Jericoacoara, paradise on the sunny Northeast coast of Brazil.
Jericoacoara Tour, the most beautiful beaches on the Northeast coast
“In this era of land development and constant change, I wonder how many places are left where you can see the world exactly as it was a million years ago. To look out into the ocean in a solitary moment is to be reminded of all that has passed before you, of all that has come and gone without leaving a trace.”
Cal Fussman – “Jericocoara”
Once a small village facing the ocean, hidden between Fortaleza and São Luís “Jeri” as it is affectionately known, is an ideal combination of an authentic and relaxed local atmosphere with a quality tourist infrastructure. Here you will discover amazing landscapes of immense dunes and vast sandy beaches as far as the eye can see. There are clear freshwater lagoons, steep cliffs plunging into the sea, vast grassy plains with wild donkeys and mangroves full of seahorses. Truly exceptional views that will astound you time and time again during your stay in this little paradise.
Jeri is ideal for water sports such as kite surfing, stand-up paddling, or surfing. Out of the water it is also a perfect playground for buggy, quad, and horse riding or walking adventures to discover all the wonders that this unforgettable place has to offer. Those who just want to watch the time go by while sunbathing in complete serenity will enjoy the beautiful main beach protected from the winds.
The village itself is also a major attraction during your stay with quality restaurants waiting to be discovered, many of which host an excellent offer of regional and international dishes. Those who like shopping will enjoy the craft shops and handmade souvenirs available from local artists. Jericoacoara has been repeatedly described as paradise on earth, a claim that is difficult to dispute. It’s a must-see on a Northeast Brazil tour !
Stay in Jericoacoara
and discover:
The charming fishing village of Guajiru
A tour along the magnificent beaches of Nordeste
The paradise of Jericoacoara
An amazing trip along the dunes of Tatajuba
Jericoacoara – Itinerary of your tour
- 1 private transfer from Fortaleza airport to the hotel
- 1 night in Fortaleza
- 1 transfer over 2 days in a 4×4 to Jericoacoara by the beach (stop in Guajiru)
- 1 night in a hotel in Guajiru
- 3 nights in a hotel in Jericoacoara
- An excursion by Buggy to the Tatajuba lagoon with fresh lobster for lunch in a beach restaurant.
- 1 return transfer to Fortaleza or the airport in Fortaleza in a 4×4 (by the road).
Set off on an adventure along the beaches to Jericoacoara
The best way to reach Jericoacoara is to fly to Foraleza, capital of the state of Ceará.
From Lisbon this takes only 7hrs with TAP and there are also direct flights available from Miami, Boston, New York and LA.
Once in Fortaleza, Jeri is 300km away on the Northeast coast. If you arrive in the evening, or if you don’t want to travel straight after your flight, a night in Fortaleza is ideal. This will be an excellent opportunity to explore Beira Mar, the avenue along the sea front that hosts the arts and crafts night market. Also, the Dragão do Mar cultural centre not far from all the bars and clubs is an enjoyable and lively evening with local and international music.
Less than an hour from Fortaleza, Cumbuco beach is a nice alternative to the town, especially for those flying into Fortaleza, who just want to relax with their feet in the sand. How wonderful it is to wake up facing the ocean lined with coconut trees and to feel the sea breeze on your face, after just arriving in Brazil!
The trip from Fortaleza to Jericoacoara takes 4 hrs by road, and the last few k.m are along a sandy track from the small town of Jijoca or passing through the village of Prea. But, if you want to really make the most out of your time here, and add some excitement to your trip, there is another way to do this transfer. We recommend that you climb aboard a private vehicle and travel along the almost deserted beaches and discover the incredible beauty of this untouched and wild coastline!
If you choose to go along the beach, there are 3 options: either by 4×4 or in a buggy with a driver. Or, you can take up the challenge and drive your own buggy for maximum thrills and excitement! Of course, you are always accompanied by a guide/driver in another vehicle to show you the way. The trip takes about 8 hrs. There is a stop for lunch and also stops to swim in the sea or just admire the amazing landscape and take some photos.
