Photo
Kite in the air at Jericoacoara beachPhoto by Winniepix, via Wikimedia Commons (originally Flickr), CC BY 2.0
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Brazil
Most of Brazil's 64 spots run along the northeast coast from Maranhão through Ceará and Rio Grande do Norte.
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Cumbuco, 30km from Fortaleza, is the mass-market entry point with schools and lagoon lessons; Icaraí de Amontada and São Miguel do Gostoso hold the same trade winds with a quieter village feel, while Jericoacoara and Preá anchor the Ceará-to-Piauí downwind route.
Trade winds run July through January, peaking September to November, with chop, wave and flat-water sections depending on tide. It suits first-timers taking lagoon lessons as much as veterans stringing villages into a downwind week.
Seasonevery monthsomewhere in the country
How we count
- Places
- 18 towns and 20 single spots
- Beginners
- where a spot record says a beginner can ride; the Beginners page also asks for a school there, so it lists fewer
When to go
month by month, from the towns' own wind series
The windiest town in season each month: its share of windy days
Windiest single town in any month: Ilha do Guajiru, 100% of days in August, from the Almofala series.
How this is modelled
A weather model's cell over this place, not a station on it. Good for comparing places, weaker for one beach.
Which place is yours
Grouped by region, the most spots first
How this list is ordered
The places are in the order of how many spots each place holds. None of them carries a wind score: the atlas scores wind reliability one spot at a time, against a named weather station and the distance to it, and a place that groups several spots has no single station to stand behind one number.For wind by month, see When to go above.
Icaraí de Amontada Established6 spots · 6 schools · June to Januaryflat water choppy waves beginner-friendly sociable 4x4 needed gear rental mid-range Cumbuco World-class5 spots · 14 schools · June to Januarylagoon beginner-friendly buzzing scene 4x4 needed gear rental budget to mid Ilha do Guajiru Local favourite5 spots · 6 schools · June to Februarylagoon beginner-friendly sociable car needed gear rental budget to mid Taíba World-class3 spots · 7 schools · July to Februarylagoon flat water waves beginner-friendly buzzing scene car helps gear rental budget to mid Parajuru – Fortim, Ceará3 spots · 3 schools · July to Decemberlagoon flat water choppy waves beginner-friendly quiet gear rental Jericoacoara World-class2 spots · 8 schools · July to January 25 min from the airportbeginner-friendly buzzing scene 4x4 needed gear rental mid-range Tatajuba Established2 spots · 8 schools · July to Januarybeginner-friendly buzzing scene gear rental budget Prea Established1 spot · 7 schools · July to January 30 min from the airportbeginner-friendly buzzing scene 4x4 needed gear rental mid-range Lagoinha Local favourite1 spot · 2 schools · July to Decemberbeginner-friendly buzzing scene 4x4 needed gear rental budget to mid Paracuru Established1 spot · 3 schools · July to Januarybeginner-friendly sociable car needed gear rental budget to mid
Rio Grande do Norte — Praia do Amor to Tibau do Sul - Malembá3 spots · 1 school · July to Decemberlagoon waves beginner-friendly sociable car needed mid-range São Miguel do Gostoso Established1 spot · 6 schools · September to Februarybeginner-friendly buzzing scene 4x4 needed gear rental mid-range Galinhos Local favourite1 spot · 4 schools · July to Januarybeginner-friendly sociable no car needed gear rental budget to mid
Standalone spots
Single spots with no town of their own
Other places
By region
The country's regions, the most spots first
Best for
Pages that pick the places in Brazil for one kind of riding
Destinations
All 38 places, by name
Destinations
All 38 places, by name
Every place in the lists above, by name only, in the order the country guide keeps them.
