Every beach town should be this laid-back. But with miles and miles of soft white sand, the green-blue waters framed by low red cliffs, why shouldn't it be? The symbol of the town is a half-moon and star, representing fertility. Hippie heritage aside, locals have expanded their businesses to include horseback riding for R$30 (US$15/£8) per hour, sand boarding for R$3 (US$1.50/£.80) per trip, and especially buggy rides either along the beach or into the vast sand dunes piled up behind the city. The full 2 1/2-hour buggy tour, which includes a passage along the beach and up into the dunes, costs R$180 (US$90/£49) per buggy (buggies seat two or three comfortably, four if you squish). Shorter tours ride along the cliff-top overlooking the beach, usually with a stop at a rainwater lagoon that looks like an oasis in the desert, the perfect stop for a swim or a cold beer. On the beach, barracas (stalls) rent out chairs and umbrellas, and food and drink is always close at hand, while local women offer scalp and shoulder massages for R$10 (US$5/£3).