat cost between R$185 and R$250 per person, depending on the time of year and where you leave from. In our experience, the dinghies from Praia do Campeche are the most expensive way over, and the fishing boats from Armação cost around half as much.
Can you visit Campeche Island without a tour?
You need an authorized boat, or your own kayak, board or boat within the city’s daily quota, plus the city’s R$15 ticket. On the island, you can swim and enjoy the beach on your own, but the trails are only open with a guide.
Do you need a guide on Campeche Island?
Only for the trails. To hike around the island, you have to go with one of its guides: you can’t just go by yourself. The beach is yours to enjoy without one.
Are boats to Campeche Island cancelled in bad weather?
Yes. The island closes in bad weather, in rough seas or when there are no monitors, and the dinghies from Praia do Campeche tend not to go out if the swell is too big. The city’s ticket can’t be rescheduled or refunded, so check the forecast before you book, and keep a backup day.
Are there restaurants on Campeche Island?
There are some structures where people sell drinks and snacks. They tend to be more expensive than on Praia do Campeche, but nothing too crazy, and you can also bring your own food. Bring some cash if you don’t have Pix, and take your trash back with you.
Is Campeche Island good for kids?
Its water is some of the calmest and clearest around Florianópolis, so it’s a calm option for families. Just plan for the boat ride: the dinghies from Praia do Campeche break through the waves, and you will get wet, while the boats from Armação cross the open ocean.
Is Campeche Island worth visiting?
Yes. It’s one of our favorite tours in Florianópolis: in our opinion, it has the most beautiful beach in the city, with the clearest, calmest water we found anywhere around the island. It’s just a piece of heaven in the south of Brazil.
Final Thoughts on Visiting Ilha do Campeche
Campeche Island is one of our favorite tours in Florianópolis: in our opinion, the most beautiful beach in the city, and just a piece of heaven in the south of Brazil.
Book an authorized boat tour in advance, keep a backup day in case the sea is too rough, and make sure that you enjoy the day and bring the necessary stuff.
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- Florianópolis Itinerary: 3 to 5 Days on the Island
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