SURFING
I'm a beginner, which season do you recommend?
Any season that is good for you!
In fact, when we decided to set up EasyDrop in Itacaré, the single most important location factor for us was the swell-consistency of this place simultaneously with handleable wave sizes all year round.
Naturally, there are differences in wave size over the year. However, if you are in reasonably good shape, even as a beginner you will be able to surf unbroken outside waves in Itacaré in the winter, when waves tend to get bigger. Only exception: rare long distance ground swells with massive wave sizes up to 3 or 4 meters. Such swells may come in at any time of the year, because they are the result of a sophisticated South Atlantic weather constellation of the "roaring forties".
Finally note that for beginners, our surfing program previews lessons to be held in the broken white wash waves close to the shore during the first couple of days of your surf course. So if you have none or very little surfing experience and plan on anything shorter than 7 days with EasyDrop, you will most probably surf 90% of your time in the white wash, where general surfing conditions are of secondary importance.
When is the best surfing season in Itacaré?
For complete beginners the best season is probably November to April, since the waves are smaller (2 to 4 feet) then during the Brazilian winter. On the other hand please note that Brazilian summer holidays extend from Christmas until two weeks after Carnival, with many Brazilian tourists around (especially surfers...), and much higher lodging prices than during the low season.
From April to September, rain is more frequent and from June on waves get bigger, between 3 and 6 feet (up to 9 feet in July/August). Beaches and peaks are crowd free then and surfing conditions often epic.
Our preferred surfing seasons are March/April and October/November with generally consistent surfing conditions, perfect water and air temperatures, and crowd free peaks.
What's the average age of the EasyDrop students?
The average EasyDrop student is approximately 28 years old, but we have successfully taught people with ages ranging from 5 - 60 years... Incidentally, our students come from all over the world, and approximately 50% are women.
In which language do you teach your students?
All our surf instructors are fluent in Portuguese and English, so lessons are taught in either or both languages depending on our students' demands.
Best of all, they are also very friendly, charismatic and vastly experienced in teaching others to surf!
On which beaches do the surf lessons take places?
The EasyDrop surf classes take place on the best surfing spots in the region: Praia da Engenhoca (beach break, lefts and rights) Prainha (beach break/point break lefts), Praia Jeribucaçu (beach break, lefts and rights), Hawaizinho (beach break/point break, lefts), Camboinha (beach break, lefts), Itacarezinho (beach break, lefts and rights), Pontal (beach break, rights). The surfing peaks for the EasyDrop lessons are selected every day by our surfing instructors, considering swell, tide and weather conditions.
See also our Surfer's Beach Guide of Itacaré.
Can I rent surfboards at EasyDrop (without taking lessons)?
No. In order to insure the quality of equipment for our students, we prefer it to be used under the supervision of our surf instructors.
Are there prerequisites for the surf course participation?
We accept students of both sex and any age.
However, for his/her participation in an EasyDrop surf course, the student needs to fulfill the following criteria:
good swimming skills (ability of at least 200 m crawl, 500 m breaststroke). non existence of ear, eye, back, knee, respiration, or heart problems. Moreover, we urgently recommend any student to prepare him/herself for the surf course. Upon request, we compile and send you some individualized recommendations on what to do in order to prepare yourself for the surf course with maximum efficiency.
Are classes separated by skill?
Our practical surf lessons are taught in groups and the school provides a minimum of 1 professional instructor for every 5 students.
For the specific training of the surfing techniques, the group is divided into sub groups of students with similar abilities.
If the surfing level of a student does not fit in with the level of other participants in the group, this student will have individual lessons without additional costs. Meanwhile, universal lesson topics such as stretching, warming up, and condition appraisal are shared among all participants in the group. The analysis of the daily video recordings during theoretical lessons are also done with the whole group together, independently of the surf level of each student. In this manner, not only is a process of reciprocal learning encouraged amongst the students with different levels of surfing, but there is also a mingling of the cheerful vibe between the students, which is a registered trademark of the EasyDrop Surf School.
