Brazil — Barra Grande do Piauí21h · 12 kt
17NOT RECOMMENDEDPick your slot
Min. level
Beginner
Optimal wind
14-32 kts
Season
July to December
Live · now
What to check
Discover the spot
The spot
Discover Brazil
At the very end of the Nordeste kite road, seven or eight hours from Fortaleza, Barra Grande do Piauí is not its Ceará namesake: this one sits in Piauí state, in the district of Cajueiro da Praia. The spot plays out between a wide, shallow mangrove lagoon — flat as a table — and the open sea just behind it. The wind here blows softer than at Preá or Jericoacoara — 9 and 11 metre kites are the norm — and crowds are rare. A quiet end of the world, made for learning and building skills.
Barra Grande do Piauí is kiting in slow motion: a fishing village, coconut palms, a vast lagoon and the feeling of having the place to yourself. Far from the buzz of Jericoacoara, you come here for the quiet and the space. The local ritual is a short downwind: when the tide fills in and chops up the lagoon, you set off to find flat water further along, down to Macapá. An end-of-the-road spot where you take your time.
Who & when
Level and best time
Who it's for
Probably one of the most welcoming spots in the Nordeste. The flat lagoon and a wind lighter than elsewhere — 9 and 11 metre kites are common here — make for reassuring ground to start out and progress, with space and few people around. At low tide especially the water stays smooth and forgives mistakes. Stronger riders head out to the waves at sea, while the chop that builds at high tide raises the bar a little. Beginners and intermediates at ease; advanced for the waves.
source : kitesurftheworld.com ↗Best time
The wind season runs July to February, most consistent from September to November. The trade wind comes in side-onshore, softer than elsewhere on the coast but capable of building to 25-30 knots. On the water it all reads by the tide: at low water the lagoon is flat and smooth; at high water Barra Grande turns properly choppy — the cue to run the short downwind to Macapá and find flat water again.
source : kitesurftheworld.com ↗Before you go
Safety
Shallow lagoon
The mangrove lagoon is flat but very shallow, especially at low tide: the bottom comes up fast. Scout the shallows, protect your feet and avoid going down head-first where the water is low.
source : wakeupstoked.com ↗The rest, ask the local club
For everything else — sandbars, tidal currents, fishermen, mangrove edges — it's best to check with a local school before riding. The spot sees few people, so don't head out alone without knowing the water.