Jijoca de Jericoacoara (Coast of Ceará)
07-11-2021
It is an ideal destination for those looking for beaches and idyllic views. Located 300 km from the capital of the state of Ceara, Fortaleza, in the Northeast region of Brazil, Jericoacoara, with its dunes and crystal-clear waters, offers breathtaking landscapes and fascinates for being one of the few places in Brazil where it is possible to admire the sunrise, but also the sunset, over the ocean. Thanks to the wild aspects of nature, tourism is one of the main sources of income for residents. In 1984, Jericoacoara Beach was classified as one of the 10 best beaches in the world by the Washington Post.
The favorite sites of natural beauty are: The Pierced Stone (Pedra Furada) of Jericoacoara, the dunes and the crystalline lagoons that form in the middle of them. Despite the presence of big waves and numerous rocks, the place is famous for the practice of water sports such as windsurfing and kitesurfing. The dune closest to the village is a high point with a privileged wide view of the sea and brings together tourists who come to watch the sunset.
Another popular spot is the Mangue Seco region, particularly the place known as Cavalo Marinho, where the roots of vegetation anchoring in the submerged sand, form a tangle suitable for the reproduction of various species of crabs. In these waters we can also observe beautiful and rare seahorses, threatened with extinction all over the world. It is forbidden to take them even by hand.
On the Mangue Seco coastline, the main attraction are the huge trees with aerial roots and their hanging swings and hammocks.
To taste the local cuisine, the ideal place is Praça de Jeri, opened in 2012, with picturesque kiosks covered with straw and good restaurants, remarkable for their benches in the shape of canoes, which make the originality of the place.
For many years Jericoacoara was a simple fishing village that lived "hidden" between the immense moving dunes and the sea. The construction of fast access roads, roads, or even the paving of dirt roads, is strictly prohibited. The village is declared an environmental protection zone, managed, and supervised by ICMBio (Institute Chico Mendes Bio).
Picture: Rosanetur Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, CC BY 2.0 Wikimedia Commons