Best Surf Peaks of the Northeast and North

Hello people!

Last week I decided to write about  the best surf   spots in Brazil, considering the largest geographic distribution possible. As the post was getting too long, I divided it into two parts:

• 1 - SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST - click here
  
• 2 - NORTHEAST and NORTH - article you are about to read

Best Surf Peaks in Brazil

In my division, you can obviously disagree, but I preferred to consider as many places in Brazil as possible. For that, I may have excluded some good surf spots in Brazil that were in places that I had already considered many others.

For my division it was like this:

South and Southeast:

• Santa Catarina: 5
• State: 1
• Sao Paulo: 5
• Rio de Janeiro: 5
• Holy Spirit: 1

North and Northeast

• Bahia: 4
• State: 1
• Pernambuco: 4
• Rio Grande do Norte: 2
• Ceará: 1
• State: 1

From now on, we will continue our journey from south to north of Brazil, starting with the article on south and southeast, which will end in this article, starting with Bahia.

Tiririca Beach - Itacaré - Bahia

Better conditions:

• Best swells: southeast, east and northeast
• Best winds: Northwest, West and Southwest Terraces
• Wave size: surfable from less than 1m to 2.5m
• Frequency: constant, about 150 days a year
• Problems: rocks
• Other attractions: there is a skate bowl very close by. Nature and nightlife are also attractive

The city of Itacaré is one of the main tourist destinations on the Brazilian coast. The city is far from the capital of Bahia, 250km, so it is better that you look for a place to stay in Itacaré itself. Being in the city, it is very easy to get to Tiririca beach. Just follow signs, as the beach is relatively close to the center.

The peak is a very consistent beach break, works for all levels of experience, depending on the size of the sea, and has relatively little crowd. The waves close a little, but have the fun of being tubular and breaking to the right and to the left.

The beach is small with rocks in the corners, the places are generally friendly and the atmosphere is generally very pleasant. Beautiful place to spend the holidays, relax, enjoy the night life and enjoy the waves with tranquility in one of  the best surf   spots in the Northeast.

Boca da Barra - Itacaré - Bahia

Better conditions:

• Best swells: southeast and east
• Best winds: west and southwest terraces
• Ripple size: surfable from 1-1.5m to more than 4m
• Frequency: constant, about 150 days a year
• Problems: current, distance from the coast
• Other attractions: Itacaré nature and nightlife

Still in Itacaré, very close to tiririca beach, there is the mouth of the bar, the mouth of the river of beads that forms an epic and long right outside the shell beach. It is not a peak for beginners, as it is not so close to the sand and the sea can get really big. In addition, because it is at the mouth of a river, there may be a current.

The waves start to work with 1-1,5m and can reach 4 meters in the surf. The rights can be considered among the longest in Brazil on the biggest days. When the swell is large, waves appear to the left where you can catch an input channel.  to surf   this peak, you must be very clear in the ocean, because on normal days it requires at least 20 minutes of paddling out.

Stella Maris beach - Salvador - Bahia

Better conditions:

• Best swells: south, southeast and east
• Best winds: north, northwest and west terraces
• Wave size: surfable from less than 1m to 2.5m
• Frequency: constant, about 150 days a year
• Problems: crowd
• Other attractions: try Bahian cuisine and discover the city's sights

The beach of stella maris is very easy to find, as it is within the city of Salvador. It is a little far from the center, about 20km, and to reach it you must head north on the parallel avenue, until you see signs for the neighborhood of Stella Maris. Then just go towards the beach and enjoy the high waves.

The pico de stella maris is a beach break that breaks waves to the right and to the left. It is not considered a difficult wave, even if it is a little big, so it is recommended for any type of surfer. Although it is a short wave, it is perfectly maneuverable, sometimes tubular, and we can consider stella maris as one of  the best surf   spots in the northeast.

The beach is also of historical importance and gained prominence by hosting several surf contests in the 1980s. The only problem with the place is the high incidence of sea winds that can make surfing less than expected in a few days.

Scar Reef - Salvador - Bahia

Better conditions:

• Best swells: southwest, south, southeast and east
• Best winds: northwest and north
• Ripple size: surfable from 1m to 2.5m
• Frequency: works from time to time
• Problems: stones and corals and difficult access

Scar Reef, alluding to the peak in Indonesia, is a coral reef on the way from Salvador to the city of Praia do Forte. Correct access to the peak goes through a private coconut farm and you will need authorization to stop your car near the peak. It is the only peak in Brazil that you will pray to meet someone when you arrive, only to find the correct place to position yourself faster.

