Barra do Cunhaú (Canguaretama)

Where the Cunhaú river meets the ocean, a sand spit forms a natural double playground: flat estuary water on the river side (kid- and beginner-friendly), open ocean with chest-high waves on the seaward side. SE trade wind, 15–25 kt from July through February. The largest French- and English-speaking school in the south, Ecole Begood, has been here since 2009 — Barra is closer to the Cumbuco model (school strip + accommodation) than to Pipa's surf-village character.