Laguna Tour: Santa Marta Lighthouse & Botos Pescadores

Botos and fishermen have worked together in these waters for centuries.

An eight-hour guided tour of Laguna explores the Santa Marta Lighthouse (the largest in the Americas), the Botos Pescadores Sanctuary where dolphins and fishermen cooperate, Anita Garibaldi's museum, and the historic center with lunch on the Barra Canal. The tour includes air-conditioned transport, ferry crossing and one typical local dish per person. Guides speak English, Spanish or Portuguese.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Laguna's nature and history

• Visit Santa Marta Lighthouse
• See millennial sambaquis
• Visit Cabo de Santa Marta fishing village
• Visit Anita Garibaldi's museum
• Explore Laguna historic center
• Visit Fonte da Carioca and Morro da Glória
• Have lunch by Barra Channel
• Observe Botos Pescadores Sanctuary

The experience

Eight hours takes you through layers of Laguna's history, starting at the Santa Marta Lighthouse and moving inland to the fishing village of Cabo de Santa Marta, where you'll see the sambaquian shell mounds: ancient remains left by peoples who lived here centuries ago. The landscape itself holds the record: this lighthouse is the largest in the Americas, and it anchors the morning before the tour turns to the water and the dolphins.

The Botos Pescadores Sanctuary is the heart of the day. Dolphins and local fishermen have fished these waters together for centuries, a partnership so old it shaped the culture of the place. You'll watch this interaction from the boat, then move to lunch on the banks of the Barra Canal, where you eat a typical local dish while the water and the history sit around you. The ferry crossing is included in the price, so the logistics are already settled.

The afternoon brings you to Anita Garibaldi's museum and the historic center (the Fonte da Carioca, Morro da Glória) the streets where she was born, the woman who became known as the Heroine of Two Worlds. The air-conditioned vehicle moves you between stops, and the guide (in English, Spanish or Portuguese, depending on your choice) carries the stories that tie the lighthouse, the dolphins, the shells and the hero together into one corner of the Atlantic.

What’s included

• One typical local dish per person at lunch on the Barra Canal.
• air-conditioned vehicle for the full eight hours.
• Barra Canal Ferry Crossing fare by car.
• live guide in English, Spanish or Portuguese.
• hotel or accommodation pickup.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

AgesAdult (19 to 59 years) · Senior (60 and older) · Youth (13 to 18 years) · Child (4 to 12 years) · Infant (under 4): free

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 15 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Ao Sul Natural

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to see the dolphins and fishermen work together and understand the history that made Laguna a landmark in Brazilian culture. The eight-hour length fits the full route (lighthouse, sanctuary, museum and historic center) into a single day without rushing between stops.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and Portuguese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 18 years); Child (4 to 12 years); Infant (under 4): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24h before the start.

What is the Botos Pescadores Sanctuary and why is it part of this tour?

The Botos Pescadores Sanctuary is where dolphins and local fishermen work together in the waters of Laguna: a partnership centuries old that shaped the culture and economy of the place. The tour includes time to observe this interaction from the water.

Is the Santa Marta Lighthouse something we visit inside, or do we see it from a distance?

The tour includes a visit to the Santa Marta Lighthouse itself at Cabo de Santa Marta, the fishing village where it stands. It is the largest lighthouse in the Americas.

What is included in the lunch, and where do we eat?

Lunch is one typical local dish per person, served on the banks of the Barra Canal. Drinks are not included with the meal.

Does the tour visit Anita Garibaldi's museum, and what else is in the historic center?

Yes, the tour includes Anita Garibaldi's museum. The historic center stops also take in the Fonte da Carioca and Morro da Glória, the landmarks of the neighborhood where she was born.

What are the sambaquian shell mounds, and where do we see them?

Sambaquian peoples left piles of shells and remains in Laguna thousands of years ago. These mounds are still visible today. You'll see them at Cabo de Santa Marta, near the lighthouse, as part of the morning portion of the tour.

How does the ferry crossing work, and is it included in the price?

The Barra Canal Ferry Crossing fare by car is included in the tour price, so you do not pay separately. The ferry moves the vehicle and passengers across the canal as part of the route.