You can also do this trip in 2 days with an overnight stay in the small fishing village of Guajiru. It is the best option if you have the time, as it means you can stop more often on the way to swim and appreciate this unique coastline. Note that in high season (July – August & October), weekends, and during local holidays, the hotels in Guajiru only take a minimum of 2 nights stay.
This trip is also determined by the tide level and cannot be done all year round. Part of the trip must then be done by road. Contact us to find out what is possible around the dates you wish to visit.
The wild and natural beauty of Jericoacoara
Previously known only to wandering explorers, it was only at the beginning of the 1990s that this little paradise, lost in the dunes of the Northeast, really became a recognized travel destination.
The very select Washington Post indeed ranked it as one of the 10 most beautiful beaches in the world in 1992, arousing general curiosity about this little Eden. Jericoacoara has become more and more popular and has diversified its activities and services. However, the locals have been careful to preserve the authenticity of this unique place, and the relaxed atmosphere is the same as always.
Thanks to this constant attention, the magic that makes this destination an exceptional and unique place continues to work. This means you can walk along the sandy alleys of the town center in the evenings, without a worry in the world. In fact, the inhabitants refuse to install public lighting so that the village keeps its pale light of the nocturnal stars and the luminous stall fronts.
Sheltered by a small cove, Jericoacoara’s Praia Principal (main beach) offers calm and pleasurable waters, without the strong currents that the surfers enjoy on the adjacent beaches. It is a pleasure to bask in the sun and watch the jangadas, or local boats, bobbing to the rhythm of the waves. At dusk, you must climb the imposing Duna do por do Sol. Thanks to the particular orientation of this cove it is one of the few places on the coast of Ceará, where you can enjoy a magnificent sunset over the sea, and one of the few places in the world where you can see the “Emerald Sunset” phenomenon.
During your stay you will also enjoy another major asset of this beach: its location. Situated in the heart of a vast natural reserve, the Jericoacoara National Park has hardly been touched by Man, it is the seaside destination of Ceará which is in the most exceptional natural setting. To discover and appreciate it at its best, you can go on many different excursions, on foot or horseback, horse and cart, in a buggy, quad or 4 × 4. You will discover the giant dunes of Tatajuba or the freshwater lagoons like Lagoa da Torta, Lagoa Azul and Lagoa do Paraiso. You can also go for a walk (about 2 hours round trip) to the famous Pedra Furada, a big rock in an arch shape through which you can admire the sunset at certain times of the year.
You will quickly realize that Jericoacoara is an ideal destination to relax and have fun in splendid surroundings. The romantic atmosphere makes it a perfect place for a romantic getaway or a honeymoon. It’s also great for family vacations or groups of friends. There are many fun and cultural activities adapted to all types of visitors. Finally, the nightlife here is lively with a few bars and musical venues but nothing is ever too noisy to trouble the guests of this calm little village.
A unique desert destination
Along the 300km of beach between Fortaleza and Jericoacoara, there is a small fishing village hidden in the coconut trees that we have fallen in love with.
Guajiru, is not far from the village of Fleixeiras. It is precisely this relative distance from the main tourist destinations combined with its position halfway to Jericoacoara that has charmed us.
If you want to spend a little more time in Jeri, stop off in this very authentic little village where the way of life of the fishermen and their families hasn’t changed for centuries. Quality pousadas await you on the sea front to set the authentic atmosphere of your stay and for you to discover the local customs in this little paradise, an ideal way to start your vacation.
Here, you will see the men go out to sea every day in their small flat-bottomed fishing boats that are typical of the Brazilian Northeast. Meet the Rendeiras, the local seamstresses, working on the front steps of their homes. The traditional life of this small town continues undisturbed alongside the small and charming pousadas that have flourished over the years.
More exclusive than Jericoacoara, this seaside destination has all the magic of a place lost in time.
How to get to Jericoacoara
We suggest two different ways of reaching Jericoacoara. One is by road, fast and conventional. The other is along the beaches as close to the ocean as possible.
