Surf: Maresias is the best beachbreak in the Sao Paulo area and possibly even Brazil when a SE-S groundswell, groomed by NE winds explodes over the sandbars at this picturesque beach. Hollow, fast, top-to-bottom tubing lefts and rights attract the finest surfers in the region, including Gabriel Medina, who grew up here. While it looks like nothing special when small and junky, it is no place for the unskilled as size builds, which it handles easily. Challenging Canto do Moreira wedges heavily off the western headland and the eastern end will be smaller, but no less-crowded. Environment: Paddle-outs at size are a game of roulette as there are no consistent channels. Rips can get strong and swirling, pinning the unlucky in the impact zone. Local pros train here and comps are often held here. It's not the most consistent spot as NE and small E is blocked by Ilhabela.