Praia Mole

Praia Mole is a 960-meter beach break on Florianópolis's eastern shore with structural variation across its length: quality left and right peaks form at the reef-lined northern end during smaller swells, while the center and southern stretches produce more standard beach peaks. The break responds best to southeast groundswells paired with offshore winds from the west-northwest, and works across all tidal states though medium tide produces the cleanest peaks. Winter, particularly June, delivers the most consistent and clean conditions. All skill levels find workable sections, though rip currents present the main hazard and the break can draw crowds when swell aligns with offshore winds.

Praia Mole hosted Brazil's first professional surfing event after the COVID-19 pandemic when the Layback Pro returned to its calendar in November 2021, ending an 11-year gap in professional competition at the venue. The event, established by Olympic skateboarding medalist Pedro Barros, has since become a WSL Qualifying Series anchor for South America. Early editions saw strong performances from regional competitors—Cearán surfer Michael Rodrigues swept the 2022 men's title without losing a heat, while Peruvian Daniella Rosas established herself as a three-time South American champion with the highest women's competitive score on record at 9.33 in 2022. The event continues to close the continental season, most recently won by Lucas Silveira and Tainá Hinckel in 2024.

The beach sits in the Lagoa da Conceição district, roughly 15 kilometers from downtown Florianópolis or a 10-minute drive from Lagoa da Conceição town via SC-406 highway. A short 2-3 minute trail connects the parking areas, which sit about 200 meters uphill from the sand. Paid parking lots near the beach charge roughly 20-30 reais daily, with free street parking available but often full during summer weekends; arriving early on busy days improves parking odds.