East of Saquarema: Rio de Janeiro State's Winter Surf Road Trip

The WSL visits Itaúna Beach in Saquarema for nine days in June and then leaves. The swell that arrives from the Southern Ocean in the Brazilian winter — Antarctic fronts generating long-period groundswells on a northeast track up the continent — does not leave with them. It continues to arrive through July and August, finding every east-facing beach, reef, and point along the Rio de Janeiro State coastline.

Saquarema is the event. The coast east of it is the trip.

The RJ-106 highway runs 150 kilometres from Niterói to Arraial do Cabo, connecting a series of towns whose names appear in surf forecast discussions less often than they should. Arraial do Cabo, Cabo Frio, Búzios — most international visitors encounter these as tourist destinations without the surfing context. Brazilian surfers have understood the coastline for decades. With the WSL in Saquarema as the anchor, the logic of building a longer road trip around the surrounding breaks becomes straightforward.

The Coast, Break by Break

Saquarema and Itaúna

The anchor. Praia de Itaúna produces the consistent southwest groundswell beach break that earns its CT event. The WSL competition zone is cordoned during the event window; the beach reopens fully once the event finishes or during non-competition days. Outside event week, Itaúna is a public beach with two surf schools, several board rental operations, and the kind of morning crowd that signals genuine quality when the swell is running.

Best conditions: SW groundswell, 4–10ft, NE offshore trade wind. June–August peak. See our full Surf Saquarema guide for the complete breakdown.

Arraial do Cabo (30km east of Saquarema)

A small fishing town on a rocky cape, Arraial do Cabo is one of the most visually striking places on Brazil's southeast coast. The water is clear — the Malvinas current upwelling brings colder, nutrient-rich water that stays crystalline even at the height of summer. The clarity makes it popular with divers and snorkellers; the wave quality is secondary to the setting for most visitors.

For surfers, the cape's geometry creates a variety of exposure angles. The main beach, Praia dos Anjos, faces northwest and is sheltered in most swell windows. The exposed eastern beaches — Praia do Forno, Praia Brava — catch the winter SW groundswells and can produce surfable conditions when the period is long enough.

Best conditions: Long-period SW groundswell wrapping the cape, 4ft+. Not consistent enough to anchor a surf trip but worthwhile as a day away from Saquarema's crowds on a flat day.

What else to do: The boat tour around the cape and its offshore islands is one of the better non-surf activities on this coast. Half-day from the Praia dos Anjos pier; crystalline water, seabirds, sea turtle sightings.

Cabo Frio (35km east of Arraial)

The coast's administrative hub — a proper town with infrastructure (supermarkets, pharmacies, board shops, accommodation at every price point) that makes it a useful base for a multi-day road trip. The lake system behind the town separates the lagoon from the ocean; the beach strip faces SE and picks up both the winter groundswells and the constant SE trade wind swell that arrives year-round.

The winds in Cabo Frio are famous and consistent — the locals call it vento de Cabo Frio, a reliable afternoon south-southeast wind that makes the town excellent for kitesurfing but uncomfortable for surfing in the afternoons. The morning window, before the wind builds, is when the waves are worth getting into the water for.

Surf breaks: - Praia do Forte: Town beach, SE-facing beach break. Best early morning before the kite wind establishes. 2–5ft range, punchy when the period is right. - Praia das Conchas: A short headland walk north of town, partially sheltered from the afternoon trade wind. Rock-reef sections produce hollow conditions on SW groundswells.

Best conditions: Long-period SW groundswell, morning windows before 10:00, June–August.

Búzios (25km north of Cabo Frio)

The peninsula of Armação dos Búzios extends northeast into the Atlantic, its geography creating beaches with radically different exposures across its 8-kilometre length. This is the coast's most internationally recognised destination — a once-sleepy fishing village immortalised by Brigitte Bardot's 1964 visit and since developed into one of Brazil's most stylish resort towns.

