The hardware is genuinely impressive: the new bathymetry and 62-module layout push Wavegarden Cove performance meaningfully forward, and the wave output data and footage backs that up. The catch is that unless you have six figures in Brazilian reais to spend on a club title, you are watching from the outside.
Beyond the Club is a private members-only sports and leisure complex in the Santo Amaro district of São Paulo, built around the world's largest Wavegarden Cove installation. The 70,000-plus square-metre site sits beside the Marginal Pinheiros river, adjacent to the Transamerica Bridge, roughly 15 minutes from Avenida Faria Lima. Three-time world champion Gabriel Medina is a business partner and was one of the first surfers in the pool when waves went live in May 2025.
The lagoon covers 28,000 m² and runs on a 62-module Wavegarden Cove, the largest configuration of that technology anywhere. Wavegarden introduced a new bathymetry design here, and it is the first facility in the world to use it. The Wave Menu lists more than 25 programmable wave types. At the beginner end, long Malibu-style rollers run for roughly 34 seconds at a consistent, mellow speed. At the performance end, barrel settings produce wide, open tubes that reportedly stay open even when more than 200 waves are running per hour. The same reef also generates dedicated air sections with ramp features for launching aerials, plus a double-section wave and an alley-oop section. Combinations are part of the menu too: turns into a barrel, turns into an aerial, or barrel into an aerial. Output is rated at 200 to 250 quality waves per hour with minimal chop or cross-current.
Members who want a full performance wave, specifically intermediate-to-advanced surfers who want to practise linking turns with aerial or barrel sections in a controlled setting. The Malibu settings give beginners a genuine long-ride experience without the hazards of a crowded lineup. However, the extreme membership cost puts this far out of reach for anyone without significant disposable income. It is not accessible as a drop-in or day-pass venue.
Beyond the Club operates on a private membership model; there is no walk-in session pricing. Family title (covering a primary member, spouse, and dependents) has been reported at varying figures across sources and over time: R$605,000 at launch, rising to a range of R$680,000-R$815,000 in one March 2025 report, and Bloomberg (June 2025) citing R$700,000 (approximately USD 125,000) for a family of four. A Wave Pool Mag cost breakdown listed R$950,000 as the family membership entry point, which may reflect a later price tier or a different membership configuration. The club is issuing 3,000 family titles in total. Members gain an ownership share in the facility, and transfers carry a fixed 10 percent fee. Beyond the membership title, individual sport activations (monthly fees per modality, including surf access) are contracted separately. No day-pass or guest-session pricing has been confirmed publicly.
The club's official address is Rua Bento Branco de Andrade Filho, 488, Santo Amaro, São Paulo, SP 04757-000, directly alongside the Marginal Pinheiros. Public contact for membership enquiries: phone +55 11 4580-6824, WhatsApp +55 11 91841-5167. The official member portal is beyondsp.com.br. For visiting surfers, the realistic angle is to contact the club directly and ask about guest or event access; the Medina Surf Fest in 2025 brought in invited WSL-level surfers, so future events could offer a window. São Paulo's Congonhas Airport (CGH) is the closest airport, roughly 10-15 minutes away by car in off-peak traffic. The Marginal Pinheiros at peak hours is brutal, so time any visit outside morning and evening rush windows.
Technology
Wavegarden Cove