If you are inexperienced, do not surf there, as there are rocks and sharp corals all along the peak and you will end up discouraging the farm owner from maintaining unrestricted access. It's a strong wave with a fast wall, but with luck and the right wind you can find tubes. You will generally surf pretty much alone.

Frances Beach - Marechal Deodoro - Alagoas

Better conditions:

• Best Ripples: Southeast
• Best winds: southeast, but breaks with almost any swell and wind
• Wave size: surfable from less than 1m to 3m
• Frequency: frequent, more than 150 days a year
• Problems: crowd, currents

The Frenchman's beach is in the municipality of Marechal Deodoro, about 25km from Maceió. The best way to get there is by car. Although there are those who say that it is possible to take a mini-bus in Maceió, I would not risk it and rent a car.

The incredible constancy of this beach-break, which breaks more than half of the year, is certainly one of the factors responsible for making it one of the best spots in the northeast. As you can see in the photo, the waves break left and right and can be tubular on the best days. The only problem with pico is that for some time now, the crowd seems to have grown a lot.

Serrambi - Ipojuca - Pernambuco

Better conditions:

• Best swells: south and southeast
• Best winds: west and southwest
• Ripple size: surfable from 1m-1.5m to 2.5m
• Frequency: constant, about 150 days a year
• Problems: localism, stones
• Other attractions: don't miss Porto de Galinhas

Ipojuca is a municipality located in Porto de Galinhas in Pernambuco. The Ipojuca coast is a kind of extension of the Porto de Galinhas coast and its beaches are easily accessible, as they are very close to the city center. Serrambi beach is about 12km drive from Porto de Galinhas and the main surf peak is a coral reef in front of the Intermares Hotel.

Serrambi is not a peak for beginners, due to the not very deep rock bottom and the distance from the coast. Be physically well prepared before you go, to row the necessary 20 minutes of the round trip. In contrast, the left, which works frequently, is considered world-class in the best conditions. It is fast, tubular and nicknamed by the locals of Bali due to its quality. Surf there at medium or high tide. At low tide, the right on the other side of the bench can work, but watch out for the rocks.

Maracaípe - Porto de Galinhas - Pernambuco

Better conditions:

• Best swells: southeast and east
• Best winds: west
• Wave size: surfable from less than 1m to 2.5m
• Frequency: frequent, more than 150 days a year
• Problems: crowd
• Other attractions: don't miss Porto de Galinhas

As we can see, Porto de Galinhas in fact concentrates some of  the best surf   spots in the Northeast. The maracaípe beach is even closer to the center of Porto de Galinhas than serrambi. The beach-break also known as “maraca” is only about 3km from the city center. That is, if you don't mind it, a quick walk along the shore can be your means of transportation to the peak.

The best waves of the peak break in the middle of the beach to the right and to the left, but you can find less crowded ditches in both corners. The peak is very consistent, works with almost any wave, but the best ones are southeast and east and the best winds are those in the west quadrant.

Maracaípe is a world class peak, it is no wonder that it has hosted important championships. The wave usually breaks from the outside and is reformed several times until reaching the sand. Outside, the wave is usually fuller, while inside, tubes can roll.

Cupe beach - Porto de Galinhas - Pernambuco

Better conditions:

• Best swells: southeast and east
• Best winds: west
• Wave size: surfable from less than 1m to 2m
• Frequency: frequent, more than 150 days a year
• Problems: crowd
• Other attractions: don't miss Porto de Galinhas

Praia do Cupe is another popular spot in Porto de Galinhas and surroundings that can be considered one of  the best surf   spots in the Northeast or even in Brazil. It is less than 10km from the center of Porto de Galinhas.

As many people run to maracaípe or coral reefs, the beach of the cupe does not usually get so crowded, which does not mean that you will find it empty all the time. Praia do cupe is also a classic beach-break with waves that break in several ditches to the right and to the left. It works very often and in addition to offering good maneuverable walls, it can break tubular at the right tide and conditions.

Cacimba do Padre - Fernando de Noronha - Pernambuco

Better conditions:

• Best swells: north and northwest
• Best winds: south and southeast terrains
• Ripple size: surfable from 1m to 5m
• Frequency: works from time to time
• Problems: typically works in summer, difficult wave
• Other attractions: everything Fernando de Noronha offers

The Fernando de Noronha archipelago is one of the most sought after destinations in the world for nature lovers practically untouched by man. In the surf environment, it is also called Brazilian Hawaii, due to the quality of the waves that can be found. The geographic position of Fernando de Noronha, far from the coast and with sudden changes in depth, makes the archipelago able to withstand super swells and really big waves.

