Guarapari 2026: WSL event brings world surfing to Praia d'Ulé

In December 2025, World Surf League confirmed the return of a world surf event to Guarapari in July 2026. After the first-ever debut at Praia d'Ulé — which drew around 40,000 people over four days and moved roughly R$ 3 million through the local economy — Espírito Santo’s southern coast is back on the world circuit in a year when the contest carries more weight: the stop is now worth 6,000 ranking points. If you’re planning a stay in Perocão, it’s the second July season in a row when the sports calendar links arms with school vacation.

What WSL confirmed for 2026

The confirmation came from Guarapari’s City Hall itself and was reported in December 2025 by Espírito Santo’s local press. The 2026 event keeps Praia d'Ulé as the stage, doubles the points compared to the debut, and joins the qualifying circuit for the Championship Tour — which, in practice, pulls in top-tier athletes hunting ranking. The exact window within July hasn’t been released by WSL Latin America yet; historically, those dates only firm up about 30 to 45 days ahead.

Why Praia d'Ulé

D'Ulé sits in the central stretch of Guarapari’s waterfront, next to Praia do Morro, and it’s built a reputation for consistent swell and clean lines during the austral winter — when South Atlantic cold fronts push in along the Espírito Santo coast. It’s the same window when Saquarema, in Rio, fires; the difference is Guarapari’s more open exposure. In 2025, beyond the record crowd, the event set the national sports coverage agenda and put the city on the international calendar for the first time.

World surfing picked the Espírito Santo shoreline for the same reason guests pick Perocão: winter swell delivers, without having to wrestle peak season.

How to plan your stay around the WSL window

1. Booking early is the only safe play. The 2026 confirmation landed in December 2025, and July lodging demand in Guarapari already reflects the WSL effect plus school vacation — hotels in the central area sell out first.
2. Get around via ES-060, not along the waterfront. The coastal strip between downtown and Morro gets saturated on competition days; the state highway links Perocão to d'Ulé in about 20 minutes without cutting through the beachfront lane.
3. Build your calendar around the Festival Guarapari de Inverno (July 17–26). Both things happen in the same month and speak to similar crowds — if you’re already coming for WSL, it’s common to tack on a few days for the shows and the food area set up downtown.

Perocão as your home base

The Argos Cabanas sit in Perocão, in Guarapari’s north zone — 69m², sleeps four, ocean view, and a private leisure area with a soaking tub and a fogo de chão-style barbecue. Both Cabana Cavalo Marinho and Cabana Ouriço do Mar are eight kilometers from downtown (10 to 15 minutes via ES-060) and five minutes from Meaípe, the region’s dining hub. If you want to follow the WSL without spending the whole day in transit, it’s the natural base: a short hop along the interior route, far from the jammed waterfront. Self check-in until 10pm, and human support within one business hour in Portuguese, English, and Spanish.

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