Depending on how long you have in the region it is certainly worth exploring parts of Ceara outside of Fortaleza. If you only have time for a day trip then there are lots of less developed beaches a hour or so drive out of the city. One such place is Prainha (a common name for small beach towns in Brazil) which is about 20 miles south of the city. Here you’ll see the traditional fishing boats and an expanse of open beach. It is also a popular spot to kite surfers due to the reliable warm sea breezes.
Further away from Fortaleza, other parts of the Ceara such as Jericoacoara, Morro Branco and Aracati are worth visiting. Again these places are all on the coast and perfect for beach lovers. If you have your own vehicle then it would be worth exploring the coast yourself as you should be able to find some isolate beaches and small beach towns that aren’t on the main tourist map. That said the region is relatively undeveloped and there are only a few purpose built resorts. Most visitors are Brazilians from other parts of the country that go there to enjoy the climate.
Jericoacoara has only really blossomed as a destination for visitors in the last 10 years and this is in part due to the difficulty in getting there. It is a long way from larger cities and road access was until recently very poor. (n.b If you struggle pronouncing Jericoacoara, don’t worry as many Brazilians refer to it as ‘Jeri’). In Brazil, where they enjoy an extensive coastline and some beautiful beaches, Jeri is one of the best. There are lots of activities including dune buggy trips, sandboarding, horse riding and windsurfing, and for those that just want to relax you can buy an iced coconut and catch some sun. Watching the sunset from the top of the large dunes is a very popular activity at the end of the day. As Brazils coastline is east facing it can be difficult to see the sunset over the ocean. However Jeri is on a peninsula that juts out into the Atlantic and therefore has the ocean on the west, making the sunset over the sea.
In general we found the region to be cheaper that cities further in the south like Sao Paulo, Rio and Florianopolis. Even in Fortaleza a days expenses were notable cheaper across the board with lower prices on the everyday essential like accommodation, food and drink.
The best time to visit is between August and December when the climate is drier and the temperature is slightly cooler. It is hot all year round but the first half of the year can be uncomfortably humid and rainfall is much higher. The rainfall does vary slightly along different parts of the coast but the second half of the year is typically quite dry.
Lisa Maxwell - 18th February 2009
Further away from Fortaleza, other parts of the Ceara such as Jericoacoara, Morro Branco and Aracati are worth visiting. Again these places are all on the coast and perfect for beach lovers. If you have your own vehicle then it would be worth exploring the coast yourself as you should be able to find some isolate beaches and small beach towns that aren’t on the main tourist map. That said the region is relatively undeveloped and there are only a few purpose built resorts. Most visitors are Brazilians from other parts of the country that go there to enjoy the climate.
Jericoacoara has only really blossomed as a destination for visitors in the last 10 years and this is in part due to the difficulty in getting there. It is a long way from larger cities and road access was until recently very poor. (n.b If you struggle pronouncing Jericoacoara, don’t worry as many Brazilians refer to it as ‘Jeri’). In Brazil, where they enjoy an extensive coastline and some beautiful beaches, Jeri is one of the best. There are lots of activities including dune buggy trips, sandboarding, horse riding and windsurfing, and for those that just want to relax you can buy an iced coconut and catch some sun. Watching the sunset from the top of the large dunes is a very popular activity at the end of the day. As Brazils coastline is east facing it can be difficult to see the sunset over the ocean. However Jeri is on a peninsula that juts out into the Atlantic and therefore has the ocean on the west, making the sunset over the sea.
In general we found the region to be cheaper that cities further in the south like Sao Paulo, Rio and Florianopolis. Even in Fortaleza a days expenses were notable cheaper across the board with lower prices on the everyday essential like accommodation, food and drink.
The best time to visit is between August and December when the climate is drier and the temperature is slightly cooler. It is hot all year round but the first half of the year can be uncomfortably humid and rainfall is much higher. The rainfall does vary slightly along different parts of the coast but the second half of the year is typically quite dry.
Lisa Maxwell - 18th February 2009
Ceara State is in the north east of Brazil best known for its expanse of sandy beaches and all year round hot, tropical climate. The state capital is Fortaleza, which like in many Brazilian cities has a strong beach culture. The city itself has over 20 kms of sandy beaches and the state as a whole is well known for some beautiful coastal spots. Much of the beach front in Fortaleza has been developed with large high-rise apartments and hotels however in the state as a whole it is easy to get of the beaten track and find some empty beaches. If you’re not really a beach lover then you can head to the western extreme of the state to one of the mountains of Serra de Ibiapaba. Here there are some tropical forests and beautiful waterfalls and they are surprisingly accessible and well set up for tourists.
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Fortaleza also offers some great nightlife with a variety of options. The beachfront has more relaxed bars and restaurants and the smaller beaches like Praia do Iracema are the best areas to stick to. Other parts of the city off the beach that offer good bars and restaurants are Aldeota and Vajota. Like all Brazilian cities you do need to take the usual care when you’re out and about, but generally speaking most people are very friendly. As you’d probably expect the seafood in Fortaleza is particularly good with crab (caranguejo) being a particularly popular dish. There is also a variety of other food including a lot of international cuisine as well as the Brazilian favourites such as feijoada and excellent steaks.
For those travelling to Ceara by air will typically arrive in Fortaleza and although there are better beaches in the state, it is certainly worth spending a few days there. Fortaleza has about 16 miles of beaches and the largest beach is Praia do Futuro that spreads down the eastern flank of city. If your spending a day on Praia do Futoro there are a number of beach bars that offer sun loungers and serve reasonably priced drinks and food. They will also watch your belongings if you want to go swimming or take some time out to go surfing. There are also hordes of people selling things, which can be a little annoying but they do come in handy every now and then. For example at lunch time there are people selling fresh prawns, oysters and lobster if fresh seafood is your thing, and surprising they are actually very reasonably priced.
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