Tramandaí and Torres in Brazil

The main beach resorts are east and north of the city. Heading east along the BR-290, 112 km from Porto Alegre, is

, a pleasant lakeside town with a few hotels. From here it is 18 km southeast to the rather polluted beach resort of

. The beaches here are very popular, with lots of hotels, restaurants and seaside amenities. Extensive dunes and lakes in the region provide an interesting variety of wildlife and sporting opportunities. The beach resorts become less polluted the further north you travel, and the water is clean by the time you reach

.

Just inland, the BR-101 heads north from Osório to Florianópolis and beyond. A series of lakes separates the road from the coastal belt, but there is another road running all along the coast from Tramandaí to Torres and the border with Santa Catarina. Between the two towns are the resorts (heading south to north) of Atlântida do Sul, Capão da Canoa, Arroio Teixeira and Arroio do Sal (Casa da Sogra serves good food). At Capão da Canoa there is surfing at Atlântida beach, while the Lagoa dos Quadros, inland, is used for windsurfing, sailing, waterskiing and jet-skiing.

Torres is a well-developed resort, with a number of beaches, high-class hotels and restaurants, as well as professional surfing competitions and entertainment. There is a lively club scene during the holidays. There is no lack of cheap places to stay, but from Christmas to Carnaval rooms are hard to find.

Torres gets its name from the three huge rocks, or towers, on the town beach, Praia Grande. Some 2 km long, the beach is safe for swimming and there is surf near the breakwater. Fishing boats can be hired for a trip to Ilha dos Lobos, a rocky island 2 km offshore, where sea lions spend the winter months. Dolphins visit Praia dos Molhes, north of town, year round, and southern right whales en route to Santa Catarina can occasionally be seen in July. On the edge of Rio Mampituba, which marks the state boundary, the beach is good for net fishing and has restaurants.

About 2 km south of Torres, past rocky little Prainha, is Cal (camping is possible at Paradise Dunas, December to February only), popular with surfers. A further 2 km south, passing the Praia da Guarita leisure development, is Itapeva, with a campsite open year round. The water here is calm, okay for swimming and there is good dune trekking in the Parque da Guarita. There are bars and cafés and a tourist office.

A paved road runs south from Tramandaí (mostly prohibited to trucks) along the coast to

, giving access to many beaches. One such beach is

, 26 km south of Tramandaí; it is not very crowded and has

on the main street. A track continues to charming

and along the peninsula on the seaward side of the Lagoa dos Patos to São José do Norte, opposite Rio Grande

. There is accommodation in

(across the peninsula from Quintão) and Mostardas. The latter also has a Banco do Brasil and good pizzeria (Rua Luís Araújo 941). About 30 km south of Mostardas is

, with a barely passable hotel in the

.

Mostardas makes a good base for visiting the Lagoa do Peixe national park, one of South America's top spots for migrating birds. Flamingos and albatrosses are among the visitors. There is free access to the park, but there is no infrastructure. From Mostardas you can hop off the bus that passes through the northern end of the park on its way to the beach, where there are basic hotels and restaurants. The main lake, which has the highest bird concentration, is about 20 km from both Mostardas and Tavares.