It takes longer but means you can discover this uniquely amazing and beautiful landscape. The option along the beach is in a 4 x4 vehicle with a driver, or in a driven or self-driven buggy.
Jericoacoara – Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 : Fortaleza in
At the airport in Fortaleza, a driver awaits to take you to your hotel.
During the 20 mins. ride to reach the coast and your hotel you will get a first glimpse of local life as the town passes by your window. If you have chosen Cumbuco for your first night it will be a 45 mins ride on the edge of town and then along the coast to reach your hotel.
Arrival at your hotel for the night.
Day 2 : Fortaleza – Guajiru
Depending on the tide times that determine when you can drive along the beach, you will have breakfast and be collected with your luggage by a 4×4 vehicle and a private driver at reception.
Leaving from Fortaleza, the drive starts with about 40 mins by road to reach Cumbuco where you will join the beach.
Driving along the shore, with the waves lapping your tyres, the beach stretches as far as the eye can see. You will be amazed by this wild landscape, a breathtaking panorama that transforms as you travel along it, giving you the sense that it is truly alive.
You will get a chance to see cliffs sculpted by the winds, giant dunes, lagoons that fill up at high tide and small rivers flowing into the sea. The journey is dotted with various little fishing hamlets sitting on the shore.
Ceará is well known as a kite surfers paradise, so you will see their brightly coloured kites dancing in the clear blue sky as you drive along the beaches.
Along the way, the driver will show you different villages where you can stop for lunch depending on what time you set off. This is a chance to enjoy the delicious, fresh local seafood such as lobsters, crayfish, shrimp or an excellent local fish, with cassava chips.
If you leave Fortaleza around 8a.m. you will arrive in Guajiru at mid – afternoon. You can then take your time to enjoy walking around, meeting the locals, or take a quad or buggy ride up into the dunes to reach the lagoons.
After a quiet evening next to the sea in this calm oasis, you can enjoy a calm night with the sound of the waves lapping the shore.
Day 3 : Guajiru – Jericoacoara
After a buffet breakfast looking out over the ocean, check out and climb aboard your vehicle to continue the adventure along the coast. (Departure time depending on the tide).
You will drive along the beach after Guajiru for a few kms. to reach Fleixeiras and its reefs where you can go snorkeling at low tide. The mineral landscape continues to Mundau where at the edge of town you will take a ferry across the river after having seen the view from the top of a giant dune facing the river estuary.
You will then carry on along the beach to Icarai de Amontada (about 1hr.).
From this village, you will come back to the road to avoid the protected beaches where the seaturtles lay their eggs along the Atlantic coast. You will drive for 1h30 before reaching the little town of Jijoca de Jericoacoara. Your last stop before paradise!
From here you will go back to the beach and on to the village of Prea. On you go along the beaches and sandy tracks in the middle of this wild landscape: hills and cliffs, grassy lands with wild donkeys, and the great blue sea surround you.
At last, Jericoacoara, hidden in a cove, with a hill and cliffs on one side and a famous giant sand dune on the other, you have arrived !
After checking into your hotel, you can start the evening with a tour of the village and its small pedestrian streets and shops that stay open until sunset.
After spending a pleasant evening with a good meal, return to your hotel for the night.
Day 4 : Jericoacoara
Enjoy your first morning in Jeri by eating breakfast directly on the beach, facing the sea, regardless of which hotel you chose from our selection.
Around 10h30/11h00, a buggy driver will come and collect you for an amazing excursion in the region around Jericoacoara (about 4hrs.)
You will go to the main fresh water lagoon about 45mins by buggy from Jericoacoara, near the Tatajuba village. Then along the beach to reach the ferry and cross a mysterious dead mangrove.
You then continue along the beach before turning inland to pass by the impressive Funil dune. You can try your hand at “ski-bunda” on its slopes, a kind sand sledge invented by the local children.
