Koru Va’a - Canoagem havaiana
Duration3 hrs
Starting from R$ 110,00
per personThe outrigger canoe (va'a) departs from Pontal da Daniela, on the north side of Santa Catarina Island, at 7:30am, crossing the sheltered waters between Pontal and the town of Governador Celso Ramos in two paddling legs of about 25 minutes each. The destination is Ilha de Anhatomirim, inside an environmental protection area of over 4,400 hectares, home to Santa Cruz Fortress, built in the 18th century. The tour runs 3 hours, requires no prior paddling experience, and welcomes children from age 8. Guide and all equipment are included.
The Anhatomirim Environmental Protection Area covers 4,436 hectares between the island and the surrounding waters, created in 1992 to protect the resident population of Tucuxi dolphins that feed and breed in these sheltered waters of Baía Norte. The same area protects loggerhead and green sea turtles, and receives seasonal visitors such as the southern right whale and the bottlenose dolphin. The vegetation is secondary Atlantic Forest in different stages of regeneration, with patches of mangrove and restinga.
In the middle of this protected area stands Santa Cruz Fortress, built in the 18th century to defend the region that is now Florianópolis — Portuguese architecture, stone walls and corridors that have stood for more than two hundred years. The fortress also holds a harder chapter of local history: during the Federalist Revolution, between 1893 and 1895, about 170 political and military prisoners were executed on the island.
Departure from Pontal da Daniela — Meeting point at Recanto das Tulipas, 1845, in Daniela, near Pontal, with departure at 7:30am — timed to catch the bay while the sea is calmest. No prior paddling experience is needed; the guide walks the group through the technique before getting in the water.
Paddling to the Fortress — Two paddling legs of about 25 minutes each, as a team, crossing the sheltered waters between Pontal da Daniela and Governador Celso Ramos. Along the way, the group stops to take in Santa Cruz Fortress and pauses for a swim before landing on Ilha de Anhatomirim.
Fortress visit and return — On the island, a special coffee is served on the lawn before a guided visit to Santa Cruz Fortress, lasting about 1 hour. Entry to the Fortress costs R$16, charged separately and in cash only. The return paddle retraces the route, with views of the beaches and islands around Baía Norte.
Quick summary:
• Duration: 3 hours
• Difficulty: easy
• Minimum age: 8
• Prior experience: not required
• Included: guide, all equipment
• Not included: transport, breakfast, lunch, Fortress entry fee (R$16, cash only)
• Note: departs 7:30am from Pontal da Daniela
Ideal for:
• Families with children age 8 and up looking for a first guided paddling experience
• History lovers who want to visit an 18th-century fortification as part of the tour
• Visitors interested in responsible marine wildlife viewing, in the Anhatomirim dolphins' protected habitat
• Groups and couples who prefer an active, team-paddled tour over a motorized boat ride
Why it's worth it: Paddling an outrigger canoe is what sets this tour apart from any other way of reaching Santa Cruz Fortress: instead of a motor, it's the group itself that crosses Baía Norte, inside an environmental protection area that exists to safeguard the dolphins living there. At the end of the crossing, coffee on the lawn and more than two hundred years of stone history to explore.
Expert's take:
“This tour combines two things I love about Floripa that almost nobody pairs together: sport and history. Team paddling already tires you out and brings the group together, and reaching an 18th-century fortress after that hits differently — you felt in your arms the same crossing the Portuguese once made. And there's a real chance of spotting a dolphin along the way, because the whole area exists to protect exactly them.”
— Guta, co-founder of Acalanta
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