Home > Destinations > Central and South America > South America > Brazil > Fortaleza > Attractions > Jericoacoara
Bookstore Community Tips and Tools Book a Trip Deals and News Trip Ideas, Activities, Lifestyles Hotels Destinations Frommers.com Home
Frommer's - The best trips start here. Frommer's - The best trips start here.
Sign up for our FREE Newsletters! Win a FREE Trip
  Email This Article Email Print This Article Print Get Frommer's RSS Feed RSS

Jericoacoara Frommer's Exceptional

Location Jericoacoara is located 300km (186 miles) west of Fortaleza
Transportation From Fortaleza take the CE-085 west to Barrento and from there connect to the BR-402 to Jicoca. The last 23km (14 miles) from Jijoca are completed by buggy as regular cars are not able to handle the sand dunes and poor road conditions. If you have rented a car you can park it in Jicoca
Web site www.jericoacoara.com

Frommer's Review

Jericoacoara [STSTST] -- The pearl on the Ceará coast, Jericoacoara's attraction is partially its isolation. Visitors can only arrive by 4WD, preferably driven by someone who knows what he or she is doing; the 18km (11-mile) drive from Jijoca through the constantly shifting sands is not for the uninitiated. The payoff for those who persevere? Miles and miles of unspoiled beaches, rock formations, lagoons, mangroves, palm trees, and a Sahara desert landscape of beautiful dunes, some over 30m (100 ft.) tall. In recent years this formerly sleepy fishing village has gotten, if not exactly crowded, certainly much more visited. The region is now an environmental protection zone, with laws forbidding the construction of new hotels and pousadas within the protected area and guidelines for garbage and recycling. Still, in high season it can be more busy than you'd expect in paradise, so plan your travel for the shoulder season (Aug-Nov and late Mar to June). Jeri (as locals call it) offers many of the same activities as other beaches on the coast. There are buggy tours, hikes, sand boarding and visits to freshwater lagoons. However, the main attraction (in addition to the isolation) is the wind; Jeri is one of those places -- like the Gorge in Oregon -- with the kind of consistent near-gale beloved by top-notch windsurfers.

Clube dos Ventos (tel. 088/3669-2288; www.clubedosventos.com) has new, top-grade gear for rent. Price is R$130 (US$55) per day, R$655 (US$275) per week. Their website has details on gear and wind conditions (including a daily wind report).

Getting There -- There are essentially two ways to travel to Jeri -- the cheaper and quicker way is by bus or minibus along the state highways (except for the last little stretch across the sand). The trip takes about 7 hours. Some have packages that include a 1- or 2-night stay. The other way is to travel by Land Rover, traversing the many beautiful beaches that lie between Fortaleza and Jeri. For this kind of tour, contact Ceará Adventure, Av. Dom Manuel 497 (tel. 085/254-3232; www.cearaadventure.com.br). Traveling by Land Rover, the full-day trip to Jeri includes a lot of off-road driving and stops at scenic beaches such as Cumbuco, Lagoinha, Mundaú, and Baleia. In Jeri the next day, there are visits to the dunes and beaches and the famous rock with the hole in it (Pedra Furada). On the third day you travel back to Fortaleza by the main highway.

Keep in mind that Jeri remains a rustic spot -- no fancy hotels, and amenities are pretty basic. The best hotel is undoubtedly Mosquito Blue, Rua da Farmacia s/n (tel. 088/3669-2203; www.mosquitoblue.com.br), R$240 (US$100) double. Less expensive but still comfortable is Recanto do Barão, Rua do Forró 433 (tel. 088/3669-2149; www.recantodobarao.com), R$150 (US$63) double. Bring plenty of cash (in small bills), as ATMs are nonexistent and credit cards are rarely accepted.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.


Back to Top


  Email This Article Email Print This Article Print Get Frommer's RSS Feed RSS


Frommer's Brazil, 4th Edition Frommer's Brazil, 4th Edition

Author: Shawn Blore
Pub Date: April 14, 2008
Price: $21.99

Buy Now!
Related Titles:
Frommer's Argentina, 1st Edition
Frommer's Buenos Aires, 2nd Edition
Frommer's Chile & Easter Island, 1st Edition
Sponsored Links: What's This?
Travel to South America with LAN Airlines from as low as $94 USD (OW)
Add Frommers.com RSS Feed  Add Frommers.com RSS Feed (What's This?)
Add Frommers.com Deals & News to Your Web Site
Add to My Yahoo!     Add to My MSN     More RSS Readers
Add Frommers.com Podcast Add Frommers.com Podcast (What's This?)
Home > Destinations > Central and South America > South America > Brazil > Fortaleza > Attractions > Jericoacoara