From here, you will arrive at the lagoon and Didi’s barraca (hut) on the water’s edge where we recommend you order the delicious lobster lunch (not included in the package : 20 euros per person). To be eaten with your feet in the water !
Return to Jericoacoara after lunch around 14h30/15h00.
Back in the village don’t forget to climb the giant dune to admire the incredible sunset.
Jericoacoara is one of the rare locations on the Ceará coast where, due to its orientation, you can see the sunset over the sea. Each evening, everyone comes down to the main beach and the “duna do por do sol” (sunset dune), to enjoy this ritual of the sun setting over the mirror – like Atlantic.
In the evening you can enjoy the large choice of interesting restaurants and bars with regional and international delights in various relaxed establishments.
Day 5 : Jericoacoara
A buffet breakfast at your hotel.
A free day to explore Jericoacoara and its amazing surroundings as you wish:
Discover some other lagoons in the Jericoacoara National Park such as The Azul and Paraiso lagoons. These freshwater lakes are lined with small huts where you can sit or lounge in hammocks actually in the warm water and sip fresh coconut juice. To do this, simply ask a buggy driver in one of the agencies in town to take you or deal directly with a buggeiro. The prices are regulated by a local association and vary depending on the distance and the season. As an indication, it costs roughly 250 reals per vehicle (3 passengers max.) for a trip between 10a.m. and 4p.m. going to the 2 lagoons.
You can also spend the day around the pool or relaxing on the beach with a good book. Jericoacoara is the perfect place to unwind.
For water sports and especially kite surfers you can go to the Prea beach or the nearby Malhada beach.
Be aware, from August to November the wind gets up to 30 knots so you need to be fairly experienced to enjoy this spot. Beginners can have lessons in Jericoacoara and also try wind surfing. Surf boards, wind surfs and stand up paddle boards can easily be rented from the clubs and renters arrive early every morning along the main beach.
You can also go walking, on horse back or in a cart along the coast or in the dunes of the regional park.
For those who like walking, the classic trail is to walk to the Pedra Furada, or “pierced stone”, an arch shaped rock through which you can see the sunset at certain times of the year. The view is magnificent and is one of the picture post cards of Jericoacoara. This walk can be done with or without a guide and is a round trip of about 2hrs30. You climb the hill near the Malhada beach and walk back down along the cliffs to reach the famous rock. An interesting walk with an amazing view of the park and village from the top of the hill.
Night at the hotel.
Day 6 : Jericoacoara – Fortaleza / out
A last breakfast in Jericoacoara, is the occasion to drink an “acerola” juice and order a delicious tapioca pancake at the buffet.
Depending on your flight time, you can check out when you like as long as it is before midday. (You can leave your luggage at the hotel reception if needed.)
A driver in a 4X4 will meet you at the hotel at an agreed time and take you to Fortaleza (about 4hrs.).
You will drive down a track to reach Jijoca, crossing the dunes and then another track that winds through the Cashew plantations, the tree that yields the Cashew nut. On arrival at the small village you will then join the main road (CE-085) for about 250kms before arriving at the Fortaleza airport.
The 4X4 will drop you and your luggage off at the airport.
End of our services.
Note : If you wish to spend a night in Fortaleza to avoid too much travelling time, or to wait for a connection for another destination, you can choose from our selection of hotels and extend your trip.
Jericoacoara – Accommodation
Hotel Sonata (standard)
All the rooms at the Sonata hotel have a view of the ocean. Located facing the Iracema beach, it is the best value for money in Fortaleza. The 117 rooms are modern and comfortable. Its location half-way between Beira Mar and the cultural centre, Dragão do Mar, is perfect if you want to easily access the beaches and restaurants along the sea front and enjoy the night life and culture of the city.
Gran Marquise (superior)
Ideally situated in the most chic part of town, Mucuripe, The Gran Marquise is considered the best hotel in Fortaleza. Recently renovated, here you will find all the best comforts and services necessary for an excellent stay in the city. A luxury experience.
