Brazil

Where to surf in Brazil

Brazil is one of the largest surf-loving nations in the world, where its citizens are sliding into waves from the far northern Amazon jungle to the Pampas rivermouths in the south. Millions of surfers ride a variety of wave types throughout all the coastal states, which has led to Brazilians dominating the upper echelons of professional surfing in recent years. With a thriving beach party scene that is part of the coastal culture, Brazil is a high-energy surf destination that rewards the few who take the time to experience it.

Rio Grande do Sul

In the southern extent, long, lonely, windy sands like Praia do Hermenegildo, partition the lagoons.

The bulk of documented Rio Grande do Sul spots are found on the urbanised northern coastline starting in Tramandai.

Santa Catarina

Straight beachbreaks dominate the big coastal conurbations of Balneario Gaivota, Balneario Rincao, Arroio do Silva and Praia de Jaguaruna, before hitting the rocky headland at Farol de Santa Marta where the quality suddenly jumps. This southern section of coast is stacked with dozens of great waves and serves as a pressure valve from the crowds at highlight praias like Cardozo, Ipoã, the jetties and beachies of Laguna or either side of the knobbly headland at Itapirubá.

Greater Florianopolis is one of Brazil’s best surfing regions.

The tap doesn’t switch off north of Florianopolis, although it is less open to S swells and works better on E or SE. Try Itapema Central or Marambaia at Balneário Camboriú if you love high-rise and an audience, or scout out the quieter beaches like Quatro Ilhas, Brava and Atalaia. Barra Velha beaches like NE to E swells at Praia do Sol, Costão or the long skinny peninsula leading up to the rivermouth jetty at Foz do Itapocu then the exposed straight sands at Barra do Sul. The peninsula at São Francisco do Sul welcomes a variety of swells and winds and both Praia Grande or Prainha are really reliable for solid peaks and solid crowds. The three bays interrupting Itapoa’s straight beaches hold a longer ripable right off Third Rock and fuller peaks flow north to Barra do Saí and Paraná State.

Paraná

The two main surf towns are Guaratuba and Matinhos which support a large local population at any of the 17 breaks in the area. Highlights include the peak at the north end of another Praia Brava or Direitas in front of Morro do Cristo with long rights off the rocks, but neither are empty or friendly. Working in all swells, Pico de Matinhos is a proper throaty righthand barrel coveted by many for its great length and intensity of ride. The Baia de Paranagua dominates the coast and there are a few waves on the Ilha do Mel in the mouth of the estuary. The rest of Paraná is one featureless straight beach with virtually no road access.

São Paulo

Featureless beachbreak also dominates southern São Paulo State until Peruíbe where the urban sprawl meets the sand again. No less than 12 breaks are strung along this coast up to Praia Grande and the beginning of the Littoral Paulista zone, with Mongaguá Pier offering something different from straight beachbreak. There is an incredible richness of surf between the Sao Paulo zone and the beaches of Rio, overshadowed by the same coastal mountain range thats makes this a beautiful coastline to surf. Massaguaçu, Maranduba and Lagoinha all have fun quality waves on their day, but the undisputed surf town on this coast is Ubatuba. Long term location for professional contests at all levels, the rights off the rivermouth at Itamambuca are good training for the best Brazilian surfers and there are multiple peaks up the beach in various swell directions. Back in town there is something for all abilities at Praia Grande and it’s a destination for both foreign and local surfers.

Rio de Janeiro

The coast gets steep and forested in Parati and the waves can be excellent at little rocky points like Cepilho or sheltered coves like Laranjeras, Sono or Martim de Sá. Ilha Grande blocks the swell to the mainland, (although Mambucaba has a rivermouth peak in big swells) catching it at two big beaches called Aventureiro and Lopes Mendes. Then the 42km long arm of the Restinga de Marambaia is restricted access army land leading into the city.

Little needs to be said about the city of Rio de Janeiro and its famously overcrowded beaches.

North of Buzios, the SE-facing coast of Rio state will always have surfers in the water at the main coastal cities of Rio das Ostras and Macaé, before the Jurubatiba Sandbank National Park shorepound stretches for 44kms northwards. There’s not much action until the border with the next state Espirito Santo.

Espirito Santo

Espirito Santo is a mix of long, lonely, natural beaches and built-up, crowded urban sands.

The north of Espirito Santo curves away from the swell, with less surf but waves to be found for holidaymakers at popular summer beaches like Guriri, or among the strange parabolic armouring of Praia da Barra, Conceição.

Bahia

In the southern part of the state the 200km wide Abrolhos Bank continental shelf extension saps swells of power so this is a stretch of coast worth avoiding until the beginning of the Cacao Coast.

