Arpoador da Tutóia has no other spot on this map within 40 km of it. straight-line distance
When it fills in
No onset time is published for this spot.
The wind
locals call it trade winds / ventos alisios
Direction
Kite sizes
metres · typical quiver highlighted
Character
trade
Typical strength
18-28 knots is the usual figure; 15-30 knots for the wider Tutoia/Vila Arpoador coast.
Also on record
15-30 knots in season; 18-28 knots is the other figure quoted.
The quiver, in words
No school publishes a size table for the spot. Against the 18-28 knot season wind, a 75-85 kg rider sits on 7 to 9 m most days, with 10 to 12 m for the light end of July or a mid-season lull. Indicative sizes derived from the spot's own wind range, not a local measurement.
Dominant direction
NE, E and SE
Forecast
Month by month
- Jan40
- Feb39
- Mar12
- Apr2
- May3
- Jun4
- Jul20
- Aug, riders' month63
- Sep, riders' month98
- Oct, riders' month100
- Nov, riders' month91
- Dec, riders' month91
per cent of the month at force 4 or more
Ringed months are the ones riders and schools name: Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec.
- 10Jan29°
- 10Feb29°
- 9Mar30°
- 8Apr30°
- 9May30°
- 9Jun30°
- 10Jul30°
- 12Aug29°
- 14Sep29°
- 14Oct29°
- 13Nov29°
- 13Dec29°
avg knots per month · water °C below · season highlighted
| Month | Force 4+ | Knots | From | Air | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 40% | 10.3 kt | ENE | 27°C | 29.4°C |
| Feb | 39% | 10.1 kt | ENE | 26.7°C | 29.4°C |
| Mar | 12% | 8.6 kt | ENE | 26°C | 29.6°C |
| Apr | 2% | 8.2 kt | E | 26.3°C | 30.3°C |
| May | 3% | 8.5 kt | E | 27°C | 30.4°C |
| Jun | 4% | 8.7 kt | E | 26.9°C | 30°C |
| Jul | 20% | 9.9 kt | E | 27.2°C | 29.5°C |
| Aug | 63% | 11.8 kt | ENE | 27.4°C | 28.8°C |
| Sep | 98% | 14.1 kt | ENE | 27.7°C | 28.6°C |
| Oct | 100% | 14.4 kt | ENE | 28°C | 28.7°C |
| Nov | 91% | 13.3 kt | ENE | 28°C | 29°C |
| Dec | 91% | 12.5 kt | ENE | 28.1°C | 29.2°C |
modelled
A weather model's cell over this place, not a station on it. Good for comparing places, weaker for one beach.
Modelled from weather reanalysis on a 10–25 km grid (2022-2024), not a ground station: reliable for trade and synoptic winds, understates thermal sea breezes and valley winds. The typical daily max and the direction are columns of the table above, month by month. Highlighted months are the riding season from the spot record.
ERA5 reanalysis grid point (modelled) · Open-Meteo historical weather API — ECMWF ERA5/ERA5-Land reanalysis, not a ground station · 2022-2024
The water
Type
mixed ocean, lagoon, river channels and seasonal dune lagoons
Standing depth
Shallow enough to teach any level off the beach; no exact depth range has been published.
Tides
Tide decides the day, and it decides the drive too. At high water the ocean side gives moderate, rideable waves and the surfboard earns its place; as the tide drops, the flat riding appears between the sandbanks.The village itself is only reachable along the beach at low tide, so arrival and departure are timed to the tide table as much as the session is. No tide window for the launch in front of the hamlet has been published.
Temperature
28°C summer · 27°C winter
Wetsuit
No wetsuit normally needed; water is warm year-round, with regional sea-temperature normals about 27-29 C.
Currents
River mouths, mangroves and the Delta do Parnaiba mean channels and current on the downwind and adventure routes; nobody has measured current at the launch.
Your level
The scene
What riders come here for
Launch and rules
three ways on to the water, and what each one asks of you
With a school or a boat
2 schools name this spot
On your own
Room to launch: Large sandy area; a wide safe strip for rigging and for downwind starts.
Somewhere else
No neighbour on record
No other spot in the atlas sits within reach of this one.
Rescue
Launch
Remote sandy beach in front of the hamlet at Arpoador da Tutoia. The IKO center and a couple of small pousada/school operations are the only infrastructure.
Space
Large sandy area; a wide safe strip for rigging and for downwind starts.
Rules & access
Access rules drift faster than anything else we hold — check locally, and propose an edit if this has changed.
Rider tips
- Ride the first session with the school: launch access, tide state and where the flat sections are on the day are all local knowledge.
- Come August through December if you want the wind to show up every day.
- Sort out 4x4 or buggy timing before you arrive; beach access is at low tide and nothing here is quick.
- Carry water and food for the beach; away from the school and the pousada there is little or nothing at Arpoador beach.
- For a Delta or Atins downwinder, book rescue and transfer before you launch. There is no easy self-return.
- Bring serious sun protection: hot and humid year-round, water warm enough that a wetsuit never comes out of the bag.
- The freshwater lagoons between the dunes are filled by the January-to-July rains, so dune-lagoon riding is a leftover of the wet season and thins as the kite season runs on.
- Ride the ocean side at high water and move to the gaps between the sandbanks as it drops; that is where the flat water is.
- Pack 7 m and 9 m for a 75-85 kg rider and carry a 12 m for the quiet days.
Getting there
Airport
Parnaiba (PHB) is the nearest airport by road; Sao Luis (SLZ), Jericoacoara/Cruz (JJD), Fortaleza (FOR) and Teresina (THE) are longer regional gateways depending on route and flight availability.
Route
Tutoia sits on the Rota das Emocoes between the Delta do Parnaiba and the Lencois Maranhenses, about 130 km from Parnaiba and about 420 km from Sao Luis by road.Arpoador is a fishing hamlet about 20 km from Tutoia, reached by 4x4 at low tide; Praia do Arpoador can also be reached from Praia da Barra on foot, buggy or 4x4.
Transfer
180 min
Cost level
medium
Staying
Kitesurf Life pairs its school with its own pousada and restaurant on the beach; Pousada NAK/Nativa Arpoador Kite is the other kite lodging in Tutoia's listings. The town itself has simple pousadas and beachfront hotels, no resorts.
No-wind days
Delta do Parnaiba boat trips, revoada dos guaras, APA dos Pequenos Lencois, 4x4 tour through Arpoador and Amor dunes, Lagoa de Maceio, Praia dos Amores, Praia da Barra, ruins of the Aline Ramos ship and Tutoia restaurants.
Photos
FAQ
When is the best time to kite at Arpoador da Tutoia?
The peak season runs August through December, within a broader July-to-January window of strong, constant wind.
Is Arpoador da Tutoia suitable for beginners?
Yes with a school: Kitesurf Life reports a large, shallow safe area for teaching any level from beginner to advanced.
What is the wind like?
NE, E and SE trade winds typically blow 18-28 knots, side-onshore, and are described as strong and constant in season.
How do I get there?
Arpoador is a remote hamlet about 20 km from Tutoia town, reached by 4x4 at low tide, with no confirmed public rescue service.
Last updated: August 2026