Thus, in this configuration, we are able to meet the needs of all surfing levels, from complete beginners to advanced surfers.
Can I extend my package once in Itacaré?
No problem as long as we are not fully booked.
We will always try to accommodate students, but it is fair to inform that there have been moments in the past where we had to refuse not-reserved students in order to keep the surf classes safe and organized. We therefore recommend such a "stand-by option" only for "long timers" (planning on over 3 weeks of surfing with EasyDrop) who generally wouldn't really mind not surfing on a given day due to booked up groups.
What if I want to bring/surf my own board?
It all depends on how badly you want to surf on your own board, how much you're willing to pay for that, and how much risk you're willing to take to bring it along. Airlines generally charge absurd taxes for board transportation, neither do they guarantee damage-free handling (if not very carefully packed, bet your stick will break!)
Please keep in mind that at EasyDrop we have a quite large and consistently renewed quiver of surfboards (generally about 50 boards at a time), from 9'6" longboards to 6'4" shortboards, with all kinds of shape varieties (shortboards, funboards, eggs, fishes, modern longboards, classic longboards, and noseriders). Besides, our experience has proven that most times students do not bring the ideal board for learning/improving in our surf lessons. Our surf instructors will be the best ones to evaluate if you will be using your surfboard or not. For surfing classes surfed on your own board we grant discounts, but the savings are probably less than the expenses you would have bringing your board, so just think twice plus talk to us before.
Does Itacaré have world class quality waves?
Well, southern Atlantic waves on this side of the continent do very rarely get the power and shape comparable to thousands of miles traveled ground swells found in the Pacific, the Indian Ocean, or in the Southern regions of Africa. For being rather short period, waves in Itacaré also do not wrap around points as nicely, so you will rarely get a longer ride than 50 to 150 m (exception: bigger winter swells at legendary “Boca da Barra” with rides of up to 2 km). However, the continental underwater platforms build a funnel just in front of Itacaré, turning it into a true wave magnet, so Itacaré gets extremely consistent short period waves at average wave sizes ranging from 1 to 3 feet in summer and 3 to 7 feet in winter time (Hawaiian feet...), that allow for nearly 365 days of surf training in this area. Due to the prevailing short period (short distance) swells you never wait longer than about a minute before the next set comes in, so there are always plenty of waves for everybody to surf. Last but not least we believe that the Itacaré surf setup, with all year warm water, many sheltered and "channeled" bays with waves breaking on a sandy bottom, as well as the very consistent small to medium size waves, are the most proper environment for a surf school to operate.
I'd like to work as a surf instructor, do you contract?
We do not normally hire non-local instructors, for we value long-term opportunities and local workmanship. Whenever an exception occurs (generally for office jobs though), we post referring job offers throughout our social web channels. Please note though that we will never employ any foreigners without a legal work permit in Brazil. In case you still want to send us your curriculum, we'll keep it on file and contact you in case something does come up. In general, our minimum requirements are: fluent in English and Portuguese and knowing how to surf well; plus it is always desirable having someone with well developed professional abilities/knowledge in any area.
What about weather (rain) in April?
In Itacaré there is no such thing as a clearly defined rain season.
This is actually an area with dense Atlantic Rainforest, which means: yes it rains, and compared to many other places it actually rains quite some bit. However, rainfall can be expected at any time of the year.
If you look into average rainfall tables for this region, you'll note that the rain distribution over the year is much more equal than for example in Rio de Janeiro or, even more accentuated, in the Amazon.
There IS a higher chance for rain from April to September, but don't expect any weather pattern over here. In fact the average weather is kind of crazy, with for example heavy rain at sunrise, easy sunshine in the morning, rain at noon and totally cloudless sky at sunset...
As for autumn, it definitely starts getting a little cooler from April/May on, which for us is actually so nice, because our summer heat is really heavy!
In a word, if there is more rain from April on, in compensation you'll get much nicer temperatures than in summer, with less crowds, and overall better surf conditions.
I'm bringing my kids, will they be able to surf?