Along the southern coast of Bahia, the Cacao Coast preserves ecological sanctuaries with dozens of kilometers of beaches shaded by dense coconut groves, the Atlantic Forest, large areas of wetland vegetation and cacao plantations.

The northern Bahia coastline turns to face the SE swells from Salvador and multiple beaches make the most of any far off pulses. Scout from the south-facing spots near the entrance to the huge Baia de Todos Santos up to Aleluia and on to Praia da Onda at Itacimirin. A platform of dead coral parallels the long beaches and while there may be a few occasional spots, the onshores are fairly consistent and the surf is often junky all the way to the border with Sergipe.

Sergipe State

The main surf spot is Atalaia, where the large rivermouth barely improves the slow, fat mushy nature of the surf throughout the region.

Alagoas States

Praia do Francês picks up anything from the E-SE-S and offers something for everyone at three defined peaks. Advanced surfers will prefer the faster, hollow rides at Coqueirais, or in front of the ancient Leprosarium. Fortunato is calmer and slower, so very good for beginners. The barrier reef starts again, running up to the long L-shaped pier at Maceió, which has peaks on both sides and up to the busy port.

Off Pajucara beach a defined left reefbreak peels, but it’s a mission to paddle the 2km then climb over the low tide rocks to get out there. Praia de Cruz das Almas can have some hollow dumpers on the good days, weak mush on the bad.

North to Praia Sereias there are some high tide only peaks at Praia do Riacho Doce and lower tide hollower options at New Orleans, both involving some rock avoidance. Broken reefs and skerries screen the beaches north with a few gaps at Praia do Morro and Tamandaré just before the beginning of the Pernambuco State. North of Recife the rivermouths and estuaries feel sharky with low-quality waves.

Paraíba State

The capital João Pessoa has regularly ridden, but not very exciting beachbreaks at Bessa, plus a north-facing jetty break at Intermares, Cabadelo. The barrier reef stops at Baía da Traição and gives way to long, dead straight sands.

Rio Grande do Norte

A cluster of breaks around the Baía Formosa headland can show quality form in winter with long righthand peelers at the Porto, shorter but bangin’ rights at Pontal and peaks for all at Mar Aberto.

Next major cluster of surf is between Pipa and Tibau do Sul, with rock and sand breaks at the local competition beach Amor, beneath beautiful ochre cliffs. Beginners, longboarders, SUP’ers, kiters and just about everyone else will have fun at Madeiro, a long rock and sand right with S wind protection. Cacimbinha has extensive, uncrowded N swell peaks leading up to the sweet righthanders of Abacateiro and especially Lajão, where long rights tour the headland with hollow and ripable sections in equal measure.

Tabatinga has waves both off the headland reefs and on the long Buzios beach below huge desert dunes that extend up the coast into surfing hotspot Natal.

Natal has multiple quality spots like Escadaria and Manary that are strung out along popular Ponta Negra, where pros and foundlings share the many peaks that thrive on E swell and S winds. Low tide tubes and small fun peaks at Praia Artistas are slightly less crowded than neighbouring Miami in the shadow of the bridge expressway. North of Natal, search out Urca, a reef that is considered the best wave in the region.

The NE shoulder of the country would appear to be a rich hunting ground, but the continental shelf expands, supporting more coral reefs and power-sapping protrusions. It’s not devoid of surf but lacks quality and the constant trade winds suit the kiteboarders who frequent Zumbi Beach. Lagoa do Sal to São Miguel do Gostoso, faces N and picks up a bit more summer swell than the rest of the area.

Small weak and windblown waves continue into the huge coastal sand dune system which extends for 150km towards Ceara State.

Ceara

Winter northern hemisphere swells are required for this coastline so don’t come here in the middle of the calendar year. The centrally located Metropolitana de Fortaleza is a regularly surfed zone.

Jericoacoara, aka Jeri, 300kms west of Fortaleza is an established stop for the travelling surfing community and neighbouring Malhada beach has good rights in a NE swell. Search around the lighthouse on the point of Praia de Pedra do Sal near the town of Parnaíba in Piaui State, as you might get some long righthanders on the lee side from the wind.

Maranhao, Pará and Amapá

The final extension of the Brazilian coast runs into the Amazon basin, where the coast becomes a bewildering jumble of creeks, estuaries, mangrove swamps and small islands, interspersed with some of the most remote beaches in Brazil! The main reason to come to Maranhao, Pará and Amapá is to try one of the many river bore waves that are a feature of the Amazon.

Fernando do Noronha

Probably Brazil’s best waves are located on the far-off island of Fernando do Noronha.