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Spot · tier 1 · Brazil
São Miguel do Gostoso
São Miguel do Gostoso is a Rio Grande do Norte beach town about 100km from Natal that has grown rapidly as a wind-sports destination - from a single lodging house in 1989 to roughly 25 pousadas plus bars, restaurants and dedicated kite/windsurf schools today. Its open ocean beaches have a sandy bottom with choppy-to-flat conditions and near-daily trade winds of 18-30 knots from October to February, among the most reliable in Brazil.
beginnerfreeridewavesflat water
Wind
| best months |
|
|---|---|
| season notes | Near-daily trade winds October-February; RN's exposed northeast coast makes it stronger and more consistent than most of the Ceará circuit. |
| avg knots | 18-30 |
| wind name | trade winds |
| direction to shore | side-shore to side-onshore across its several beaches |
| quality | steady |
| typical kite sizes | 7-10m |
Water
| type | choppy to flat, sandy-bottom ocean beaches |
|---|---|
| temp summer c | 27-29 |
| temp winter c | 26-27 |
| wetsuit | boardshorts/bikini year-round |
| tides | Tide shifts which of the five beaches (Ponta do Santo Cristo, Cardeiro, Xêpa, Maceió, Tourinhos) offer the flattest water |
| standing depth | yes, sandy-bottom shallows along most beaches |
Levels
| beginner | yes |
|---|---|
| intermediate | yes |
| advanced | yes |
| notes | Multiple beaches and two dedicated kite/windsurf schools give options across levels, from flatter sheltered corners for beginners to open, choppier water for advanced freeriders. |
Launch & crowd
| description | Beach launching is available at multiple of the five main beaches depending on wind direction and tide. |
|---|---|
| rescue | Local kite and windsurf schools provide rescue support in-season |
| busy months |
|
| vibe | fast-growing but still relatively laid-back wind-sports town compared to Cumbuco/Jeri, popular with windsurfers as well as kiters |
Monthly wind statistics
Station: Touros, Rio Grande do Norte (weatherspark modeled climatology) (Weatherspark (Cedar Lake Ventures, MERRA-2 reanalysis-modeled climatology), ~25 km) — Windfinder's windstatistics page for São Miguel do Gostoso states 'No statistical weather data available' (current-conditions forecast only: ~12 kn ESE, 29C at time of lookup). Nearest weatherspark climatology location is Touros, ~25 km southeast along the same coast. Modeled climatology, not a measured Beaufort probability.
| Month | Wind ≥4 Bft | Avg kn | Dir | Air °C | Water °C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | —% | 12.3 | E | 27.8 | — |
| Feb | —% | 11.7 | E | 27.8 | — |
| Mar | —% | 10.6 | E | 27.8 | — |
| Apr | —% | 10.7 | E | 27.2 | — |
| May | —% | 12 | E | 27.2 | — |
| Jun | —% | 13.2 | E | 26.1 | — |
| Jul | —% | 14.2 | E | 25.6 | — |
| Aug | —% | 15.1 | E | 25.6 | — |
| Sep | —% | 15.3 | E | 26.1 | — |
| Oct | —% | 14.9 | E | 26.7 | — |
| Nov | —% | 14.3 | E | 27.2 | — |
| Dec | —% | 13.5 | E | 27.8 | — |
Hazards
- strong, gusty peak-season wind
- chop on the more exposed beaches
- rocky patches on some of the five beaches
Tips
- Choose your beach for the day based on wind direction/tide - the five beaches each behave differently
- Combine a Gostoso trip with a Galinhos boat-access side trip further along the coast
Travel basics
| airport | NAT - Governador Aluízio Alves International Airport, Natal |
|---|---|
| getting there | ~100km/1.5-2hr drive from Natal via BR-101 and RN-221 |
| accommodation | About 25 pousadas plus kite houses in town |
| cost level | mid |
| no wind | Explore Natal, dune buggy tours, nearby beaches |
Nearby: Galinhos
Sources: en.wikipedia.org