Sure, why not! We strongly encourage family surfing, to us it's the nicest way on earth to share waves. Minimum requirements for your kid's first learning steps at EasyDrop: have body motor control, be able to swim for short distances and hold breath to dive under small waves.
Do you offer anything for me staying long term?
For clients looking into longer surfing periods with EasyDrop (at least 3 weeks), we may offer special surf course configurations.
For example, after a complete 2 weeks surfing program, a student may qualify for choosing which days he/she would like to further surf with us, or even downgrade the activities to pure surf trips without instruction (transportation to the beach, equipment and video recording only).
Please note that any long term or other special packages should be settled with us individually, so if you're interested, drop us a line...
I'm shortsighted. Can I still do the course?
Generally no problem. You can surf with shortsightedness of up to -3 without any further devices. Above that degree, we recommend using contact lenses (bring an extra set because they might fall out in the water).
Is lunch included during classes?
No lunch is included in the package price, only breakfast in the Pousada.
There is only one surf session per day, lasting 4 hours. It is generally divided in three sessions divided by two 15 minutes breaks.
On most beaches there are "ambulant" sellers offering fresh coconuts, sodas, cookies etc. Anyway, besides the coconuts, buying these things in town is cheaper.
Do I have to take my contracted surf class days in a row?
Unless explicitly negociated and contracted with EasyDrop in advance, you wil have to take your surfing days in a row (except Sundays which are off at EasyDrop). Exceptions may be made for long timers (more than 12 days of contracted surf days), and also upon request once you are here, provided it doesn't cause us any operational extra cost.
Generally, it will be easier for us to allow for not paid and not scheduled breaks in low seaosn (March to November). Still, we generally allow people who got sick or injured to replace missed surfing days afterwards, at no further cost.
Where else in Brazil do you recommend me to travel?
Brazil is such a big country and there is so much to see, that it will be hard to decide where to go and what to do! A good suggestion is the city of Salvador, since it is one of the oldest cities of Brazil, and has so much cultural history, especially on the African side. A few days there will provide an interesting cultural view of our rich multicultural background.
Recife is another cultural option, with beaches and a bit of surfing too.
In case you'd like a more paradisiac view and a bit more surfing, Fernando de Noronha is also a beautiful place to go. As it is an island, you can actually see the sun rising and setting in the ocean on the same day! Great surfing there too, but for more advanced surfers. In case you'd like to do some trekking and see a totally different Brazil, Lençois in the Chapada de Diamantina is located in the interior of Bahia, and has many waterfalls, cannions, caves to see and visit, including even pre-historical locations with cavemen drawings in them. Also, the biggest waterfall of Brazil is located there (Cachoeira da Fumaça). Speaking of waterfalls, Foz do Iguaçu has one of the biggest concentration of falls in the world. The south of Brazil also offers a few different options. Florianópolis is a great surf option, though be ready to take out your wet suits. São Paulo is the biggest metropolis in the country, so many cultural options there, including theaters, restaurants and museums. Last but not least, Rio de Janeiro is a magical city, and has also a lot of options, including surfing – but again, wet suits will probably be needed! Close to Rio you can visit the historical city of Parati, or the island paradise of Ilha Grande and Angra dos Reis, or the trendy city of Búzios. As we said, there are just so many options, its hard to decide!
Can you help me getting my domestic Brazilian flight tickets?
We do not offer flight ticket reservations or purchases, but reading through this might clarify any of your doubts... : We understand that it has become fairly easy even for foreigners to reserve and purchase domestic flight tickets in Brazil. All airlines currently flying into Ilhéus (IOS - the closest airport to Itacaré) offer now English versions of their web sites and allow for reservation and purchase with international credit cards. All tickets are issued as (paperless) e-tickets with handy direct check-in by reservation code and passport, rather than complicated physical ticket pick up.
How safe is traveling in Brazil for single women?
