Experience the best of Jericoacoara

Jericoacoara, known as Jeri, is a village in the state of Ceará, several hours' drive west of Fortaleza along the Atlantic coast, and lies inside a national park. Its streets are made of sand, lined with low houses, small inns and restaurants. Each evening people climb the big dune at the edge of the village to watch the sun go down over the sea.

Pedra Furada, a rock arch on a headland east of the village, can be reached on foot along the beach. Inland, freshwater lagoons such as Lagoa do Paraíso and Lagoa Azul lie among the dunes and are reached by buggy or four-wheel-drive. The strong, steady wind makes the coast a favourite for kitesurfing and windsurfing, and sand-boarding on the dunes is popular.

Grilled fish, shrimp stew and tapioca crêpes filled with coconut or cheese are staples, along with fresh coconut water and caipirinhas, and evenings bring capoeira and forró music to the sandy lanes. The wind is strongest in the second half of the year, and the lagoons are fullest after the rains of the early months.