For surfers, Búzios' value is in its range:

Praia de Geribá: The exposed ocean-facing beach on the peninsula's southwest side. Consistent beach break receiving both SE trade swells and winter SW groundswells. The most reliable surf beach on the peninsula, with multiple peaks across its 1.5km length. Surf schools and rental shops operate from the beach car park. 2–6ft range; crowds build on weekends but manageable midweek.

Praia Brava: Adjacent to Geribá, slightly more exposed. Hollow when the swell is bigger and has period behind it; the gap between the two beaches traps swell energy on bigger days.

Praia de João Fernandinho and João Fernandes: Northeast-facing, sheltered from SW swells. Better in easterly swell windows; calm when Geribá is running big. These sheltered beaches are the swimming and snorkelling option when the surf is pumping elsewhere.

Best conditions for surf: SW groundswell, 4–8ft, June–August. Búzios' Geribá handles the same winter window as Saquarema and Cabo Frio. The town's touristic infrastructure makes it the most comfortable base on the coast even when surf conditions are only moderate.

Planning the Road Trip

The standard sequence from a Saquarema base:

Day 1: Watch the WSL competition or surf Itaúna in the morning. Drive east to Arraial do Cabo for the afternoon boat tour.

Day 2: Cabo Frio. Early surf at Praia do Forte (pre-wind window), mid-morning drive to Búzios for the afternoon.

Day 3–4: Base in Búzios. Surf Geribá in the mornings, explore the peninsula in the afternoons. Drive back to Saquarema via the RJ-106 on the final evening.

The full road trip from Saquarema to Búzios is approximately 80 kilometres and 1h30 by car. Accommodation in Búzios fills quickly during Brazilian school holidays (January–February, July) — book ahead. The rest of the year, including June, a same-day or next-day booking is usually possible at most accommodation tiers.

June through August is the surf window for the entire coast. The SW winter groundswells are most consistent, the crowds are lower than summer, and the weather (25–28°C days, 20–22°C water) is comfortable without summer's humidity. The morning offshore trade wind window is reliable; plan surf sessions before 10:00 and activities in the afternoon.

Avoid Brazilian school summer holidays — December 20 through February 28 sees the coast at maximum capacity, particularly in Búzios and Cabo Frio, with accommodation prices tripling and the lineups crowded.

Getting There

From Rio de Janeiro: The RJ-106 runs the full coast from Niterói east. Total drive from central Rio to Búzios: 2h30–3h. The Niterói Bridge crossing (Ponte Rio-Niterói) is the only bottleneck — plan for Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings when traffic can double the bridge crossing time.

Car rental is essential. Bus services connect Rio to Cabo Frio and Búzios, but board transport is impractical without a vehicle. Rental agencies at Galeão Airport (GIG) carry roof racks and board bags. Fuel costs along the route are moderate; the RJ-106 is a free road (no tolls between Saquarema and Búzios).

Frequently Asked

Can I surf Búzios without my own board? Yes. Two rental shops at Praia de Geribá offer boards by the hour or day. Stock is adequate mid-season; arrive early for best selection.

Is the coast safe for solo travel? The towns on this coast have significantly lower crime rates than Rio city. Búzios, in particular, is very safe by Brazilian standards. Standard precautions apply at beaches — don't leave valuables in cars; carry only what you need.

How does the swell differ between Saquarema and Búzios? Saquarema's SE-facing beach receives the SW winter groundswells more directly. Búzios' Geribá faces slightly more south and catches the same swells at a slight angle — slightly different shape and often a half-foot smaller, but more wind-protected in morning conditions. Both spots run on the same swell window.

How do I find other surfers or crew for the trip? Connect with athletes training this coast via Find Crew in Rio de Janeiro on ZealZag — the fastest way to find someone who already knows when Geribá is firing.

For today's VIVO Rio Pro women's final at Saquarema, see our field report on Zebrowski vs. Lindblad. For the detailed Itaúna surf guide, see our Surf Saquarema destination guide.