This guide is for you if you are staying in Natal and are thinking about a day in São Miguel do Gostoso, the windy village about 100 km up the coast. It is a long drive for a quiet place, so the questions are practical: which months bring the wind, whether you want to kite or just watch, what the tide does to the beaches, and whether a day is enough or a night would be better.
Where the coast turns
Gostoso sits at the point where Brazil's coast stops running one way and turns the other, from facing east to facing north. That bend is the reason for the wind. The trade winds blow along this shore steadily for much of the year, and kitesurfers and windsurfers come from far away for them.
It is also a small place. The municipality became independent only in 1993 and had about 10,000 permanent residents in the 2022 census. Do not come for nightlife or big sights. Come for the beaches, the wind and an unhurried lunch.
When to go
The wind and the dry weather arrive together. The windy season runs from about September to February, with steady winds of around 20 to 25 knots and a very high chance of a kiteable day from October to February. Rain is almost absent in those months.
Seen from Natal, March to July are the wettest months on long-term averages, with April the peak. That is also when the wind is less reliable on this coast. If you want to kite, or to watch others do it, come between September and February. If you only want a beach, the wind is not a problem, but bring a hat that stays on.
December is the busiest month in the region.
The two beaches, and the tide
Ponta do Santo Cristo is the kite beach, right by the village. A sandbar about 300 metres out flattens the water inside it, which is why beginners learn here and experienced riders use the waves beyond. At low tide shallow natural pools form near the shore. If you want a lesson, book it directly with one of the schools on the beach; we plan the day around your slot.
Praia de Tourinhos is about 7 to 8 km from the village along a dirt road, in reasonable condition but bumpy in places. It is known for its petrified dunes, rock formations more than 2,500 years old, which local legend says look like a herd of small bulls and gave the beach its name. There is a viewpoint on the cliff and a wooden deck on the dunes. The sea here is usually calm for swimming, and natural pools appear at low tide. There are beach stalls with tables and umbrellas, and public toilets.
Low tide improves both beaches. The order can be changed on the day, so Tourinhos can come first if the water is low early.
How the day fits together
The drive is the shape of the day. Pick-up is at 07:00, you reach Santo Cristo at around 09:00, and the return takes about two hours. Four hours in total are on the road. In between, you get the kite beach, a long stretch at Tourinhos to swim, and lunch in the village.
Lunch is fish and seafood in one of the small restaurants near the Xêpa, the stretch of beach at the centre of the village, with fishing rafts drawn up on the sand. After lunch there is time to walk around before you head back at 15:00.
The car is yours alone, so you can shorten one beach and lengthen another. The price covers the vehicle, the driver, fuel, tolls and parking, and depends on how many of you travel; see it on the tour page. Kitesurf lessons, lunch and drinks are paid on the day.
A day, or a night
Many people stay a night or two, which gives you a second morning on the water. We can drop you in Gostoso and collect you on another day, so the trip out becomes your transfer.
There is also a bus from Natal's main bus station. It suits a stay of several days. As a same-day return it is hard, because Tourinhos is a drive from the village on a dirt road, and you would need local transport to get there.
What to bring
- A hat with a strap, or a cap you can pull down. The wind takes anything loose.
- Sun cream and sunglasses. The wind keeps you cool, so you burn without noticing.
- Swimwear and a towel for Tourinhos.
- Local cash or a card for lunch, drinks and a lesson if you book one.
- Something to keep sand out of your camera on a windy day.
Who it suits, and who should think twice
It suits kitesurfers, couples, and anyone who prefers a quiet village to a busy beach. It also suits people planning to stay a few days and wanting a transfer that is also a tour.
- You dislike long drives. Four hours in the car is a lot for a day. Our south coast day keeps every stop within about 40 km of Natal.
- You want activities: dunes, buggies, reefs. Our Genipabu and Maracajaú day is the one for that.
- You want the dunes as well. Genipabu is in the same direction. It is possible on a longer day; ask us through our contact page.
For all five of our days from the city side by side, read our guide to day trips from Natal.
Questions people ask
Can a complete beginner take a kite lesson?
Yes. The flat water inside the sandbar at Santo Cristo is where beginners start. Book the lesson with the school, and tell us the time.
Is it too windy to enjoy the beach?
Not for most people. Tourinhos is usually calm for swimming. The wind keeps the heat down.
Can we cancel?
Yes. Cancel up to 24 hours before pick-up and you are refunded in full. See our cancellation page.
Booking the day
Choose the windy months if you want to see the kites, think about staying a night, and pack a hat that stays on. The stops and the booking form are on the São Miguel do Gostoso private day trip page.
