Jericoacoara to Atins Downwind Guide: 6 Days to the Lençóis Maranhenses

The coast from Cumbuco to Atins is the most famous kitesurf downwind in Brazil, and it is too long for a single week. We split it in two at Jericoacoara. This guide covers the second half, from Jericoacoara to Atins; the first half has its own article, Cumbuco to Jericoacoara.

Day 1 takes you from Jericoacoara to Tatajuba, 25 km. It starts with flat water and small waves, passes the lagoon of Guriú, where beginners and advanced riders share the same spot, and ends in the quiet village of Tatajuba.

Day 2 runs from Tatajuba to Maceió, 35 km along a wild and empty coast. Expect slightly choppy flat sections mixed with wave sections. This Maceió is a small fishing village in Ceará, not the large city of the same name further south.

Day 3 is the longest of the first half: 55 km from Maceió to Barra Grande, with flat stretches, some chop around the estuary and the remote village of Curimãs on the way. Barra Grande, in the state of Piauí, is livelier, with bars and restaurants to celebrate the first three days.

Day 4 begins on the road. The car takes you from Barra Grande to Tutóia, in Maranhão, in about three hours. From there you kite downwind to Arpoador, a spot with flat, lagoon-like water.

Day 5 is the one riders remember: 50 km from Arpoador to Atins, along the Lençóis Maranhenses, the national park of white dunes and freshwater lagoons.

Day 6 is yours to choose. A kite session in Atins is included. For an extra fee you can ride 28 km downwind to Lagoa do Kite and kite inside a lagoon of the Lençóis, or put the kite away and tour the dunes in a private 4x4.

This route is for experienced riders: several long days in a row, changing water and remote beaches. In return you get six nights in a pousada with breakfast, an IKO-certified guide on the water and a car with a private driver every day. If six days is too much, the first three days exist as a trip of their own, from Jericoacoara to Barra Grande.