Best surf spots in Brazil for beginners
The beaches in Brazil where a beginner can surf on the most days of the year: small enough, clean enough, on sand. Ranked from 2 years of hourly wave and wind model data at each spot, rated the way the app rates them for beginners. Updated 3 November 2026.
Today's forecast for beginners in Brazil →
The beaches with the most beginner days
| # | Spot | Beginner days a year | Best months | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Praia Vermelha do Centro Ubatuba · São Paulo | ~224 (75 good) | March to November | 22–30 °C |
| 2 | Praia do Sonho Itanhaém · São Paulo | ~199 (37 good) | April to June, September to November | 21–30 °C |
| 3 | Barra do Sahy São Sebastião · São Paulo | ~178 (61 good) | April to June | 21–30 °C |
| 4 | Geribá Armação dos Búzios · Rio de Janeiro | ~165 (23 good) | May to June, October | 22–26 °C |
| 5 | Jericoacoara Jijoca de Jericoacoara · Ceará | ~136 (21 good) | January to March | 28–29 °C |
| 6 | Ponta da Fruta Vila Velha · Espírito Santo | ~135 (9 good) | April to June | 23–27 °C |
| 7 | Riviera de São Lourenço Bertioga · São Paulo | ~132 (27 good) | April to June, August to September | 21–30 °C |
| 8 | Praia do Morro Guarapari · Espírito Santo | ~126 (11 good) | May to June | 23–27 °C |
| 9 | Itacarezinho Itacaré · Bahia | ~110 (2 good) | May to June, September | 26–29 °C |
| 10 | Ribeira Itacaré · Bahia | ~105 (2 good) | May to June | 26–29 °C |
| 11 | Engenhoca Itacaré · Bahia | ~99 (2 good) | May to July | 26–29 °C |
| 12 | Guriri São Mateus · Espírito Santo | ~15 | April to June, September to November | 24–30 °C |
"Beginner days": days with a surfable hour for a beginner (small waves, light or offshore wind, no dangerous size) at that spot; "good" days rate Good or better for a beginner. From 2 years of model data, not observations: a sandbank, a rip or a crowd can change a beach. How the rating works.
When beginners should go
Across Brazil's beginner spots, the best months are April to June. May has the most surfable days for a beginner (about 13 a month at the best spots), December the fewest (about 5). Water: 22–28 °C over the year, see the wetsuit by month.
Questions
Where is the best place to learn to surf in Brazil?
On our numbers, Praia Vermelha do Centro (Ubatuba, about 224 beginner days a year), Praia do Sonho (Itanhaém, about 199 beginner days a year), Barra do Sahy (São Sebastião, about 178 beginner days a year). These are sandy, forgiving spots where the waves are small and clean enough for a beginner on the most days.
When is the best time for beginners to surf in Brazil?
April to June: the months with the most days of small, clean waves at the beginner spots. The fewest are in December.
Is Brazil good for beginner surfers?
12 of the 195 spots we follow suit beginners. At the best of them a beginner finds about 13 surfable days in May and 5 in December. Take a lesson first and surf near lifeguards.
Before your first session: your first surf lesson and rips and safety. More: all surf spots in Brazil · best time to surf in Brazil.