No problem! Brazilians are very helpful people, and women are very well respected. We don't want to deny the fact that many Brazilian men are machos, but they are non offensive and friendly. Assaults on women are not any more common than on men. Assaults in general happen where there is no police around, for example in big cities at night, close to slums (favelas), on public markets, inside the cheapest public buses etc. Either avoid these places or don't carry any valuables/documents with you.
Do I need vaccines for traveling to Itacaré?
No malaria prophylaxis necessary for this area. You should have your Tetanus vaccine up to date. You might also consider getting protection against Hepatitis A, but just as a general safety item, we're not in a specially dangerous area as for that disease. Still, Yellow Fever has been an issue once in a while in some regions of Brazil and since Itacaré is a place where travelers meet, a vaccine for this dangerous disease is recommended.
How do I get from Salvador to Itacaré by bus?
Take a ferry boat from downtown Salvador (cidade baixa), crossing Bahia de Todos os Santos to Bom Despacho on Ilha de Itaparica (about 30 minutes on the ferry - ferries leave every other hour. From Bom Despacho get a bus from the company Águia Branca to Ilhéus. This bus will stop in Itacaré. The bus trip from Bom Despacho to Itacaré takes about 4 hours.
How do I get to Itacaré, once I'm in Brazil?
If you're travelling by plane, you'd probably prefer to fly to Ilhéus, which is the airport closest to Itacaré (airport abbreviation: IOS).
Ilhéus is about 75 km (43 miles) south from Itacaré and offers connecting flights to any bigger Brazilian city airport. Check flight schedules and availability through your travel agent or web service. From Ilhéus to Itacaré, we offer an individual taxi airport shuttle that can be scheduled at any day- or night time.
Where should I call if my flight delays?
Please understand that our drivers leave Itacaré at least 2 hours in advance to your scheduled arrival time and once they are on the road, there is no way to call them back. It's a 1.5 hours drive and by contract we will have to pay them the full cost of the trip whether the client arrives on the indicated flight or not. Please note that your travel contract contains the following paragraph related to no-show or flight delays:
"EasyDrop reserves the right to charge a fee of US $ 50.00 for the hiring of an extra transportation service in the case of:
- a flight delay of over 2 hours;
- the client does not arrive on the indicated flight (flight schedule must be announced with a minimum 24h advance period"
By personally advising us in time about late flights or no-show, there is a great chance you'll avoid the above fee.
Itacaré - On which beach is EasyDrop located?
EasyDrop is not located on any particular beach, but in the center of town.
Students and instructors meet every day at the EasyDrop headquarters, from where they drive to the best surfing beaches within a radius of 20 km from Itacare. This allows you to learn on the best surfing waves in the region, while avoiding the crowds and giving you a good variety of surfing experiences in different wave types. Of course, the idyllic scenery of unspoiled beaches comes as a free added value to these procedures...
The daily transfer to the best beaches in the region is included in our surf course price.
Are traveler's checks easily cashed in Itacaré?
No, they aren't! Although traveler's checks can be changed at the local exchange office of “Encantur Turismo”, expect to pay exorbitant fees at very bad exchange rates. So we actually do not suggest bringing them (taking cash from one of the ATMs in town by a credit card + pin number is much cheaper than exchanging traveler's checks).
Can I buy surf trunks/surf gear in Itacaré?
There are a few surf shops in Itacaré. Usually it is not hard to find board shorts and other surf gear around town. Keep in mind though that many times international famous brands are rather overpriced, but good quality national brands are available. Sometimes sizes can be a problem, since Brazilians are rather small and thus Brazilian clothes are smaller too!
I'm vegetarian, what are my options in Itacaré?
There is only one fully fledged vegetarian restaurant in Itacaré ("Falafel" at Pituba), but most restaurants offer meatless dishes, so you should never feel handicapped as a vegetarian in Itacaré. All ingredients used for snacks and dishes at the EasyDrop Bar are all organic (although not necessarily vegetarian...).
Are there ATM machines in Itacaré?
Although there is only one bank in Itacaré (Banco do Brasil), with ATMs available inside, there are also a handful of ATMs in town. These work with most international credit and debit cards (VISA, Mastercard, Maestro, etc), so it is not difficult to withdraw cash.
