Praia da Ferrugem, Garopaba
Good For: Sports / Sun
There are times when Ferrugem feels like Frankenstein—a grab bag of disparate elements knit unconvincingly into one. By night, it's a party, as kids turn the wide plain that precedes the beach proper into an impromptu dance floor. By day, it's two beaches: one a surfer's paradise, where waves crash against a stretch of white sand with such force that the sky blurs with mist; the other a lonely gray stretch where fishermen pick their way through silty waters. But the real oddity is the conical peak that bifurcates the hospitable northern end from its less picturesque southern half. Here, rock formations as sculptural and mysterious as Stonehenge stand vigil over silvery-blue waters. Follow the well-worn path to the top, but don't neglect the tidal pools at its base, where the chilly sea rushes in between giant gray stones, blanketing aubergine mollusks with foam.
The 411: Garopaba, a down-at-heel former fishing village (with a number of good little seafood shacks to prove it) is a five-minute taxi ride from the beach. Overnight at Fazenda Verde do Rosa (see Praia do Siriú, above), a ten-minute drive from the beach.
When to go: Peak season (Dec.—Feb.) is a must: Without the crowds, the area feels desolate, and the waters are uncomfortably cold in the off-season.

Praia do Rosa, Garopaba
Good For: Sports / Sun
There are prettier stretches than Praia do Rosa, the state of Santa Catarina's most beloved beach, but few are as purely likeable, with perfect cream-colored sand, manageable waves, and vibrant bursts of local color: food stands shaded by ketchup-colored umbrellas, peddlers hawking a rainbow of bright sarongs. Located 60 miles south of the state capitol of Florianópolis, Praia do Rosa has an all-things-to-all-people appeal that assures a lively, democratic scene: Young couples stroll hand in hand, and fiftysomething women, their flesh spilling over their bikinis, power-strut past hard-core surfers. Sea crabs translucent as glass scuttle underfoot, and beachfront restaurants sell burgers and beer. When you grow weary of the people watching, you'll find the steel-colored sea as welcoming to swimmers as it is to surfers—there are no sandbars or sudden drops, and it's not until you're deep into the bay that the ground gently falls away and all sound at last recedes.
The 411: Book at Fazenda Verde do Rosa (see Praia do Siriú, above)—just minutes away.
When to go: High season is December through February, but from July through October the area is a breeding ground for migrating southern right whales.

URUGUAY
Playa Brava, José Ignacio
Good For: Sports / Sun
Not even an aggressively blue sky can turn the bottle-green waters off Uruguay's southern coast postcard-pretty. But not to worry: The real beauty here is on the beach. Pinkish beige and powder soft, it's patrolled by throngs of Argentines and Uruguayans of all ages ... although that's where the diversity ends. Nearly all of the beachgoers possess an effortless beauty that runs the gamut from matter-of-fact good-looking to preternaturally stunning. The beach is 30 minutes northeast of the more heavily touristed Punta del Este, a coastal community often compared to Miami for its condo-lined waterfront and cosmopolitan-fueled nightlife. José Ignacio, however, reminds you that silence and space are more exclusive than glitz and glamour. Until very recently a fishing town, it still exudes a low-key cool, and the strict zoning laws ensured the construction of only a few wood-and-stone vacation houses overlooking the low, grassy dunes. Preeners and soccer players colonize the northern end of the beach, and the scene becomes more laid-back as you move south toward the lighthouse. Here, surfers and families wade into the brisk water, taking care to avoid the occasional jellyfish carcass.
The 411: The inn closest to the beach is the breezy white-stone Posada del Faro, whose 12 airy, clean-lined rooms look out on either the ocean or the pool (598-486-2110; posadadelfaro.com; doubles, $220—$400); spend an afternoon with a drink and a light lunch at the beachside Parador La Huella (Calle Los Cisnes and Playa Brava; 598-486-2279; entrées, $11—$20). Alternatively, stay at the slightly more distant Posada de Piedra, whose six effortlessly elegant suites offer sweeping views of the property's wide, well-maintained lawns (598-42-774-126; posadadepiedra.com; suites, $135—$235).
When to go: High season (Dec.—Feb.) brings South American society types. For a more relaxed vibe—and lower rates—visit in March and early April.