AtinsBarra GrandeCumbucoGalinhosIcaraí de AmontadaIlha do GuajiruJericoacoaraLagoinhaParacuruPreaSão Miguel do GostosoTatajubaTaíbaParajuru – Fortim, CearáFlorianopolisPontal de Maria Farinha & Itamaracá Kite PointPraia do Bessa & Ponta de LucenaRio Grande do Norte — Praia do Amor to Tibau do Sul - MalembáUruaúLagoa de IbiraqueraPassagem do MaciambuPraia da DanielaPonta das CanasK08 Barra da TijucaPraia SecaPraia do FoguetePraia de ManguinhosPraia da ConchaPraia do FlamengoPraia de CandeiasBarra de CamaratubaBarra do CunhaúPirangiGenipabu - Barra do RioMaracajaúPraia de TremembéTorrõesArpoador da Tutóia
Visa & entry
EU passportAll EU nationals are visa-free for up to 90 days. For most, stays are capped at 90 days in any 180 days; for Croatia, Finland, Ireland, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and Spain, Itamaraty's visa table lists a plain 90-day exemption without the 180-day marker (2026).
US passportVisa required since April 10, 2025: Brazil reinstated a reciprocity-based visa requirement for US (also Canadian and Australian) citizens, because the US requires Brazilians to obtain visas. Processed as an e-Visa via VFS Global (brazil.vfsevisa.com), with a reported average processing time of ~5 business days.Still in force in 2026.
UK passportVisa NOT required: UK passport holders can visit Brazil visa-free for up to 90 days for tourism. The UK government's travel advice also states the passport must be valid at least 6 months beyond arrival. A weaker secondary account claims 'The UK requires a visa'; the government advice is the one to follow.
Digital nomad visaVITEM XIV Digital Nomad Visa: requires proof of remote employment or a services contract with a company based outside Brazil, minimum income of USD 1,500/month or at least USD 18,000 in savings, and private health insurance valid in Brazil (2026).
Tax residency days183 days — a person becomes a Brazilian tax resident upon completing 184 days of presence (consecutive or non-consecutive) within any rolling 12-month period, per Receita Federal guidance as summarized by multiple 2026 tax-advisory sources. This 183-day cumulative count applies REGARDLESS of visa type, including digital-nomad-visa holders, who get no exemption. Once triggered, worldwide income becomes taxable in Brazil.
NotesA standard tourist visa/stay (for nationalities that need one) can be extended once for a further maximum 90 days at a Federal Police office.
Money
CurrencyBrazilian Real (BRL)
Card acceptanceWidely accepted in cities, but as of 2026 many small vendors, beach sellers and taxi drivers accept Pix ONLY (not cards, sometimes not cash), which matters directly for kite-spot beach vendors.
Paying by phonePix — Brazil's instant payment system (launched by the Central Bank Nov 2020), used for free 24/7 transfers and QR-code payments at over 30 million merchants; 79.8 billion transactions processed in 2025. Normally requires a Brazilian CPF (tax ID) and local bank account, so tourists cannot open a standard Pix key directly.Workaround: traveler-focused apps (e.g., Wallbit, Wander) let visitors scan a Brazilian Pix QR code and pay from a passport-linked prepaid/dollar balance without needing a CPF or local bank account (2026).
Scams
- Overcharging and petty theft reported in tourist areas
- Robbery at stop signs and red lights while driving, especially at night in larger cities; keep doors locked, windows up
SIM & internet
Operators, best coast coverage first
- Vivo
- Claro
- TIM
NotesVivo, Claro and TIM are Brazil's major carriers, with no ranking published for the remote Northeast kite and lagoon villages (Atins, Tatajuba, Icaraí de Amontada). Coverage in those dune and lagoon spots is reportedly patchy, with some pousadas on Starlink; unconfirmed.
Insurance
Is kiting covered?Presumed true generically for standard travel policies.
RecommendedSpecialist kite/watersports travel insurance recommended generically. Notably, Brazil's own Digital Nomad Visa (VITEM XIV) explicitly REQUIRES private health insurance valid in Brazil as an eligibility condition (see visa section) — this is a sourced, Brazil-specific requirement, not a generic recommendation.
Health
VaccinesPer CDC: Yellow fever vaccine is recommended for travelers 9 months+ to most Brazilian states, but explicitly NOT recommended for travel limited to certain coastal cities such as Fortaleza and Recife.Hepatitis A recommended for unvaccinated travelers 1 year+; Hepatitis B recommended for unvaccinated travelers under 60; routine vaccines should be up to date; Chikungunya may be considered for stays of 6+ months; Typhoid vaccination worth considering, especially for extended stays.Source: CDC Brazil travel-health page (fetched directly).