What kind of internet is available in Itacaré?
There are plenty of internet cafes in Itacaré.
Most of them use the same one and only ISP in town which has a radio connection to the next fiberglass land line. Therefore, internet access in Itacaré is generally slow (up to 250 Kbps) during uncrowded moments (=when the surf is up and the weather is good), and can get really very slow in rush hours. EasyDrop has a faster connection as well as a wireless network in its building (office, school, bar café) that can be used by clients at no cost.
What else can I do while I'm in Itacaré?
Itacaré is surrounded by a broad area of widely untouched rainforest. Besides the endemic wild life (birds, monkeys) and flora to be observed as soon as you leave the habited areas, there are several very nice waterfalls. Some of them are accessed by boat, others through hikes crossing the rainforest. River tours are available on motorized boats, kayaks and canoes. There is also excellent (class IV) rafting about 30 km upriver in the picturesque town of Taboquinhas, where cacao farm visits can be organized as well. In the town of Itacaré, you can watch and/or practice Capoeira, the famous Northern Brazilian art form that combines elements of martial arts, music and dance. There is also a Jiujitsu club where you can train (and get beaten up...) with the local pros.
EasyDrop offers a couple of optional activities, such as Portuguese crash courses, massages, yoga, evening dinners with typical Brazilian food, movie nights, and live music in the EasyDrop bar.
What's the night life like in Itacaré?
Itacaré has a pretty busy night life, with different bars and 'nightclubs' available for all sorts of night fun. Some places have live music on different nights of the week. Summer months (December to March) are especially busy with various bars and shows in town. However, please note that Itacaré is a small village, and thus when we refer to 'nightclubs', many times they are beach huts or restaurants, or even houses, that have been transformed to accommodate a 'dancefloor' and a bar.
LODGING
What about mosquitoes and transmitted diseases?
Since Itacaré is in the middle of an area called "Atlantic Rainforest", naturally there are always some mosquitoes around. While these mosquitoes don't transmit malaria, there have been some dengue fever cases in Itacaré. So far, no EasyDrop student has ever contracted this disease (which, by the way, isn't particularly dangerous). Efficient repellents are available in the pharmacies around town.
Can I share a double room with someone else?
We only offer double room accommodation for people who book the course together and thus know each other. If you're flying solo, you'll have to lodge in a single room. In case you want to share a room, find a friend to come along with you and enjoy the surf experience together!
How far is lodging from the center of Itacaré?
Pousada Girassol, our standard lodging option, is a 5 minutes walk from the historical center of Itacaré, where both the EasyDrop head office and all social infrastructure is located (restaurants, bars, banks, pharmacies, etc.)
Is lodging on the beach?
Our lodging (Pousada Girassol) is straight in front of a beach called Praia da Concha. It's opposite the famous river break Boca da Barra.
We surf here frequently in winter. From Pousada Girassol to the center of Itacaré it's a 5 minutes walk.
Is there cheaper lodging available than Girassol?
There is actually a wide array of places to stay in Itacaré, from fancy resorts to swanky Pousadas, to hostels and even small houses/rooms to rent. It all depends on how much you want to spend, and how close to the center of town you want to stay. A good suggestion for looking into other lodging accommodations is at www.itacare.com
OPTIONALS
How do the Portugues lessons work?
EasyDrop offers a weekly 6-days Portuguese crash course, exclusively designed for our surf school clients. The course runs from Mondays to Saturdays, with 1,5 hour daily lessons scheduled outside of our surf sessions. During this language course, students will be presented with a comprehensive methodology to quickly learn and start using the most essential parts of the Portuguese language, such as important verb conjugations and use, pronouns, prepositions, numbers, all practically joint in exercises including vocabulary about body parts, foods, and - for sure- surfing!
Can I extend the 6-days Portuguese course?
Definitely! Just let us know and we'll book you for more classes.
Please note though that rates for extension lessons are higher than rates for the basic crash course.
BOOKING
Is there a specific day to start the course?
