Hey
I am planning a trip to Brazil with my girlfriend. We are both new to kiting, and would like the perfect spot for beginners. I have been reading about Ilda Do guajiru. Has anybody been there? Or maybe another place around there that is good for beginner?
(preferable little crowd and flatwater is what we need i guess)
Thanks
hey jacob
from my experience in the north where you are already looking, you can pretty much throw a stone and find a great place to kite. it really depends on an honest look at your level to determine the best place for you to start imo. if you are really new, contacting a center like bear suggests would be ideal and then getting a solid week or two of not just instruction but also folks looking out for you as you progress away from lessons.
if you are ok/self sufficient but looking for lessons to improve, you could start in cumbuco and get lessons there and then hit a multitude of spots on the way to guajiru or jericoacoara and really see a bit of the countryside. the downwinder packages along there are pretty rad. cumbuco was probably the best place for a bit of social life as well (apart from jeri).
personally, i really liked icarai de amontada though the area is probably lesser known amongst the crew that like butter flat lagoons to ah, demonstrate, their prowess. but the town had a nice vibe too (some cool beach resorts there too if you want a night or 2 to impress the missus - can't remember the name of the one around the bay a bit, but was gold). also paracuru had some ok waves while i was there and a good kite center and set up but you had to drive out to the kite spot.
on crowds - don't expect to kite alone in the lagoons etc - it can be really crowded, especially on weekends when the city crew do trips out. the local guys absolute tear too, so give yourself plenty of time/room wherever you go. but if you are confident in ocean, there is isolation in abundance along the 500km or so of coast that i can remember.
have a great trip mate, enjoy
ps. cachaca cachaca cachaca - thank god winds come up in the afternoons!!!
Thanks for the advice.
Both me and my girlfriend are new. We just did a 3 days course. We have actually also been thinking about Cuba.!. But it seems like its difficult to find info about the kitesurfing there.
Ill look into those places!
I would not recommend Cumbuco for learning, the lagoons are far too crowded and in front of Cumbuco is only OK at low tide, and not ideal for learning even then.
I've just got back from ceara, brazil and have stayed in ilha do guarjiru for the past two years. i love it so much i stay for 4 mths, its a perfect flat water spot and being a beginner you can kite down wind from where the accommodation is past the boats towards the river mouth as thats where they have the lessons. there are a few pousadas to stay in but i love barraca do kite owned by alehandro from argentina. mazdon has given you good advice where the spots are and also south of fortaleza you have barra nova another flat water lagoon. brazil is full of lagoons and open beaches, some spots with waves paracaru, icaraui, taiba, etc and most importantly there is wind every day from july until january/feb. you could go to jericoarcora a 1.5hr trip away for your girl to go shopping and also is a beautiful place, still full of windsurfers, surfers and kiters. its an old hippy town, no roads only sand and has some beautiful lagoons and is the start of downwinders to tatajuba 1.5hr ride away. can't go wrong kiting in brazil its worth the trip and guaranteed wind. have fun and go!!!
Anyone kited Trancoso? I'm heading there next august with the wife and kids, I was pushing for Cumbuco but the wife was not into it so fingers crossed trancoso has wind.
Ilda Do guajiru is awesome - was there in 2010 season rocks from late august to end of december ie it blows around 21knots 24/7 Spent two months in brazil but went here twice it was so good.