Maresias

Maresias is one of São Paulo state's finest surf beaches, a long, forest-backed strand on the north coast that doubles as a summer party destination. It is the home break of a world champion, cementing its status at the heart of Brazilian surf culture.

The wave is a strong beach break, producing fast, hollow peaks over sandbars that can barrel on the right swell. It is a high-performance wave that favours intermediate and advanced surfers, with powerful sections and currents, though the long beach offers gentler corners on smaller days.

South and southeast groundswells deliver the best surf, most consistently through the southern autumn and winter from April to September. The beach's open exposure means it picks up plenty of swell, and offshore mornings provide the cleanest, most makeable faces.

Maresias is as known for its nightlife as its waves. In the summer high season the town buzzes with beach bars and clubs drawing crowds from São Paulo, while the rest of the year it settles into a quieter rhythm. Warm subtropical water suits boardshorts most of the year. Set among the green hills of the litoral norte, with easy access along the coastal highway, Maresias combines a genuinely challenging beach break with a lively social scene.

Timing your visit shapes the experience. In the December-to-February summer, Maresias fills with a young crowd drawn by its bars and clubs, and the roads get busy; the shoulder and winter months bring quieter line-ups and the best surf. The wave's power and shifting sandbars make local knowledge valuable, and surf schools operate for those still learning. Set along the green Serra do Mar coast, the beach is one of a string on the litoral norte reachable by the coastal highway from São Paulo.