Cacimbinha is an uncrowded alternative to the busier Pipa beaches, offering quality peaks when N swells hit the coast. The beach is popular with paragliders launching from the cliffs above, adding to the scenic atmosphere.
Model forecast for swell, wind and tide.
Return flights to NAT, departing today with a 5-day trip window.
Search Flights on SkyscannerGet the best strike windows in South America — and worldwide — in your inbox every Monday & Thursday. Live Strike Scores, the swell behind them, zero fluff.
Prefere português? Receba o Strike Report em português, grátis →
Pro unlocks the 10-day forecast window, unlimited alerts, and custom spot tracking that help turn a good-looking surf report into a better travel decision.
10-day window
See the trip window before flights get expensive.
Unlimited alerts
Let the app watch your score threshold for you.
Custom spots
Track the breaks that actually matter to your travel plans.
Water temp
27°C
Wetsuit
Boardshorts / Rashguard
Difficulty
4/10
Crowd level
3/10
Cacimbinha is a beach break in Tibau do Sul, RN, Brazil, with peaks that run both left and right.
Cacimbinha picks up swell from the N round to the E, and it's best when it's coming straight out of the NE. It starts working at around 0.9m and handles up to about 2m, with the sweet spot around 1.4 to 1.7m. Period matters too: aim for 12s or longer, as anything under 8s tends to be weak. These are the numbers our scoring uses, so treat them as a guide rather than a promise.
A SSW wind is dead offshore at Cacimbinha, and anything from the SSE round to the WSW keeps it clean. The morning is typically the best window, roughly 5am to 10am. Light winds from other directions can still be fine; strong offshores can make it hard to get into waves.
Cacimbinha isn't especially fussy about tide and generally works through the cycle, so swell and wind matter more here. Big tides can still change how it breaks, so it's worth checking before you paddle out.
The most reliable run of swell at Cacimbinha comes Nov to Mar. N swells December-March.
The water at Cacimbinha averages around 27°C, so boardshorts or a rashguard will do. It shifts a few degrees through the year, so check the season before you pack.
It's more of an intermediate wave, rated 4/10 for difficulty, so newer surfers are best off sticking to the smaller days. The lineup is usually quiet (crowd 3/10).
The nearest airport on our list is NAT, then it's roughly a 1.5-hour drive.
The closest breaks we track are Pipa Lajão (0.9 km), Praia do Amor (2.6 km) and Madeiro (2.9 km), handy when Cacimbinha isn't working.
Peak: Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar
N swells December-March
➡️ Right point • Longer rides • Rocky quality
❤️ Heart-shaped cove • Dramatic cliff access • Dolphin sightings
🐬 Dolphins in the lineup • Protected bay • Magical atmosphere
🏜️ Dune landscape • Headland reefs • Scenic setting
🏖️ Natal's main beach • Morro do Careca backdrop • Surf hub