In this article, we chose the best and best known surf peak of Fernando de Noronha: the beach of the priest's cacimba. Certainly this easily enters the list of  the best surf   spots in the Northeast and Brazil. The main wave is a very fast and tubular left, which in its best days resembles a pipeline.

It is definitely not a wave for beginners, at least on the biggest days. It is very common to see one or two surfers having fun in the padre's paddock and everyone else taking waves on their heads and breaking boards inside. By the limit of 450 tourists in Noronha, you will rarely find a crowd at this peak. There is also no localism, since all places are involved with tourism.

Pontal de Baía Formosa - Baía Formosa - Rio Grande do Norte

Better conditions:

• Best swells: southeast, east and northeast
• Best winds: west
• Ripple size: surfable from 1m to 1.5m
• Frequency: constant, about 150 days a year
• Problems: stones, crowd

The city of Baía Formosa is about 100km from Natal by car. Anyway, in a certain destination for surfers from all over Brazil and accommodation options in the city will not be lacking. The peak is certainly one of  the best surf   spots in the Northeast and Brazil and its international level rights are always remembered by Fábio Gouveia, the best placed Brazilian in the history of the World Surfing Championship until Gabriel Medina.

The peak is a point-break, where it breaks a right with a very long wall, about 150m. The wall, completely open, is very maneuverable and sections of tubes sometimes roll. The wave is not a very difficult wave, but it is recommended that beginners avoid the biggest days, because of the proximity of the rocks and the amount of surfers in the water. The waves will hardly exceed 1.5m, only in large swells.

Pipa Beach - Tibau do Sul - Rio Grande do Norte

Better conditions:

• Best swells: east and northeast
• Best winds: Southwest
• Wave size: surfable from less than 1m to 2.5m
• Frequency: constant, about 150 days a year
• Problems: localism, crowd

Pipa beach is in the small town of Tibau do Sul, about 80 km south of Natal. The city is also a common destination for surfers, so there is no shortage of accommodation options and services. Pipa beach is 9km from the center of Tibau do Sul by car via RN003.

It is a beach-break with very long waves that break mainly to the right. The waves are not usually big and the peak is suitable for all types of surfer. Just be careful with the amount of surfers in the water. The wave breaks slowly and is maneuverable. It is very common to see some longboards and funboards dividing the peak.

Paracuru - Paracuru - Ceará

Better conditions:

• Best swells: northwest, north and northeast
• Best winds: south
• Ripple size: surfable from 1.5m to 2.5m
• Frequency: -
• Problems: stones, crowd

The city of Paracuru is about 85km from the capital of Ceará, Fortaleza. To get there, you will have to take the CE085 and watch the signs. The city is a very famous spot for wind sports, such as kitesurfing and windsurfing, so staying there will not be a problem.

The peak of paracuru is a coral reef that breaks waves to the right and to the left. The peak only works well at high tide. The wave there opens very maneuverable walls with several sections that can be connected. On flat days, you can try sandboarding in the region's dunes.

Ponta do Camaraçu - Bragança - Pará

Better conditions:

• Best swells: northwest, north
• Best winds: south, sudeste
• Ripple size: surfable from 1.5m to 2.5m
• Frequency: constant, about 150 days a year
• Problems: mosquitoes, geographic isolation

Ponta do camaraçu beach, in the municipality of Bragança, in the north of the state of Pará, is undoubtedly one of the best peaks in northern Brazil and has the advantage of still being little explored. His major disadvantage is the reason for his little exploitation. Because it is geographically isolated, getting there is a real surf trip: there are 8 hours of travel that must be carefully planned.

It is a beach break with waves that break to the right and to the left. The waves are fuller, with maneuverable walls and connectable sections. Obviously the crowd is almost zero, but if you want to venture out, keep in mind that you are going to an inhospitable and completely uninhabited place. Prepare properly. We do not recommend it for beginners.

I hope you enjoyed the article. If you haven't seen the part of the

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes the surf peaks of Brazil's Northeast and North regions unique, and what should surfers be aware of when visiting these areas?

The Northeast and North regions are known for their warm water, consistent swells, and less crowded beaches. Surfers should be aware of local conditions like tides and potential hazards, and be respectful of local surfing communities.