You can start surfing any day of the week you'd like, as long as its not Sundays, which are off at EasyDrop. Also, due to our extensive surf lesson schedules, it is not normally possible to surf on your arriving or departing day, so as to avoid flight schedule and surf session conflicts.
Since Sundays are off anyways, we suggest Sundays as the best days to arrive and leave, which gives you plenty of time to arrive and rest a bit before starting the course, and plenty of time to pack when leaving. This is especially the case for those who want to surf the most in the least amount of time!
Can I just book a surf course (no lodging, etc.)?
Yes, you can book just a surf course and take care of lodging and/or airport shuttles yourself. The minimum required length of a surf course is 4 days.
Can I hire just the lodging accommodations?
Please note that lodging at EasyDrop is a third part service, and we actually are not interested in providing surf-course-independent lodging. What we really want is teach you how to surf (better). Almost all of the other services we offer are simply meant to help you getting the maximum out of your EasyDrop surf course. In this sense, it is acceptable for us contracting lodging for your non-surfer travel partner.
Do I have to book if I send the registration form?
Absolutely not!
Our registration form is meant to be the best way for you to contact us, providing us with all the necessary information in order to send you a proper package offer, with all of the services we offer included in your package, at your request. Besides, if you do book (and most probably will!), then we'll also have all your personal details necessary to include you in our reservation database and in our travel contract.
How far in advance do I have do book?
For off-season packages (March to August) we recommend booking at least 2 weeks in advance. For mid and high season courses (September to February) booking at least 1 month in advance is recommended, since the demand increases mostly due to Brazilian holidays.
What happens if I have to leave earlier?
By principle, we'll stick to our general travel condition policies (detailed in the travel contract contract) stating that no refunds can be made after the beginning of the package tour, and full amount for the package will still be due. However, in such cases we are generally willing to accept crediting your customer account with the remaining services to be used during your next trip to EasyDrop, in which case we will still charge a cancellation fee, and a deadline will be established as to how long the credit is good for.
Please consider contracting a travel insurance in advance that refunds you for whatever might be the circumstances for your cancellation, especially illness.
PAYMENT
What discounts are available?
Available discounts only over surfing lessons values are:
- Cash payment in Itacaré: 5%
- "Early-booking" for down payments made with a minimum of 60 days prior to the first day of the hired package: 5%
Returning clients: Every 10 surfing lessons will give you 1 free surfing day. For further information about EasyDrop reward Stokes Program contact our team, or check it out on Stokes!.
What other costs will I have on this journey?
Your journey to and back home from Ilhéus, Bahia, or, in other words, your international and domestic Brazilian flights. Lunch and dinner in Itacaré. Plan another US $ 20 per day/person for these meals (not including excessive drinking...).
Can I wire the whole amount in advance?
Yes, the whole contracted amount can be wired in advance to one of our bank accounts or via credit card charge authorization form. Many of our clients prefer this option to avoid carrying around large cash amounts on their journey. However, please note there is a 5% discount (over surfing lessons values) is available for cash payment of the remaining payment in Itacaré.
Can I pay the remainder by credit card upon arrival?
In Itacaré we accept VISA or Master credit cards.
Please also note that a 5% discount (over surfing lessons values) is available for cash payment of the remaining payment in Itacaré.
How do I pay for the course?
A down payment (generally 30%) is required to reserve space in the surf course. This down payment can be wired either to our bank account or with our credit card charge authorization form. The remaining amount is payable at the EasyDrop office within 48 hours of the client's arrival in Itacaré. The remainder payment can be made through VISA, Master or in cash (US$, EUR or R$). A 5% discount (over surfing lessons values) is available for cash payment of the remaining payment in Itacaré.
Which payments are refundable?
The participant may cancel the contract at any time. All resignations must be submitted in writing. In case of cancellation before the beginning date of the package, 70% of complete payments in advance will be refunded. Down payments up to 30% of the complete package price will be not be refunded. In case of cancellation on the beginning date of the package or later, no payments will be refunded
