Where: Florianopolis is in the southern part of Brazil, nearly five hundred miles south of Rio de Janeiro. For the geographically challenged, Brazil is in the southern hemisphere, which means when you flush a toilet, the water flows down clockwise.

What: With the exception of Campeche, a rock-bottom pointbreak, most of the breaks are sand-bottom and forgiving. The beaches are long and wide, providing ample opportunity to find yourself a nice little peak with few other surfers around.

When: With south swells marching up from Antarctica, May and June offer your best chance for overhead surf in the region. The water temperature at this time of year averages 68 degrees. During the months of January and February, the waves are smaller, but the water hovers around a toasty 77 degrees. Generally speaking, the surf is best from April through October.