Maranhao, Pará and Amapá
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Positives
- N & S groundswells
- Variety of good lefts & rights
- Amazing jungle waterways
- Good services at El Cantil
- Cheap, colourful, exotic Colombia
Negatives
- Boat access only
- Rarely bigger than 6ft
- Extremely wet
- Air access no longboards
- FARC kidnapping factor
Maranhao, Pará and Amapá surf travel guide
Known as the pororoca in the local dialect, the word coming from "poroc poroc", which means "destroyer, big-bang", in the regional aboriginal dialect. The phenomenon was first shown on Brazilian TV after Jacques Cousteau aboard the Calypso first shot the phenomenon on the 28th March, 1982. It was breaking 15km (9mi) out to sea, outside the Araguari rivermouth, at about 10ft (3m) high and going 45 km/h (30mp/h), before they followed the bore 25km (15mi) upstream. In 1997, a country known for small waves became the Hawaii of the bore-riders with pioneers like Noelio Sobrinho, Guga Arruda and Eraldo Gueiros taking on the pororocas.
The huge Amazon basin fed by a dozen rivers proves to hold the longest rideable waves on earth and in April, 2003, an unofficial world record was set. Picuruta Salazar managed to ride the bore for 37 minutes and travel 12.5km (7.8mi) before Serginho Laus, on 24th June 2005, and in the presence of an official Guinness adjudicator set the new distance surfing world record with a 33 minute ride of 10.1km (6.3mi). Since 1999, an annual championship has been held in São Domingos do Capim and there is now frequent events on Rio Araguari or Rio Mearim.
These powerful, destructive tidal phenomenons appear on several rivers, including the Pindaré/Mearim, Guama/Capim, Marajo Island, Moju, Guajara, Macapa Canal do Norte, Cassipore and the Rio Araguari. Travelling at 15-25 km/h, the tidal bore comes approximately every 12h 50min so there’s only one chance to ride per day and there’s a shift of 40mins every day. Usually, there are rideable waves up to three days before and after full or new moon phases and these spring tides have a range of 6-7m max.
Unlike other bores, the wetter the season, the better because droughts mean more mud & sand banks will be exposed in the estuary and dissipate the bore energy. River contours and depth are constantly changing and sets of waves can have 2 to 3 rideable waves, but the first one is usually the best option. Sometimes the second wave can have more power, break further away from the bank or be cleaner if there’s some windchop. Most sections break either right or left with plenty of space for several surfers to ride at a time.
Surf spots in Maranhao, Pará and Amapá
Research the 11 surf breaks in Maranhao, Pará and Amapá and discover what spots suit the current conditions.
Break lowdown
We’ve collated the wave data giving you a unique insight into the 11 breaks in Maranhao, Pará and Amapá.
Library
Helpful surf travel videos and articles featuring Maranhao, Pará and Amapá.
Travel Information
General
- Current Time
- Tourists
- 6,621,000
- Population
- 212,559,417
- Tourist Info
- Tourist Info
Security
Health
Money
- Currency
- BRL
- Exchange rate
- $1 = 1.9 BRL BRL
Cost of living
Communication
- Dialing in
- +55
- Dialing out
- 0014
- Emergencies
- 911
- Language
- Portuguese
Electricity
- Plug Type
- n
Visas
Visa free travel for nearly all nationalities for stays of up to 90 days.
Getting There
No visa for Brazil for most, but Yellow Fever injection still necessary. Fly to São Luis (SLZ) for Mearim river; Macapa (MCP) for Araguari river or Belem (BEL) for Capim river. Manaus is way inside the Amazon. Main airport in the NE is Fortaleza (FOR), and return transfer to SLZ costs $150 (1h10). Int’l departure tax is $35 in Fortaleza.
Getting Around
Renting a car is unnecessary – travel by bus or air. Boat terminals (“hidroviaria”) are crucial hubs for local transport to cross the myriad waterways and estuaries. By road, Cutias is 4.5h from Macapa, São Domingo is 3h from Belem and Arari is 3h from São Luis. Sao Luis by road is 7h (639km) from Belem.
Accommodation
If you go with Surfando Na Selva, everything will be included. Staying in aircon pensão cost $20-40 per person based on double occupancy. Average meal called “Prato do Dia” cost around $7 for a plate with drink. Try rice-of-Cuxá, fried fish or crab pie. An extra cold Brahma or Pilsen beer is a delicacy in these hot regions.
Activities
Except during Bumba-meu-boi and Carnival, Sao Luis is quieter than most Brazilian cities of its size. Go to Fortaleza or Belem for action and history. Ilha do Marajo is an unique environment, with remote ranches, water buffalos. Enjoy the Brazilian rainforest, travel in hammocks (rede) in Amazon boats: remember, rivers are roads!
Hazards & hassles
Don’t get too paranoid with jungle fauna: Jacaré (crocs) hunt river preys at high tide, sharks swim upstream. Freshwater means piranhas - just don’t bleed! Lots of floating debris (trees, ship waste, snakes). Avoid candiru, a small parasitic fish that can swim up your urethra and dig in its spines. Not many mosquitoes in Arari but the Amazon basin is a high-risk, chloroquine resistant malaria zone.
Handy Hints
Although some locals surf shortboards, longboards or thick, bouyant boards are better for riding longer. Falling off a bore wave can mean being left over on the riverbank for some time waiting for the boat to return. Engine & propeller problems are part of the deal. Serginho Laus runs “Surfando Na Selva” expeditions: March - Sept: 5 days, 4 pax, from $2000 to $3,250 per person.
Due to global pandemic, Visas, Getting There, Getting Around or Accommodation information and pricing may have changed. Always check Government Travel Advice before travelling.