Praia do Forte Cabo Frio.

Praia do Forte is a sand-bottom a-frame beach break throwing up fast, hollow, steep-faced peaks with short rides, best when a NE to S swell wraps in on a matching NE wind. Waves run from ankle-high to roughly 2.4m on the biggest days, holding shape through most stages of the tide though the wave sharpens on the incoming push. Takeoffs come easy but load quickly into a vertical wall. The break takes its name from the fort built here in 1616, still standing over the lineup and giving Cabo Frio, the self-styled "cold cape," one of its most recognizable surf landmarks. The town's genuinely colder water than the rest of the Rio coast, driven by seasonal coastal upwelling, is part of the local lore as much as the fort itself. Entry is a straightforward walk off the sand in the heart of town, with roadside and paid parking nearby. Expect company: this is one of the busiest peaks in Cabo Frio, crowds bunch up hardest around the jetties, and the vibe in the water runs competitive.