Best Kitesurf Downwind in Brazil: 4 Routes Compared

Ask ten kiters for the best downwind in Brazil and you will get ten answers, because the right route depends on how far you want to ride and how many days you have. The good news is that they all sit on the same coast: the stretch of Ceará, Piauí and Maranhão between Cumbuco and Atins, where the wind blows side-onshore at 18 to 25 knots for most of the year.

We run four downwind routes on that coast, from one day to six. Here is how they compare, in plain terms.

The one-day downwind is the place to start. You choose one of four legs around Jericoacoara: Barrinha to Jericoacoara (20 km), Jericoacoara to Tatajuba (25 km), Preá to Guriú (30 km) or Preá to Tatajuba (40 km). The water is mostly flat, a buggy follows you along the beach, and you are back at your hotel the same evening. It suits riders who have never done a downwind before, or who only have one free day.

The two-day downwind links two of those legs: Barrinha to Jericoacoara on the first day, Jericoacoara to Tatajuba on the second, for about 45 km in total. You spend the night in Jericoacoara and watch the sunset from the dune. It is the gentlest way to find out what riding two days in a row feels like.

The three-day downwind is where it becomes a real journey. You leave Jericoacoara and do not come back: 25 km to Tatajuba, 35 km to the fishing village of Maceió, then 55 km to Barra Grande in the state of Piauí. About 115 km in total, three nights in a pousada with breakfast included, and a car with a private driver that follows you the whole way. For most intermediate riders this is the best balance between adventure and effort.

The six-day downwind is the big one, for experienced riders. You pick one of two routes. Route A runs from Cumbuco to Jericoacoara, through Paracuru, Guajiru, Icaraí de Amontada, Ilha do Guajiru and Preá. Route B runs from Jericoacoara to Atins, through Tatajuba, Maceió, Barra Grande and Arpoador, and ends at the edge of the Lençóis Maranhenses dunes.

So which is the best? If you have never done a downwind, the one-day route. If you ride comfortably upwind and want a first multi-day trip, the two or three-day route. If you can ride for hours without getting tired and want the full coast, the six-day route. None of them fits? We also build tailor-made routes anywhere between Cumbuco and Atins.

Whichever you choose, every trip is private: only your group, from 1 to 6 riders, with an IKO-certified guide on the water and a support vehicle on land. Tell us your level and your dates and we will tell you honestly which route fits.