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In Jericoacora,
you feel completely
isolated from the world and in intimate contact with nature.
For this reason alone, should be enough to include this
wonderful place in their Brazil travel itinerary. But this oasis has much
more to offer.
Jeri (its nickname) is
sheer beauty in the middle of the dunes of Ceará. This jewel is considered
by the Washington Post as one of the 10 most beautiful beaches in the
world.
To preserve this
paradise of caves, crystal water lagoons, palm trees and gigantic mobile
dunes, the area became an environmental protection area that has the
features of a small fishing village: the streets are not paved;
electricity is a relatively recent addition and is available only in the
houses, there are no street lights.
Attractions of the Jewel of Ceará
Pedra Furada
(Perforated Rock) is the most famous. It is an arch of rock sculpted by
the waves and the wind. Lagoa do Paraíso (Paradise Lagoon) is a huge sweet
water lagoon of crystal clear water. It is accessible only by dune buggies
and 4x4s that leave from Jeri.
Take the opportunity to
visit Lagoa Azul (Blue Lagoon). The lagoons are perfect for swimming,
diving or kayaking. On the same tour, go to Praia do Preá and taste their
excellent fresh fish and shrimp.
The buggy tours are
absolutely thrilling!
The Stunning Show of the Sunset
The sunset is also an
attraction in Jericoacora. Actually, it is more than an attraction, it is nature
at it's most beautiful. It is
an outstanding show, a performance given for free by Mother Nature. You
know that quote that there are things money cannot buy? Well, this is one of
them. It is a gift to all who wish to enjoy it.
At around
5:00 PM, the
crowd climbs up the biggest dune on the west side of the village to watch
it. It is quite a climb, but worth every step of the way.
In Jericoacoara, the
sun sets on the sea and it is wonderful to watch it disappear on the
horizon. The silence is absolute. People seem to be mesmerized by the
simple and astonishing beauty of a natural spectacle. It lasts only a few
minutes but it marks you forever. At the end, everyone applauds
and says, thank you Mother Earth!
What
to do in Jeri
There is a lot to do in
Jeri; it is all up to you. From radical sports, like windsurfing and sand boarding,
to walking on the beach and enjoying the peace and quite of a picture
perfect landscape. Make sure to try and dance the Forró, the traditional northeast dance.
Now, here is a Forró
tip: try to get a local or Brazilian to teach you the basics.
Brazilians are very open and friendly. Even if they don’t speak English,
and odds are, they won’t, they are very good at body language and miming is
a universal language, right?
Forró is not very
difficult and you are going to have a lot of fun.
Getting to Jeri
Jericoacora is 310 km away from Fortaleza,
the capital of the state of Ceará. Any way you chose to go you have to
start from Fortaleza.
By bus - very popular, although
not so comfortable. The bus goes to Jijoca and there you switch to a 4x4
vehicle that takes you to Jericoacora. This connection is included in the
bus ticket.
By Car -
Exit Fortaleza on BR-222. Go up to
Umirim and get CE-016 up to Morrinhos. From there, get CE-354 up to Jijoca.
You are going to need a map because the roads aren't very well marked. And you will need to speak Portuguese
if you want to ask for directions. It is unlikely to find any locals
fluent in English along the way.
The best option is to rent a 4x4 in
Fortaleza, because you do need a 4x4 to reach Jericoacora. The roads into
Jeri tend to be rather primitive.
Otherwise, you will have to leave the car in Jijoca and rent a 4x4 there.
From there, you can also get the 4x4 connection that the buses use. They
leave twice day. Get an updated schedule in Fortaleza.
By Jeep - It costs about R$ 200
and takes 5 people with luggage. Get information at Pousada Casa do Turismo,
Fortaleza.
By Plane - Can you imagine the
view? Wow! Just 45 minutes from Fortaleza. Get information at your hotel.
Jericoacoara's Accomodations and Restaurants
Everything is simple in Jeri, no five star hotels or resorts here. There
are pousadas (small private inns, that are a form of sophisticated bed and
breakfast) and small hotels that are comfortable and simple.
The
restaurants offer delicious local food. So... experiment a little.
If you are looking for the nature
at its best, Jericoacora has what you are searching for.
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Did you know that...
Rumor has it the word "forró" is the Brazilian pronunciation
of "for all." English professionals in Brazil organized parties
that were, sometimes, for everybody. The invitation had the word "For all"
at the bottom.
And that's how this folkloric and absolute
contagious dance was baptized. Forró is a kind of
folk music in the rock 'n' roll tradition. This is the rockabilly of Brazil;
raw, rhythmic Saturday night party stuff.
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