Hotel Golfinho (standard) (Cumbuco)
If you wish to stay in Cumbuco, we recommend the Golfinho. This 3 star establishment is located on the seafront and is practically on the beach. The 25 rooms are organized around a pool facing the ocean, giving easy access to the sea and its waves as well as the pool. Its excellent value for money makes it a perfect hotel for 1 or 2 nights before setting off to explore the coastline!
Zorah Beach (superior)
Not far, but slightly outside the village for more tranquility, a new little hotel has recently opened. Only 2 years old, it has already seduced many visitors and tourist guides with its Asian inspired decoration. For those looking for luxury or for a special occasion such as a honeymoon, this is a perfect destination! Discover the Zorah Beach hotel (superior category).
Rede Beach Resort (standard)
The Rede Beach Resort is a superb little pousada located next to the beach. Its 24 rooms are decorated and furnished using local traditional materials, whilst offering modern comforts to make your stay a truly enjoyable one. It also has a good restaurant where you can eat lobster and other delicious fresh fish. It’s the perfect place to stop and relax while vacationing in Brazil before going on to Jericoacoara.
Vila Vagalume (standard)
A hotel with small buildings of 2 or 4 rooms arranged around a fine pool and a restaurant in a luxuriant garden facing the ocean, is the setting of the charming pousada Vila Vagalume. With 30 rooms all equipped with a terrace and hammock, this little hotel is ideal to unwind in and start your vacation in a relaxed atmosphere.
Hotel My blue (standard and superior)
Imagine a hotel with 80 rooms that feels like a hotel with half as many! In an intimate landscaped garden, it is in the best location in Jericoacoara, in the centre of the main beach in the village. The restaurant faces the sea which makes breakfast times absolutely divine.
The original decoration of the rooms, bursting with vibrant colours, as well as their comfort makes for a pleasurable stay. 2 swimming pools and 2 jacuzzis allow you to relax and unwind. “Refined Simplicity” is the motto of this establishment; it’s simply one of Jeri’s best places to stay.
Hotel Hurricane (superior)
The Hurricane is a recently built hotel, opening its doors in 2014 and is a high class establishment with a very tropical atmosphere. Surrounded by greenery, it has a magnificent view of the Malhada beach and a superb lagoon shaped pool. A little out of the town centre but still close to the shops it will ensure a serene stay while still being close to the entertainment in Jericoacoara.
The few rooms are organized in bungalows and are spacious and nicely decorated in a modern style but with local natural materials. It is a quality choice for a stop over or a longer stay and surely the best value for money in Jericoacoara.
Note, a minimum stay of 5 nights stay is during the months of July, August and October.
Vila Kalango (superior)
If you are a Robinson Crusoe at heart then this top quality hotel is for you. One of the first built here, it is in a perfect location on the main village beach at the foot of the sunset dune.
The Vila Kalango will seduce all ecological visitors that also want superior comfort on their vacation. The cabins on stilts facing the ocean offer an exceptional setting for nature lovers. An exclusive place that has been reputed for many years.
Hotel Essenza (luxury)
With 30 rooms looking out over a huge 1300m² pool (lounge category) or with individual balcony pools (Cult category), The Essenza Hotel aims to be the new flagship in luxury hotels in Jericoacoara. Built in 2015, it is perfectly located on the main beach with all rooms facing the ocean. The rooms are 50m² and decorated in a modern style with contemporary furntiture. (super king size bed, 600 thread sheets, Egyptian linen curtains, rain shower….)
An exceptional hotel for an exceptional stay, the perfect place for those looking for a modern, luxurious and exclusive place to celebrate a special occasion, in a dream location, Jericoacoara.
Prices for double rooms:
Catégorie standard :
Base 2 personnes
1300$ /pers
–
Base 4 personnes
978$ /pers
Catégorie supérieure : Base 2 personnes 1556$ /pers – Base 4 personnes 1244$ /pers
Catégorie supérieure : Base 2 personnes 1556$ /pers – Base 4 personnes 1244$ /pers
Prix basse saison de l'année en cours, donnés à titre indicatif et ne valant pas devis
