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Which is better: Balneário Camboriú or Bonito?

Short answer

Balneário Camboriú is on the Santa Catarina Coast (SC), while Bonito is in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul (MS): different regions of Brazil. Balneário Camboriú: Brazil's most vertical beach; Bonito: rivers so transparent that you float over schools of fish as if you were diving into a natural aquarium. For this month's weather, Bonito has the edge.

Sources: INMET (updated 2026) · ANP · OpenStreetMap
Most reviewed activity in Balneário CamboriúBeto Carrero World Day Trip★ 8.8 · 56 reviews · from US$ 15 · via CivitatisSee dates and price →
Most reviewed activity in BonitoTransport Between Campo Grande Airport & Bonito★ 8.4 · 5 reviews · from US$ 45 · via CivitatisSee dates and price →
Balneário Camboriú Bonito
Best time to visit Apr → Sep May → Aug
Weather this month 24° · 13 days of rain 31° · 9 days of rain
By car R$ 52 · from Florianópolis R$ 166 · from Campo Grande
Ideal stay 3–4 days 3–4 days
Best for Family, Adventure, Relax Adventure, Family, Relax
Choose Balneário Camboriú if

you want a trip for families and adventure seekers: a skyscraper waterfront, a cable car over the Atlantic Forest and a summer that never sleeps.

See guide
Choose Bonito if

you want a trip for adventure seekers and families: rivers so transparent that you float over schools of fish as if you were diving into a natural aquarium.

See guide
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Where to stay

Where to stay: Balneário Camboriú or Bonito

The average nightly rate is around R$ 278 in Balneário Camboriú and R$ 336 in Bonito; what changes in practice is each place's season. Check current prices for your dates before deciding.

Compare hotels and places to stay in Balneário Camboriú on Booking.com, with up-to-date prices and availability, before you book.

Hotel Sagres Praia in Balneário Camboriú 8.9 ★★★ · 31 reviews Hotel Sagres Praia See on Booking → Hotel Pires by Pires - Balneario Camboriu in Balneário Camboriú 8.5 ★★★★ · 38 reviews Hotel Pires by Pires - Balneario Camboriu See on Booking →
See all hotels in Balneário Camboriú

Compare hotels and places to stay in Bonito on Booking.com, with up-to-date prices and availability, before you book.

Pousada Rancho Jarinu in Bonito 9.7 ★★★ · 4 reviews Pousada Rancho Jarinu See on Booking → Wetiga Hotel in Bonito 8.5 ★★★★ · 11 reviews Wetiga Hotel See on Booking →
See all hotels in Bonito

Rates change with the dates: confirm the price on Booking.com.

Frequently asked questions

Balneário Camboriú or Bonito: which is better?
Balneário Camboriú is on the Santa Catarina Coast (SC), while Bonito is in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul (MS): different regions of Brazil. Balneário Camboriú: Brazil's most vertical beach; Bonito: rivers so transparent that you float over schools of fish as if you were diving into a natural aquarium. For this month's weather, Bonito has the edge.
What is the best time to visit Balneário Camboriú and Bonito?
The best time to visit Balneário Camboriú is from April to September; for Bonito, it is from May to August, based on INMET's climate normals (temperature and rainfall for each month). If your trip already has a date, check each destination's page for your month.
Which of the two is cheaper to get to?
By car, leaving from Florianópolis, Balneário Camboriú is 82 km (51 mi) and costs about R$ 52 each way (fuel plus tolls); leaving from Campo Grande, Bonito is 300 km (186 mi) and costs about R$ 166 each way (fuel plus tolls). The calculation assumes a car that gets 11 km/L. Lodging and activities vary with each place's season.
Where does it rain less, Balneário Camboriú or Bonito?
Averaged over the year, Balneário Camboriú has 11 rainy days a month and Bonito has 8. Bonito is the drier of the two over the year as a whole, but what decides the trip is the month: the rainiest month in Balneário Camboriú is January and in Bonito, January. For temperature, Bonito is the warmer one (average high of 30° versus 25°).
How many days should you spend in Balneário Camboriú and in Bonito?
To see the main sights without rushing, Balneário Camboriú calls for 3–4 days and Bonito, 3–4 days. These are distant regions: with a week or less, it is usually better to pick one of the two and make the most of it.
Balneário Camboriú or Bonito with kids?
Both work with kids: Balneário Camboriú (urban beach, skyscrapers, and cable car) and Bonito (crystal-clear waters, ecotourism, and river floating). The choice usually comes down to getting there, not to infrastructure. With small children, weather matters: Bonito has fewer rainy days over the year.
What should you not miss in each?
In Balneário Camboriú: Parque Unipraias and cable car, Praia Central, Laranjeiras Beach. In Bonito: Gruta do Lago Azul, Rio da Prata (float), Rio Sucuri (float). These are the sights that show up most in first-trip itineraries for each destination; the full guide to each has the whole list.