A few times here at the blog we have reflected on the importance surf has for the life of many youngsters along the gigantic Brazilian coastline. For them, surf is such a central part of their lifes as it can be for an Australian or a Hawaiian. Dunes along the coast provide these youngsters with another source of endless excitement: sandboarding.

Our first weekly shot is from the top of the mythical sunset dune in Jericoacara, Ceará. Our second shot is from the equally popular Joaquina dunes on the island of Florianópolis.

If you want more information on “Jeri”, have a look at our blog post destination: Jericoacoara. If you want more information on Florianópolis, head to destination: Florianópolis.

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This is the third on a series of videos produced by the Brazilian tourism authorities. They all have a common theme: those states that will host 2014 World Cup games. During the coming weeks we will present all those videos here in the blog. They are shortish videos, with conventional but beautiful images of the states and its main destinations.

Ceará:

We have devoted several blog posts to the state of Ceará, including our guides to Fortaleza and Jericoacoara.

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RELATED POSTS:
institutional videos: Paraná
institutional videos: São Paulo
institutional videos: Rio Grande do Norte
institutional videos: Pernambuco
institutional videos: Bahia
institutional videos: Rio Grande do Sul
destination: Fortaleza
destination: Jericoacoara
institutional videos: state of Amazonas
institutional videos: Rio de Janeiro
institutional videos: Minas Gerais

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Jericoacoara is a destination with a mythical status among tourists. Its success lies on the difficult access and the achievements of its habitants in defending the village from the attacks of unsustainable tourism.

WE LIKE THE MOST: the isolation, the dunes, the unprententious character of the village, the Pousada Vila Kalango

WE LIKE THE LEAST: the trip (popular with foreign tourists) run by some reckless delinquents to catch seahorses (a protected species); the bar at the Lagoa da Torta where minute lobsters are sold; a travel agency (with the name of an Australian animal) that runs awful trips in Jericoacora

HOW TO GET THERE: the road is the form used by 99% of the visitors to Jericoacora. Leaving from Fortaleza, there’s a five-hour trip on the road followed by an additional hour through the sand dunes. The company Fretcar goes to Jericoacoara (prices and timetables)

CAREFUL WITH: the combination of sand and wind, deadly for photographic equipment; the two-day trip to Jericoacora sold in Fortaleza, you are likely to spend more time on the road than on Jericoacoara itself; to enjoy Jeri you need to spend at least three nights in the village – bear in mind you will waste one day going and another one coming back; under no circumnstances attempt to get to Jericoacoara by car, your chances of ending up stuck in the sand are extremely high, and your insurance will not cover any expenses resulting from the accident.

FAVOURITE PLACES: the sunset dune, the Lagoa Azul (Blue Lagoon), the Lagoa do Paraiso (Paradise Lagoon), the dried mangrove on the way to Tatajuba, the Pedra Furada

PIECE OF ADVICE:

• climb the sand dune at the end of the day to see the sunset over the sea
• the streets are not paved, walk barefoot or with flip-flops
• in Jerí there are few shops: bring from Fortaleza medicines, batteries, sunblock, money and other basic stuff
• there is absolutely no need to buy trips from any agency. What you can’t do on your own in Jericoacoara, you can do hiring a buggy to take you to different places
• Jericoacoara is one of the top destinations in Brazil for kitesurfing and windsurfing

ACCOMMODATION: full listing of hotels and pousadas in Jericoacoara.

LINKS: Jericoacoara .com

WEATHER FORECAST: The weather in Jericoacora for the next 10 days . Average temperatures and rainfall.

GOOGLE MAPS: Jericoacoara

PHOTOS: Jericoacoara

[Don’t forget to check out the list of other destinations already covered in this blog, here]

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Along with Natal, Fortaleza is one of the main tourist destinations in Brazil, both for the national and the foreign market. The city has underwent an uncontrolled urban explosion in the last couple of decades, with skyscrappers now competing for the ever scarcier space between the city and the sea. In spite of this, it’s a city worth visiting, if only for a short period of time.

WE LIKE THE MOST: the sea, the food

WE LIKE THE LEAST: child prostitution aimed at foreign tourists; the sense of lack of security in all the beaches

HOW TO GET THERE: Fortaleza is well connected by plane to the main Brazilian airports. By road, you can arrive from Natal in the south, or from the west. Fortaleza is the starting point of trips going to Jericoacoara.

CAREFUL WITH: the port area near the Ponte dos Ingleses, quite dangerous; the day trips to Morro Branco, find out how long you will stay at Morro Branco to avoid ending up stranded at an expensive hotel elsewhere for hours on end.

FAVOURITE PLACES: the Central Market, the Cultural Centre Dragão do Mar, the ice-cream parlours at the Meireles beach.

PIECE OF ADVICE:

• at the Central Market you will find a wider variety of crafts and at a better price than at the Craft Fair at the Meireles beach
• when we were there, the José de Alencar theater only opened for visitation once a week.
• the Beach Park, on the outskirts of Fortaleza, is the biggest waterpark in Brazil. Good fun if you are into that kind of thing

ACCOMMODATION: full listing of Hotels and Pousadas in Fortaleza

LINKS: Portal de Turismo del Estado do Ceará, Fortaleza com.br

WEATHER FORECAST: The weather in Fortaleza for the next 10 days

GOOGLE MAPS: Fortaleza

PHOTOS: Fortaleza

ACCOMMODATION SEARCH IN FORTALEZA: search for Fortaleza hotels on our search engine (results open on a new window)

[Don’t forget to check out the list of other destinations already covered in this blog, here]

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