Arpoador, Brazil
Also within 20 km of Rio de Janeiro
- Iate Clube do Rio de Janeiro Sailing spot · 2.8 km from Rio de Janeiro
- Flamengo Surf spot · 3.3 km from Rio de Janeiro
- Marina da Glória Sailing spot · 3.8 km from Rio de Janeiro
- Leme Surf spot · 4 km from Rio de Janeiro
- Posto 5 - Copacabana Surf spot · 4.9 km from Rio de Janeiro
- Sugarloaf Pão de Açucar Surf spot · 4.9 km from Rio de Janeiro
- Forte de Copacabana Surf spot · 5.1 km from Rio de Janeiro
- Clube dos Marimbás Sailing spot · 5.2 km from Rio de Janeiro
Watch this spot We email you when Arpoador is worth the trip.
About Arpoador
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces S (172°), so it takes swell from the S. The wind blows offshore from the N (352°). It is exposed to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up, because of a steep sea floor. It works in 3–10 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves steeply: 10 m deep about 100 m out (1 in 10). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would break hollow. The sea is about 22°C in July, its coldest month (2 mm shorty), and 26°C in February, its warmest (no wetsuit). For intermediate surfers the best months are usually March, April and July, with about 4 good days in 7; in January, October and December, about 2. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Rio de Janeiro, 5.3 km away (about 10 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 12 surf spots and 2 wind sports spots.
Water about 23°C: 2 mm shorty. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
Save this trip A link to come back to, or to send to the group.
Book the trip
From Chicago: about 19 h 20 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to Rio de Janeiro Galeão – Tom Jobim International Airport (GIG), changing at Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL).
See flights MDW → GIG · Skyscanner from about £505 returnAdGetting there. 40 min from the airport to Arpoador.
Accommodation.
Stay in Rio de JaneiroAd
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.
Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).
See all places to stay in Rio de Janeiro (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Rio de Janeiro 9 min by car · rooms from £45 a night · 92 places to stay · where Arpoador stays
Places to stay in Rio de Janeiro · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Rio de Janeiro · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Rio de Janeiro · GetYourGuideAd
Budget 
Mid-range 
Luxury .jpg){kind=link}
Where it is
Arpoador on Google Maps · Directions
The map needs JavaScript. Every place on it is listed on this page, and each place's page links to Google Maps.
One finger scrolls the page; two fingers move the map. Pins are our own positions. Map OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Forecast
Arpoador does not suit beginners. This is the forecast for intermediates, so you can see what it does.
The score for intermediates, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small
| Day | Scorefor Intermediate | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 51, good | 4 ft9 shollow | 268kJ | wind from the east, 2 knots | 25°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 0, too big | 8 ft9 shollow | 758kJ | wind from the south, 8 knots | 23°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 33, poor | 5 ft7 shollow | 286kJ | wind from the south-east, 2 knots | 22°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 49, good | 5 ft8 shollow | 225kJ | wind from the east, 1 knot | 23°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 56, good | 4 ft8 shollow | 191kJ | wind from the east-north-east, 4 knots | 23°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 56, good | 4 ft8 shollow | 165kJ | wind from the north-east, 2 knots | 25°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 35, too small | 3 ft8 shollow | 68kJ | offshorewind from the north-north-west, 5 knots, offshore | 28°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 52, good | 4 ft6 shollow | 95kJ | wind from the east, 3 knots | 27°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 35, poor | 4 ft5 shollow | 80kJ | wind from the west-north-west, 6 knots | 28°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 0, too big | 8 ft11 shollow | 1,381kJ | wind from the west-south-west, 9 knots | 23°C |
Day scores here are the conditions out of 80; a trip's score on the results is the same conditions out of 100. The journey never scores. The forecast reaches about 10 days. Energy is the swell's power in kJ per metre of wave, from its height and interval: it grows with the square of each, so a long-period swell hits far harder than a short one the same size. The word under the swell is the wave's shape, our estimate from the sea floor. Wind is in knots: 10 kn is about 19 km/h. The arrow points where the wind blows to; offshore wind, blowing from the land out to sea, is green and says so.
Your trip, day by day
6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for intermediate surfers. Change dates
- Mon 19 OctTravel out
Fly MDW to GIG, changing at ATL, then 40 min by road. About 19h 20 door to door
- Tue 20 OctSurf Sugarloaf Pão de Açucar
Best 09:00 to 12:00 local time: 4 ft at 7 s, wind 3 kn (5 km/h).
- Wed 21 OctSurf Sugarloaf Pão de Açucar
Best 09:00 to 12:00 local time: 4 ft at 8 s, wind 4 kn (7 km/h).
- Thu 22 OctSurf Leme
Best 06:00 to 09:00 local time: 4 ft at 8 s, wind 4 kn (7 km/h).
- Fri 23 OctSurf Laje do sheraton
Best 06:00 to 09:00 local time: 4 ft at 8 s, wind 4 kn (7 km/h).
- Sat 24 OctSurf Laje do sheraton
Best 06:00 to 09:00 local time: 3 ft at 8 s, offshore wind.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Fly MDW to GIG, changing at ATL, then 40 min by road. About 19h 20 door to door
The plan picks the best of 16 spots near Rio de Janeiro each day: Arpoador, Baixio, Castelinho, Flamengo, Forte de Copacabana, Ipanema, Laje do sheraton, Leblon, Leme, Pontão do leblon, Posto 5 - Copacabana, Posto 6, Praia do Diabo, Sao Conrado, Shore break expresso escorpiao, Sugarloaf Pão de Açucar.
Rough cost
About £885–£1,700 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing a room. A guide from typical prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book.
| What | How we worked it out | Each |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | return MDW to GIG, estimated from distance and season, changing at ATL, full-service airlines, with a hold bag | £505–£1,045 |
| To the UK airport | parking or the train, there and back | £35–£65 |
| Hire car | 6 days, shared | £50–£85 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | £120–£195 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | £120–£220 |
| Board and wetsuit | 5 days, or about £85 to fly your own | £55–£90 |
| Total | £885–£1,700 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Places to eat near Rio de Janeiro
- Churrascão do PCBarbecue · 0.2 km from the centre
- Casa do MinhoBrazilian · 0.5 km from the centre
- Forneria Da TabernaPizza · 0.6 km from the centre
- Mamma RosaItalian · 0.6 km from the centre
- Brasa BBQBarbecue · 0.7 km from the centre
- Oficina do SushiSushi · 0.7 km from the centre
Within 2 km of the town centre, listed by how complete the listing is (website, opening hours, cuisine) and whether two sources name it. Not a judgement of the food: we have no reviews. Listings © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps Foundation. Credits
Book the trip
Where to stayAd
Places to stay · Booking.com (ad)Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.