Paddling near Fortaleza, Ceará

Fortaleza sits on the Ceará coast of northeastern Brazil, where reliable trade winds and warm Atlantic swells make the region one of the most consistent downwind paddling environments in the Americas. The city's beaches — including Praia do Náutico and Praia de Iracema — serve as active launch points for SUP, outrigger canoe, and surfski, while the Rio Cocó and its ecological park provide calmer flatwater alternatives inland. Ceará's reputation in the international paddling world is anchored by the MolokaBRA festival, a major open-ocean downwind event that draws competitors from across Brazil and abroad for multi-stage runs along the coastline.