Sandboard was created by surfers from Joaquina Beach, Florianópolis in mid 80. As time past it became popular in Brazil and the rest of the world. Santa Catarina has several places were to practice it, including Guarda do Embaú. On the shore of the Da Madre River there are some places were to slide down the sand mountains. Visit the Santa Catarina's Dunes Expedition site that is dedicated to explore the different sandboard spots on the state.

Learn a bit of the history of the most influential painter of Guarda do Embaú. Jacob Silveira (Jacobs) is a plastic artist that has a 25 years carreer. Since 1984, he had his paintings exposed throughout Brazil and the rest of the world, in several countries of Latin America and the Caribean, Tahiti and Japan amongs others. His paintings are all around Guarda do Embaú, as well as in private collections around the world. Visit Jacob Silveira's blog and look for his work around Guarda. It is worth it!

Guarda do Embaú is not only Surf and Beach life. For the ones that love Climbing it is a great place since there are a variety of spots with different heights and difficulty levels. Most of these are ideal for Bouldering. João Cassol, a local climbing expert, says there are between 10 and 15 spots from Guarda do Embaú and Praia do Maço. Check more details and pictures on João's Binladi blog (in Portuguese), dedicated to registering the climbing places in Florianópolis and region.

If you wish to know the Rio da Madre (Da Madre River) better, the best way is with the Canoa Guerreira (Warrior Canoe). It is a canadian style canoe, with room for 12 persons. The ride can be made through paddling or with an engine and it goes to bucolic and beautiful places. The best time for the ride is at early morning or late afternoon. Visit the Warrior Canoe's site and make an appointment.

In the surroundings of Palhoça and Florianópolis, apart from tourism, there is Rupestrian Art, rarely known by visitors and locals. This type of art was left by the pre-historical habitants that lived on the region about 7.000 years ago. In most of the cases these are Petroglifs. These were made in diabase stone, which was considered a religious symbol. Read more about this art that is found in Guarda do Embaú, Pinheira and Do Papagaio Menor Island (Smallest Papagei Island) on Keler Lucas's blog (in Portuguese).