Engenhoca is the surfer's favourite of the wilder beaches, about 11 km north of town. A 20-minute forest walk from the BA-001 brings you to a long curved bay with a powerful right-hand break that holds up well at all sizes. The takeoff is on rock so it is not a beginner's wave, but at low tide the inside reform is gentler.
The beach is broad and almost always uncrowded. A single barraca at the south end sells cold drinks, grilled fish, and the standard caipirinhas; outside high season it sometimes closes early. The access path is shared with Praia do Havaizinho, the next beach south.