What to do in Bombinhas when your focus is clear water and snorkeling, without relying on a tour agency for everything?
Head to Sepultura, Lagoinha, and Tainha beaches: they have the clearest water in Bombinhas and are perfect for DIY snorkeling with a basic mask, no agency needed. Scuba diving and trips to the Arvoredo Reserve are best left for those who prefer booking a guided excursion.
Bombinhas packs more than 30 beaches into just 34 km² of peninsula, earning it the nickname of Santa Catarina’s diving capital. The rest of this guide shows which beach suits which type of diving, when to go, and what to bring.
How to get to Bombinhas
Bombinhas sits on the coast of Santa Catarina, between Porto Belo and Itapema, about 45 minutes from Balneário Camboriú and 1h30 from Florianópolis. Visitors from other states usually fly into Navegantes Airport (about 50 km away) and continue by car or transfer along the BR-101 and then the SC-410, which cuts through the peninsula to the town center. According to Wikipedia, the municipality was emancipated from Porto Belo in 1992 and today lives almost entirely off beach and diving tourism.
Not having a car isn’t a big problem within town: the more central beaches (Bombas, Bombinhas, Mariscal, Canto Grande) have a municipal shuttle bus, and taxis/ride-hailing apps work well in high season. The more secluded beaches — Sepultura, Lagoinha, and Tainha, which are the ones you want for diving — call for your own car, a motorcycle, or a 4×4 safari tour of Bombinhas’ beaches that picks you up and drops you off at the trickier access points.
Best time to visit and how long to stay
December through March brings the warmest water and best visibility, but also the biggest crowds and highest accommodation prices; April, May, October, and November still offer good snorkeling weather with far fewer people on the sand. Three full days are enough to explore the diving beaches at a relaxed pace; four or five let you also include the beaches with full amenities, like Bombas and Mariscal.
According to the official Bombinhas tourism website, summer is peak season for diving agencies, so if you want to take a boat trip or do a scuba baptism (with a tank), book a few days in advance during that time.
The best beaches for diving in Bombinhas
Not every beach in Bombinhas is good for diving: several have waves and churned-up sand that cloud the water. The four below are the ones with the clearest water, visible marine life, and diving agency infrastructure.
Praia da Sepultura: the most famous for scuba diving
Praia da Sepultura has a small cove of crystal-clear water — known as the “piscininha” (little pool) — surrounded by rocky outcrops that host the highest concentration of scuba diving agencies in town. It’s the best beach for first-timers who’ve never dived with equipment and want to do a baptism, since the water tends to stay calm even on days when neighboring beaches get rougher.
Praia da Lagoinha: for beginners and experienced divers alike
Lagoinha has calm, clear enough water to spot fish and, with luck, sea turtles without needing a tank. It’s one of the few beaches in the area that works well both for first-time snorkelers and for more experienced divers who prefer to explore on their own, without an instructor. Access is via a short, steep trail from the parking lot, so wear closed-toe shoes until you hit the sand.
Praia da Tainha: the best pick for family snorkeling
Smaller and more sheltered than Sepultura, Tainha has almost always calm, clear water, making it the safest choice for introducing kids to a mask and snorkel. Don’t expect bars or kiosks: it’s a small beach with no real amenities, so bring water and sunscreen from home.
Reserva Biológica Marinha do Arvoredo: the most advanced dive
For certified divers after the most complete experience in the region, the Reserva Biológica Marinha do Arvoredo — reachable only by boat from Bombinhas — is considered one of the best dive sites on Brazil’s southern coast, with visibility reaching 15 meters in summer. Access is controlled and only through authorized agencies, never on your own.
What to pair with your diving trip in Bombinhas
Travelers who want to see more than just the beach itself usually mix a day of diving with a boat trip around the region’s islands or a day of hiking to viewpoints like the one at Praia do Mariscal. Booking these outings in advance keeps you from missing out during high season.
If you prefer shallower water and scenery over full immersion, you can opt for a boat tour of the region’s beaches and rocky shores, which passes near Sepultura and Lagoinha without requiring any gear.
Where to eat near the diving beaches
Sepultura and Lagoinha have few or no restaurant options right on the sand, so the routine for anyone spending the day snorkeling there is to bring snacks and water and eat a proper meal afterward at Praia de Bombas or in the Centro, which concentrate the city’s largest selection of seafood restaurants. Praia da Tainha, being even more isolated, calls for the same preparation. If you’re also planning to pass through Balneário Camboriú, be sure to check out the trip cost guide to compare restaurant prices between the two cities.
Where to Stay in Bombinhas
Travelers who prioritize diving tend to stay near the Centro or Praia de Bombas, where the tour agencies are based and from where it’s fastest to drive to Sepultura and Lagoinha. Those looking for more bars and nightlife, on the other hand, prefer Canto Grande or Mariscal—larger beaches with more open water that are less suited for diving but offer more lodging and dining options.
Practical Tips for Diving in Bombinhas
Bring neoprene shoes or something similar: much of the access to the diving beaches is over rocks and rocky outcrops. Confirm with the agency whether the introductory scuba dive includes all the gear (mask, tank, buoyancy vest) or if you need to bring anything on your own. Arrive at the calmer-water beaches before 10 a.m., since the wind usually picks up in the early afternoon and clouds the visibility.
It’s worth booking your dive agencies in advance if your trip falls in December, January, or February: according to reports from local operators like Casa do Turista, boat departure times to the Arvoredo Reserve fill up fast during this period, and those who show up without a reservation sometimes only get a spot two or three days later.
If you’ve already decided you’re staying in the region, it’s also worth checking out the six beaches along the Interpraias Highway, a bit further north, and the complete Balneário Camboriú guide to combine both cities in a single trip along the Santa Catarina coast.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the best beach for diving in Bombinhas?
Praia da Sepultura is the top choice for scuba diving, as it concentrates most of the agencies and has calm water in its sheltered cove. For snorkeling without gear, Lagoinha and Tainha have equally clear water and easier access.
Do you need certification to dive in Bombinhas?
Not for the introductory scuba dive, which is done with an instructor and requires no prior certification, nor for snorkeling, which doesn’t use a tank. Only independent scuba diving without an instructor requires international certification.
What’s the best time of year to dive in Bombinhas?
Summer (December to March) has the warmest water and best visibility, but also the biggest crowds. April, May, October, and November keep good diving conditions with much emptier beaches.
Can you dive in Bombinhas without booking an agency?
Yes—at Lagoinha, Tainha, and the Sepultura cove, snorkeling with your own mask doesn’t require an agency. Scuba diving and trips to the Arvoredo Marine Biological Reserve, however, can only be done through authorized agencies.
How many days do you need to see Bombinhas’s diving beaches?
Three full days are enough to visit Sepultura, Lagoinha, and Tainha at a relaxed pace and still fit in a boat tour. If you want to add full-structure beaches like Bombas and Mariscal, four or five days give you more breathing room.
Conclusion
Bombinhas delivers real diving without needing to travel to an international destination: the combination of several small, sheltered beaches in a compact area is what earns the city its reputation as Santa Catarina’s diving capital. Pick your beach based on the type of diving you want to do, book your agency ahead of time in summer, and the rest of the itinerary falls into place on its own. You’ll find more Santa Catarina coast guides right here on voyagevoyage.com.br.