Mosquito-borne diseasesDengue and Zika are both present in Brazil as mosquito-borne risks, with no seasonal breakdown published. Northeast Brazil's rainy season, roughly January to June, reportedly tracks with higher mosquito activity; unconfirmed.
Emergency numbersPolice 190, medical and ambulance (SAMU) 192, fire 193; a crisis hotline on 188 is also listed but unconfirmed.
Hospital standardHospital quality varies significantly by region and socioeconomic area. For the remote Northeast Brazil kite destinations (Atins, Tatajuba, Icaraí de Amontada, Prea, Galinhos and similar), expect only basic local clinics, with the nearest major hospitals in the regional capitals (Fortaleza, São Luís). Nothing published pins that down spot by spot, so plan evacuation accordingly.
Driving
International driving permitAn International Driving Permit is recommended; whether it is strictly required is unclear. Check with the Brazilian traffic authority (DENATRAN) or the embassy before driving.
Road safetyDrive on the RIGHT. High crime risk driving at night in cities: robbery at stop signs and red lights is commonly reported, so keep doors locked and windows raised. Road conditions are highly variable; night driving is discouraged due to potholes and robbery risk.
4x4 contextsSeveral Northeast Brazil kite destinations (Jericoacoara, Tatajuba, Lagoinha, and the dune-buggy routes around Barra Grande and Icaraí de Amontada) reportedly need 4x4 or dune-buggy transport over sand tracks rather than a standard rental car; unconfirmed.
Regulation
Protected areasLençóis Maranhenses National Park, directly adjacent to and overlapping the Atins and Tatajuba kite areas, is a protected national park, which plausibly carries access or activity restrictions for kiters transiting or launching near its dune-and-lagoon system. Unconfirmed with the park authority.
Calendar & costs
Holidays that move prices
- Carnival (February or March, date moves with the Christian calendar) reportedly causes nationwide price spikes and booking surges.
- Réveillon / New Year's Eve — similarly associated with major price spikes, especially in coastal areas; same caveat as above.
School holidaysBrazilian school holidays generally fall in December-January (main summer break) and July (winter break); unconfirmed.
BeerBRL 10.00 (0.5L domestic draft)
MealBRL 33.00 (inexpensive restaurant meal)
CoffeeBRL 10.51 (regular cappuccino)
One-bedroom rent, per monthBRL 1,257.13 (1BR apartment outside city centre)
CurrencyBRLSee Money
Year2026
Kite bag rules for your airline
Flying into BrazilType the carrier you are flying: what it charges for a kite bag, and the year of the policy that says so.
Every carrier, with limits and what riders report at the counter →
Where records disagree
- UK visa requirement: gov.uk's official travel-advice page states UK passport holders do NOT need a visa for Brazil tourism (up to 90 days), while a Wikivoyage-derived search snippet stated 'The UK requires a visa.' gov.uk, the official source, is followed here; the Wikivoyage claim is kept because it directly contradicts the official position, and may be a misreading of a table on that page.
- EU exception list (Croatia, Finland, France, Ireland, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain) mentioned by Wikivoyage without explanation of what the exception actually is (visa needed vs. different day-count) — recorded as an unresolved ambiguity, not a confirmed rule.
Still being checked
We have not verified these yet — tell us if you know.
Show the 10 open questions
- Meaning of the EU-nationality exception list for Brazil's 90-day visa-free rule
- Whether Brazil charges any entry/eco tax
- Tipping norms
- ATM fees and limits
- ID requirement for prepaid SIM purchase; eSIM options; Starlink legal/operational status, especially for remote NE Brazil kite villages
- What does a board bag cost on Azul, on Gol and on LATAM domestic flights?
- Tap water safety
- Dengue/Zika seasonal risk windows specific to Ceará/Maranhão coast
- Hospital standard and evacuation pathways near remote kite villages
- IDP requirement confirmation
Last updated September 2026