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Which is better: Balneário Camboriú or Paraty?

Short answer

Balneário Camboriú is on the Santa Catarina Coast (SC), while Paraty is in Rio de Janeiro and its surroundings (RJ): different regions of Brazil. Balneário Camboriú: Brazil's most vertical beach; Paraty: a colonial historic center and a bay of islands. For this month's weather, Balneário Camboriú 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 ParatyParaty Islands Tour★ 8.9 · 47 reviews · from US$ 24 · via CivitatisSee dates and price →
Balneário Camboriú Paraty
Best time to visit Apr → Sep Jun → Aug
Weather this month 24° · 13 days of rain 28° · 14 days of rain
By car R$ 52 · from Florianópolis R$ 155 + tolls · from São Paulo
Ideal stay 3–4 days 3–4 days
Best for Family, Adventure, Relax Romantic, Food, Adventure, 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 Paraty if

you want a trip for couples and food lovers: uneven cobblestones, whitewashed houses and craft cachaça on the Costa Verde.

See guide
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Where to stay

Where to stay: Balneário Camboriú or Paraty

The average nightly rate is around R$ 278 in Balneário Camboriú and R$ 507 in Paraty; 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 Paraty on Booking.com, with up-to-date prices and availability, before you book.

Pousada Porto Imperial in Paraty 9.5 ★★★★ · 11 reviews Pousada Porto Imperial See on Booking → Pousada das Pedras in Paraty 8.4 ★★★★ · 412 reviews Pousada das Pedras See on Booking →
See all hotels in Paraty

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

Frequently asked questions

Balneário Camboriú or Paraty: which is better?
Balneário Camboriú is on the Santa Catarina Coast (SC), while Paraty is in Rio de Janeiro and its surroundings (RJ): different regions of Brazil. Balneário Camboriú: Brazil's most vertical beach; Paraty: a colonial historic center and a bay of islands. For this month's weather, Balneário Camboriú has the edge.
What is the best time to visit Balneário Camboriú and Paraty?
The best time to visit Balneário Camboriú is from April to September; for Paraty, it is from June 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 São Paulo, Paraty is 280 km (174 mi) and costs about R$ 155 each way (fuel only, tolls not included). 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 Paraty?
Averaged over the year, Balneário Camboriú has 11 rainy days a month and Paraty has 14. Balneário Camboriú 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 Paraty, January. For temperature, Paraty is the warmer one (average high of 28° versus 25°).
How many days should you spend in Balneário Camboriú and in Paraty?
To see the main sights without rushing, Balneário Camboriú calls for 3–4 days and Paraty, 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 Paraty with kids?
Balneário Camboriú (urban beach, skyscrapers, and cable car) is the better pick of the two for families. Paraty (colonial historic center, boat trip, and waterfalls in the mountains) is geared more toward adults or couples. With small children, weather matters: Balneário Camboriú 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 Paraty: Colonial historic center, "Pé de moleque" streets, Paraty Bay and boat trip. These are the sights that show up most in first-trip itineraries for each destination; the full guide to each has the whole list.