Praia do Matadeiro, Beach in south Florianopolis, Brazil

Praia do Matadeiro is a beach on the southern edge of Santa Catarina Island, near Florianópolis, tucked between rocky hillsides. The sand stretches along a fairly short but open shoreline, with calm water and little development around it.

The name Matadeiro dates from the era when whaling was permitted: fishermen set their traps at Armação and killed the whales at Matadeiro, which gave both beaches their names. The animals were slaughtered and cut up here, and the pieces were taken to Armação to extract the oil. No trace of that activity remains.

The name Matadeiro comes from the whaling era: fishermen set their traps at Armação and killed the whales here, which gave both beaches their names. No trace of that activity remains. The beach has no tourist infrastructure and is reached only on foot, about 200 metres after crossing the river from Lagoa do Peri.

Getting there requires crossing the Quinca Antônio River on foot, so wear shoes you do not mind getting wet. There are very few places to buy food or drinks nearby, so it helps to bring your own supplies.

The name Matadeiro comes from the whaling era: fishermen set their traps at Armação and killed the animals at Matadeiro, which gave both beaches their names. No trace of that activity remains on the sand today. The beach has no tourist infrastructure and is reached only on foot, about 200 metres after crossing the river that flows from Lagoa do Peri.