Surf spot

Praia da Macumba

Forecast conditions and map view for Praia da Macumba in Brazil, Rio de Janeiro City. Open the interactive surf map to inspect wind, waves, and nearby spots.

Country: Brazil, Rio de Janeiro City
Coordinates: -23.0320, -43.4756

Metric
Metric	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00
Wave height (m)	1	1	0.7	0.8	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.5	1	1	1	1.3	1.2	1.1	1.1	1	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.9	0.9	0.9	1	1.1	1.1	1.1	1.2	1.2	1.1	1.2	1.3	1	0.9	1.4	1.7	1.7	1.8	1.8	1.9	2	2	2	1.9	1.9	1.8	1.7	1.5	1.5	1.8	1.7	1.6
Wave direction	S	S	S	S	S	ESE	S	S	S	ESE	ESE	ESE	SSW	SSW	S	S	S	S	S	S	SSW	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSW	SSW	SSE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SE	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
Wave period (s)	10.3	10	10.6	9.8	9.6	6.8	9.1	8.8	8.3	6.7	6.8	6.6	5.8	6	4.8	5.5	5.4	5.4	5.5	5.5	5.8	6.1	6.3	6.4	6.4	8.2	8.1	7	6.7	6.7	6.8	6.7	7	7.6	7.3	6.9	6.5	5.5	6.8	7	7.2	7.5	7.8	8.1	8.3	8.6	8.7	8.7	8.7	8.3	8.6	8.6	11.1	9.8	9.7	9.6
Wave energy (kJ)	227	184	122	128	100	46	72	68	57	32	31	25	63	74	45	94	81	73	67	64	38	48	52	58	69	104	115	90	109	115	114	119	148	140	162	151	89	52	174	266	300	344	407	478	547	604	618	563	540	452	423	315	521	650	564	491
Wind speed (km/h)	6.9	7.6	17.6	5.3	5.1	8.6	6	7.6	2.2	6.4	6.2	6.2	6.5	8.7	10.4	8.6	4.7	4.7	1.5	4.3	1.8	6.2	6.7	7.9	4.4	5.2	1.8	7.3	8.1	8.2	7.1	9.5	13.6	12.8	12.6	17.1	18.7	15.8	8.8	8.4	9.6	7.5	6.1	5.8	5.4	5	6.2	7	6.6	6.4	5.9	5.6	6.3	6.4	6.5	3.9
Wind direction	NOffshore	NNWOffshore	WCross	NNWOffshore	SECross-on	SSEOnshore	SSWCross-on	SOnshore	SGlassy	SSEOnshore	SECross-on	ECross	ECross	ECross	ESECross	ECross	NGlassy	NGlassy	SSEGlassy	WGlassy	SEGlassy	SOnshore	SWCross-on	WSWCross-on	WGlassy	NNEOffshore	EGlassy	SSWCross-on	SSWOnshore	SSWOnshore	SWCross-on	WSWCross-on	WSWCross	WCross	WSWCross-on	WSWCross-on	SWCross-on	SWCross-on	SSWOnshore	SOnshore	SSEOnshore	SECross-on	SECross-on	ECross	ENECross-off	ENECross-off	ENECross-off	ENECross-off	NECross-off	NECross-off	NECross-off	NECross-off	ESECross	SECross-on	ECross	WNWGlassy

Praia da Macumba is a well-known surf beach in Rio de Janeiro’s West Zone, along the coastline of Recreio dos Bandeirantes. It’s one of the city’s most reliable surf spots, exposed to Atlantic swells and popular with local surfers year-round.

Quick description

Wave type: Mostly beach break
Best for: Beginner to advanced surfers, depending on the day
Main appeal: Consistent waves and a long, sandy beach
Crowd: Can get busy, especially on good swell days and weekends

Surf conditions

Praia da Macumba often offers fun, peaky beach-break waves with both lefts and rights. Conditions can change quickly with tides, wind, and swell direction, so it’s a spot that can range from mellow and forgiving to punchy and powerful.

Smaller swells: Good for longboarding and learning
Medium to larger swells: Faster, more hollow sections can appear
Wind: Offshore winds can clean up the wave face nicely; strong onshore winds can make it messy

Beach and setting

The beach has a wide sandy shoreline with a laid-back local surf vibe. It’s a scenic urban surf break, with the natural beauty of Rio’s coastline around it, but it’s less iconic and more low-key than beaches like Ipanema or Copacabana.

Things to know

Rocks and currents: Watch for shifting sandbars and currents, especially after bigger swells
Localism: Usually friendly, but as with many popular Rio surf spots, respect lineup etiquette
Amenities: Easy access from the city, with nearby food, parking, and beach services

Best time to surf

The spot can work throughout the year, but conditions are often best when Atlantic swells line up and the wind is favorable. Early mornings usually offer the cleanest surf.