Ilha do Mel
Paranaguá, Paraná, Brazil
Sports: Surfing
Best time to go: August–October
Ilha do Mel is a small, car-free island at the entrance to Paranaguá Bay on the coast of Paraná, reached by ferry from Pontal do Sul or Paranaguá. Much of the island is protected, and visitor numbers are limited. Its ocean-facing beaches, Praia Grande and Praia de Fora, are the main surf spots, with rocky headlands at their ends.
The beaches face east and south-east and pick up south, south-east and east swells, most often in autumn and winter, roughly April to September. Waves break over sand, with better shape near the rocky corners on bigger swells, and winds from the west and north-west are offshore. Smaller days suit beginners, while bigger swells are for experienced surfers. Rip currents form along the beaches and near the rocks, and there are no lifeguards on some beaches outside the summer. The water is around 19 to 20 °C in winter and warmer in summer, so a light wetsuit is usual in the cooler months. The island has strict environmental rules, so check them before you travel.
Month by month at Ilha do Mel
- January: 1 windy day (15+ knots), average wind 6 knots, waves 1.3 m, water 29°C, air 28°C (nights 22°C), 28 sunny days, 23 rainy days
- February: 0 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 5 knots, waves 1.1 m, water 29°C, air 29°C (nights 22°C), 24 sunny days, 22 rainy days
- March: 0 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 5 knots, waves 1.3 m, water 28°C, air 28°C (nights 22°C), 26 sunny days, 20 rainy days
- April: 0 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 5 knots, waves 1.4 m, water 27°C, air 26°C (nights 20°C), 25 sunny days, 18 rainy days
- May: 0 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 5 knots, waves 1.4 m, water 24°C, air 23°C (nights 17°C), 24 sunny days, 12 rainy days
- June: 0 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 5 knots, waves 1.3 m, water 21°C, air 22°C (nights 15°C), 21 sunny days, 11 rainy days
- July: 0 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 5 knots, waves 1.3 m, water 19°C, air 21°C (nights 14°C), 23 sunny days, 9 rainy days
- August: 1 windy day (15+ knots), average wind 5 knots, waves 1.5 m, water 20°C, air 21°C (nights 15°C), 22 sunny days, 12 rainy days
- September: 0 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 6 knots, waves 1.6 m, water 21°C, air 22°C (nights 16°C), 20 sunny days, 16 rainy days
- October: 1 windy day (15+ knots), average wind 7 knots, waves 1.5 m, water 23°C, air 24°C (nights 18°C), 18 sunny days, 23 rainy days
- November: 1 windy day (15+ knots), average wind 7 knots, waves 1.4 m, water 25°C, air 25°C (nights 19°C), 22 sunny days, 19 rainy days
- December: 1 windy day (15+ knots), average wind 6 knots, waves 1.3 m, water 27°C, air 28°C (nights 21°C), 26 sunny days, 21 rainy days
When is the best time to go surfing at Ilha do Mel?
August–October, when the waves are biggest.
How warm is the water at Ilha do Mel?
19°C to 29°C over the year: boardshorts, no wetsuit needed in the warmest month, a 3/2 full suit in the coolest.
How windy is Ilha do Mel?
About 4 days a year with at least 2 hours of 15+ knots in the daytime, most in January.
Figures from 5 years of weather data (Open-Meteo).
Spots near Ilha do Mel
- Florianópolis – Lagoa da Conceição (229 km)
- Florianópolis – Joaquina (232 km)
- Praia do Rosa (288 km)
More: All spots in Brazil · Surfing in Brazil
Compare with: Florianópolis – Joaquina vs Ilha do Mel