Why Atins
The south-east trade winds reach the coast of Maranhão with rare regularity: day after day, from mid-morning to late afternoon, 15 to 25 knots in season. Atins beach is long, shallow and free of rocks. The mouth of the Preguiças River, minutes from the village, has flat water on the right tide and small waves at the bar. And all around, the largest dune field in South America.
Add a village with no asphalt, no crowds and somewhere to properly rest, and you see why Atins has joined the list of Brazil's most sought-after kite destinations.
The season
| Months | Wind | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| June – July | 12 – 20 knots | Start of season; gentler wind; full lagoons for rest days |
| August – November | 18 – 25+ knots | Peak. September, October and November are the strongest and most consistent months |
| December – January | 15 – 22 knots | Still good, empty village, clear skies |
| February – May | light / unstable | Rainy season; not kite season |
The wind usually fills in around ten in the morning and builds through the afternoon. Morning sessions have smoother water; afternoons, more power.
The spots
Atins beach
The beach in front of the village. Shallow for tens of metres, sandy bottom, side-onshore wind. The place to learn, drill tricks and ride without worry.
Preguiças River mouth
Where the river meets the sea. On the right tide, flat water for freestyle; at the bar, small waves for kitewave. Respect the current at the mouth — it is strong on the ebb — and ride with someone who knows it.
Caburé
Across the river, a strip of sand between fresh water and ocean. A boat takes you over in minutes for a change of scenery.
Downwinders
Atins is the finishing point of downwinders that run down the coast from Ceará, past the Parnaíba Delta. There are also short downwinders along the beach with 4x4 support.
If you are learning
Shallow water, sandy bottom, moderate wind early in the season: few places in Brazil are as kind to beginners. Schools in the village offer lessons and rental gear. June, July and August, at 12 to 20 knots, are the easiest months for your first hours on the water.
If you already ride
Come from September to November. Bring 9 to 12 m kites — what most people ride here — and take the morning at the river mouth and the afternoon on the beach. On rest days, the Canto do Atins lagoons and the river trip round out the holiday for anyone travelling with you who doesn't ride.
A kiter's day at Buriti
Regional breakfast from seven, at your time — couscous, tapioca, eggs to order, fruit — and the beach a few steps away. A morning session, lunch at Canto do Atins or in the village, and the afternoon between the stone pool, the hot tub and the quiet of the bungalows. At the end of the day the rooftop faces the sunset. We help arrange lessons, gear rental and transfers to the spots, and for guests arriving with their own equipment.
For complete privacy, the Private chalets have their own pool opening off the bedroom and a full kitchen — the ideal base for longer stays.