Kite-Surfing & Wind-Surfing in Brazil

Wind-surfing has been popular along the Brazil coastline for years, while kite-surfing is growing fast and is overtaking its elder brother in terms of participants. Whichever of these two dynamic sports you choose to do, Brazil has the perfect place for both novices and experienced boarders.

Strong Atlantic Ocean breezes hit the coast of Brazil most days of the year, and with championship-quality surf breaks, headlands to negotiate and inland lagoons galore, there is usually somewhere to launch your equipment, catch the wind and ride the waters.

Surfing is still the most popular participation sport in Brazil, but kite-surfing is the fastest growing one. Every year, more and more coloured kites are seen on the waters, and kite-surf schools in Brazil are opening up all the time.

The most popular places for kite-surfing are the states of Ceara and Maranhao in the far North-East of Brazil, and Santa Catarina in the south. The lagoon regions close to Porto Alegre and Rio de Janeiro, and Praia Rasa in Buzios are also very popular.

Ceara and Maranhao boast year-round tropical sun and 6 months of wind, with many of the beaches facing out to the north boasting the perfect conditions for kite-surfing and wind-surfing. Fortaleza is the arrival airport for most of these, with Cumbuco and Paracuru in the process of turning from quiet fishing villages into international kite-surfing paradises. Canoa Quebrada to the east and Jericoacoara and Praia Prea to the west have been on the hippy trail for years, and their laid-back atmosphere, stunning dunes and lively nightlife make them a wonderful mix for visiting kite-surfers.

Santa Catarina has a similar mix of ingredients, although the temperate south of Brazil is more seasonal. Ibiraquera is one of the best kite-surfing beaches in Brazil, and also has a huge lagoon for good measure, while Florianopolis is excellent for experienced kite-surfers on the Atlantic beaches such as Campeche and Moçambique. The huge Lagoa da Conceiçao is also host to many kites, with its knee-high waters and sandy bed making it the ideal place to begin learning the sport without the fear factor involved with the deep, open ocean!

Barra da Tijuca in Rio de Janeiro and Praia Rasa in Buzios are also renowned areas for kite-surfing and also learning. Both can also be included in your kite-surf safari if you'd like to enjoy the delights of those destinations before heading for some serious kite-surfing in Cumbuco for example.

If you want to take kite-surfing classes in Brazil, it is always worth bearing in mind that reputable kite-surf schools should always give kite control lessons on the sand first before you enter the water. If you feel that your time is too short and that you would prefer to spend the maximum time in the water, it could be worth taking the initial lessons at home before you travel.

Another thing to bear in mind when deciding to take up this addictive sport is the effect it might have on any relationship you might have with other human beings. Kite-surfing is gaining a reputation as being responsible for more relationship problems than anything else apart from map-reading. It isn’t the fastest growing watersport in the world for nothing!

Activity Information: Kite-surfing lessons for beginners of all ages can be found in many places along the coast of Brazil with experienced, bilingual instructors. Experienced kite-surfers can bring their boards and equipment, or just hire them at local shops. Wetsuits are usually recommended for the cold waters of South Brazil.