Live wind
Water & wetsuit
Loading water data…
About this spot
Barra Grande is a small village in Cajueiro da Praia on the short Piauí coastline, about 72 km from Parnaíba. It is far quieter than the Ceará towns and is built around tidal flat water: local operators describe the main beach changing a lot between tides, with clear flat water running through channels and filling shallow pools at low tide.
At high tide, when the beach gets choppier, riders head about 1 km downwind across a sandbank to a lagoon that stays flat. Macapá, the fishing village across the river mouth roughly 3 km away, has both waves and flat sections and makes a short downwinder. The local school gives the season as starting with the first winds in July, at its best from August to November, with the last breezes fading between January and February — and stresses that wind is never guaranteed.
This is a documented learning spot: BGKite School describes itself as the first school accredited by the Brazilian Kitesurf Association and says Barra Grande has perfect conditions for learning, and Kitesurf Escola Paraíso has taught here with IKO instructors since 2008, offering 10-hour beginner courses.
3-day forecast
Speed / gusts in knots. Colour = rideability for this spot. Bottom row = recommended kite size for your weight — not recommended outside this spot's 14–30 kn range.
Conditions
- Water
- flat, choppy
- Depth
- Very shallow channels and pools at low tide; the downwind lagoon stays flat and shallow at high tide. Depth changes quickly with the tide.
- Seabed
- sand
- Skill
- beginner, intermediate, expert
- Beginners
- Beginner friendly
- Wind range
- 14 kn – 30 kn
Access & parking
About 72 km from Parnaíba (Piauí) and around 390 km from Teresina; transfers also run from Jericoacoara along the 'Rota das Emoções'. The schools sit on the beachfront in front of the riding area.
Parking: Parking at the beachfront pousadas and schools; no fee or permit is documented — confirm locally.
Amenities
- BGKite School (first ABK-accredited school, beachfront with compressor and kite shade) and Kitesurf Escola Paraíso (IKO instructors, teaching since 2008).
- Pousadas, beach bars and restaurants in the village; trips to the Parnaíba Delta organised locally.
Needs local verification: Compiled in October 2026 from the schools' own pages (Associação Brasileira de Kitesurf school list, Kitesurf Escola Paraíso, BGKite School, Barra Grande Beach Club, InfoCumbuco, KiteFeliz) and general north-east Brazil trade-wind climatology. Exact launch pins, beach-access rules, buggy and vehicle restrictions on the sand, the Jericoacoara National Park entry rules and fees, rescue cover and the tide state that suits each launch all still need confirming on site — coordinates are town or beach centres, not verified launch points.
Local hazards
- The beach changes a lot with the tide — pools that are knee-deep at low water become chop at high water; check the tide before you rig.
- Very shallow at low tide — no jumping where you can stand, and booties help on the channel edges.
- The river mouth towards Macapá has current — cross it only on a planned downwinder with a pick-up.
- A southerly or south-westerly wind is offshore — do not launch in it.
- Remote village: limited medical services; the nearest larger town is Parnaíba, about 72 km away.