Praia da Vila Saquarema.

This sand-bottom peak sits on the opposite side of Nazaré Hill from Itaúna, near where Saquarema's lagoon meets the ocean, splitting into a left and a right across moving sandbanks. An easterly-slanted swell turns it hollow and fast with critical, vertical drops, while calmer days settle into friendlier, rounder walls suited to intermediates. The break is exposed to swell from a wide arc of directions and handles real size better than most beaches nearby. Locally it also goes by Praia do Canto, a more built-up pocket of Saquarema, a coastline Cariocas widely regard as Brazil's most dependable for quality surf. Getting in is simple: free parking lines the beachfront in a car park and along the road, with a lifeguard on duty. The lineup rarely thins out, thickest on weekends and through summer, with a resident crew out regardless of size. Expect the water to run unexpectedly cold at any time of year, and pollution draining from the lagoon channel behind the point.