Gaivota, Brazil
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About Gaivota
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces SE (128°), so it takes swell from the SE. The wind blows offshore from the NW (308°). It is exposed to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 2–8 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves steeply: 10 m deep about 150 m out (1 in 15). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would break hollow. The sea is about 16°C in August, its coldest month (3/2 wetsuit), and 25°C in February, its warmest (no wetsuit). For intermediate surfers the best months are usually February, May and June, with about 2 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Balneário Gaivota, 0.6 km away (about 5 min by car).
Water about 19°C: 2 mm shorty. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
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Book the trip
From Chicago: about 22 h 40 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to CXJ, changing at São Paulo/Guarulhos–Governor André Franco Montoro International Airport (GRU).
See flights ORD → CXJ · Skyscanner from about £515 returnAdGetting there. 3 h from the airport to Gaivota.
Accommodation.
Stay in Balneário GaivotaAd
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 Balneário Gaivota (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
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Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Balneário Gaivota · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Balneário Gaivota · GetYourGuideAd
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Gaivota on Google Maps · Directions
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Forecast
Gaivota 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 | 0, too big | 7 ft8 scrumbling | 682kJ | wind from the south-west, 8 knots | 19°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 11, poor | 5 ft8 smushy | 325kJ | wind from the south, 13 knots | 18°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 39, fair | 5 ft7 smushy | 286kJ | wind from the south-south-west, 4 knots | 18°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 38, fair | 5 ft8 shollow | 221kJ | wind from the east-north-east, 4 knots | 20°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 29, poor | 4 ft8 shollow | 173kJ | wind from the north-east, 10 knots | 21°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 36, fair | 4 ft5 smushy | 95kJ | wind from the north-east, 9 knots | 23°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 14, poor | 5 ft7 smushy | 226kJ | wind from the south-south-west, 5 knots | 20°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 14, poor | 4 ft6 smushy | 89kJ | wind from the east, 21 knots | 20°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 0, too big | 7 ft10 shollow | 865kJ | wind from the south-south-west, 17 knots | 19°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 53, good | 5 ft9 shollow | 288kJ | wind from the east-south-east, 4 knots | 19°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 ORD to CXJ, changing at GRU, then 3h by road. About 22h 40 door to door
- Tue 20 OctSurf Gaivota
Best 09:00 to 12:00 local time: 5 ft at 7 s, wind 4 kn (7 km/h).
- Wed 21 OctSurf Gaivota
Best 09:00 to 12:00 local time: 5 ft at 8 s, wind 4 kn (7 km/h).
- Thu 22 OctSurf Gaivota
Best 09:00 to 12:00 local time: 4 ft at 8 s, wind 10 kn (19 km/h).
- Fri 23 OctSurf Gaivota
Best 09:00 to 12:00 local time: 4 ft at 5 s, wind 9 kn (17 km/h).
- Sat 24 OctSurf Gaivota
Best 09:00 to 12:00 local time: 5 ft at 7 s, wind 5 kn (10 km/h).
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Fly ORD to CXJ, changing at GRU, then 3h by road. About 22h 40 door to door
Rough cost
About £895–£1,725 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 ORD to CXJ, estimated from distance and season, changing at GRU, full-service airlines, with a hold bag | £515–£1,070 |
| 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 | £895–£1,725 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
Places to eat near Balneário Gaivota
- Paulinho's Burguer PraiaBurger · 0.5 km from the centre
- Mariskão GaivotaSeafood · 0.7 km from the centre
- Papaterra PetiscariaBrazilian · 1.8 km from the centre
- Kchurrasco das guriasBarbecue · 0.1 km from the centre
- Restaurante Rock Point | Restaurante Perto de Mim | Churrascaria | Buffet Livre | SobremesaBarbecue · 0.5 km from the centre
- thermogrillBarbecue · 0.5 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.