6 Great Spots to Skate in Florianopolis, Brazil

A Secret spot skate bowl complete with swimming pool overlooks the jungle in Florianoplois, Brazil. — Secret Spot Bowl
© Helge Tscharn

Florianópolis has been called "the best place to live in Brazil." It's no wonder, this island just off the coast offers world-class surfing, phenomenal beaches and a kicking nightlife. But the fun doesn't stop there. It's a skater's dream too. Hidden around this tropical paradise are a grip of bowls: some world-famous, some private, and some secret.

Taken all together, they make Floripa the greatest little concrete nirvana on the face of the earth. Where else can you get your grind on under the watchful eyes of monkeys, or end the session by relaxing on a beach so long you can't see where it ends?

Nowhere, we tell you, so we roped in legendary skate photographer Helge Tscharn to give us his pictorial guided tour of skateboarding heaven. Enjoy!

1. RTMF Bowl: The one to pad up for

Highlights

Greenery
It's balls out 
Don’t comp the owner

Local skater Vi Kakinho skates the RTMF private bowl in Florianopolis, Brazil — Vi Kakinho – Backside Smith
© Helge Tscharn

Local hero skater Pedro Barros rides the private RTMF bowl on Florianopolis island, Brazil — Pedro Barros – Frontside Straight Leg in Brazil
© Helge Tscharn

The RTMF private skate bowl in Florianopolis, Brazil — RTMF Bowl
© Helge Tscharn

Pedro Barros' personal bowl is the beast of all the bowls on the island, and it separates the pros from the newbies. Built in 2008, it is beloved by visitors such as Christian Hosoi, Steve Caballero, Jeff Grosso and many others. Deep and unforgiving, with the best ocean view, Barros, Vi Kakinho and Felipe Foguinho rip this place padless — but that is inadvisable for newcomers. Barros' place is where the famous Red Bull Skate Generation competitions were held.

2. Secret Spot: The one to earn your stripes at

Highlights

The swimming pool
Again, check out that pool
Don’t mind if I do

Local skater Felipe Pereira Humphreys performs a Backside Smith a secret bowl in Florianopolis, Brazil — Felipe Pereira Humphreys – Backside Smith
© Helge Tscharn

Vi Kakinho nails a Frontside Nosegrind whilst skating a stunning secret bowl on Florianopolis island in Brazil — Vi Kakinho – Frontside Nosegrind
© Helge Tscharn

Local skater Felipe Foguinho gets airborne out of a secret bowl in Florianopolis, Brazil — Felipe Foguinho – Backside Air
© Helge Tscharn

One of the most recent builds on the island, this perfectly smooth and beautifully located concrete carcass was built to skate fast. As the name suggests this is an undisclosed gem, so in our experience it is best to let the locals get a feel for what you are about and let them decide if you get a pass to visit this masterpiece. It really is worth it, however — it was built by the finest concrete finishers on the island.

3. Hi Adventures: The one to make your basecamp

Highlights

Cabins
By the beach
Low-to-high transitions

The skate bowl at Hi Adventure guesthouse in Florianopolis, Brazil — Hi Adventure Bowl
© Helge Tscharn

A pousada is just a guesthouse, and Hi Adventures is the daddy of them all. Built in 1997, the fast and gnarly backyard bowl sits in a compound complete with guest rooms, dorms, a bar and shaded aircraft seats to lounge around on and watch the sessions develop. Although the developments around the pousada get bigger as the years go by, you only have to follow the dirt track outside through the pines out onto an Atlantic beach, which stretches as far as the eye can see in either direction. Hard old life!

4. Konig Bowl: Wave goodbye to it all

Highlights

Viewing deck for admiring Brazilians
Know what I mean?
Twin-hipped bowl

Local skater Marcos Gabriel da Silveira skates the Konig Bowl in Florianopolis, Brazil — Marcos Gabriel da Silveira – Backside Smith
© Helge Tscharn

Local ripper Caique Silva performs a Frontside Blunt at the Konig bowl skate spot in Florianopolis, Brazil — Caique Silva – Frontside Blunt
© Helge Tscharn

Overview of the Konig bowl skate spot in Florianopolis, Brazil — Konig Bowl
© Helge Tscharn

Built with the help of the RTMF crew, owner Marcio Konig created this backyard beauty, which shares a similar overall ambience to the Hi Adventures spot — in other words, it's near the beach and boasts a bar full of ice-cold beer.

The locals here, such as Caique Silva and Marcos Gabriel, are among the best skaters on the island, which is saying something considering this is where Pedro Barros calls home!

5. The Sushi Bowl: Where eating isn’t cheating

Highlights

It’s a sun trap
Low to high transitions
The nosh

Local hero Pedro Barros gets some air at the Sushi Bowl spot in Florianopolis, Brazil. — Pedro Barros – Frontside Shifty Ollie
© Helge Tscharn

Luciano Pasa, owner of Florianopolis' Sushi Bowl skate spot, displays the efforts of his day-job as a Sushi chef — Luciano Pasa – Sushi Bowl Owner
© Helge Tscharn

Local skater Felipe Foguinho goes big at Brazil's Sushi Bowl skate spot on Florianopolis island — Felipe Foguinho – Frontside Tweak
© Helge Tscharn

The Sushi Bowl is so called because owner Luciano Pasa is the best sushi chef in Floripa, and he serves his outstanding creations all day long at the bowl. If you like Japanese nibbles and mellow atmospheres, Sushi Bowl is the best spot to spend the day skating, with the bonus that it is super close to the Konig bowl too.

6. Karagua Backyard: The place to break the ice

Highlights

Hammocks
Swing
Basketball hoop

Vi Kakinho – Backside Noseblunt
© Helge Tscharn

Karagua skate spot on Florianopolis island in Brazil — Karagua looking good
© Helge Tscharn

After a heavy session it's good to drop down a gear at Karagua's place. Smaller, with smooth transitions, quarters and waves, this is the place to come for a mellow, cruising session, and for dialling-in your lip tricks. Many skaters find Karagua's place the perfect place to wind down the day and let the final flames of stoke burn out.

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