Nearly two years after the publication of my first list of favourite places in Brazil (Top 10: favourite places in Brazil) a revamped version of that list makes the blog’s frontpage – gaining a catchier title in the process. So here is the 2009 ranking of my 10 must-see places in Brazil. Click on the names of the places to go to their full destination cards here at the blog, and find out more about them. Some of the destinations are really well-known. Others fall within the hidden jewel description. Bear in mind I have only included places I have been to (places I’ve read/heard about but I haven’t visited didn’t make it into the ranking).

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1. Fernando de Noronha (Pernambuco)

Noronha is where you will find the most beautiful beaches in the whole of Brazil, and crystal-clear waters of unparalleled beauty. If that wasn’t enough, locals do care about the environment, no mean fate in the Brazilian context. A unique place. Not even its dear price tag will remove it from the number 1.

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2. Paraty (Rio de Janeiro)

Atlantic rainforest, desert beaches and the best preserved colonial architecture in the country come together to make of Paraty a very special destination.

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3. Lençóis Maranhenses (Maranhão)

While it’s not easy to reach the Lençóis Maranhenses, the reward more than makes up for the long journey. A unique landscape of dunes and lagoons where mass tourism hasn’t left its mark yet.

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4. Ilha Grande (Rio de Janeiro)

In spite of the numerous threats looming, Ilha Grande is a fantastic and incredibly beautiful nature destination.

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5. Boipeba (Bahia)

Wild beaches and crystal-clear waters the way you won’t find anywhere else in Brazil – bar Noronha. On top of that, a charming quiet village where civilization has yet to leave its imprint.

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6. Iguaçu falls (Paraná and Argentina)

The breathtaking beauty of the falls will captive you the moment you set your eyes on them.

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7. Bonito (Mato Grosso do Sul)

In the southernmost tip of the Pantanal lies Bonito, a mecca for ecotourism and fun in close contact with nature.

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8. Morro de São Paulo (Bahia)

A unique combination of sublime beaches with a great atmosphere at the end of the day.

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9. Arraial d’Ajuda (Bahia)

Great variety of beaches and a lovely village. Rest and relax during the day, have fun when the night begins.

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10. Jericoacoara (Ceará)

Another destination with a nearly-mythical status among travellers. Captivating sand dunes in a remote setting.

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HONOURABLE MENTION. Florianópolis (Santa Catarina)

The only reason for Florianópolis not making the top 10 is that rather than a single destination, the island of Florianópolis contains an exciting collection of villages and beaches.

Ready to make that trip and looking for accommodation in Brazil? Choose from a wide range of cheap to luxury hotels in Rio de Janeiro and many other cities from beautiful Brazil!

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We have seen the announcement in the media and a few blogs: Jericoacoara is going to have an international airport. The governor of the state of Ceará is promising it will be operating in July 2010 (there are general elections in October that year). In actual fact, rather than a full-blown airport, we are just talking about a runway sufficient enough for charter flights coming from Europe.

The local political bosses, the inhabitants of the region and people related to the tourism industry are celebrating. And we can’t help but feel yet another Brazilian paradise enters a road from which it will not come back.

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RELATED POSTS:
Destination: Jericoacoara
How many days in Jericoacoara?
Brazil in pictures: sands of Jericoacoara

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Accommodation in Brazil has two new blog posts.

One with a full listing of Hotels and pousadas in Canasvieiras, Florianópolis and another one with another full listing of Hotels and pousadas in Jericoacoara.

Sooner or later, during your trips throughout Brazil (and in the North East in particular), you’ll have to cross a river. And more likely than not, there will be a strapping lad and its makeshift boat ready to take you across to the other side.

The two pictures here were taken near Jericoacoara, on the way to Tatajuba.

In Trancoso, however, the unofficial ferryboat doesn’t require its captain to stand on the boat.

I am presenting my very own personal list of 10 moments lived in Brazil filled with emotion. They do not follow any particular order.

1. a huge turtle (up until then you had never stopped to think how large turtles can be) swimming placidly next to you, in complete silence; suddenly a shoal of fish swims by right in front of you while you approach a sunken ship where thousands of colourful fish rejoice. Diving in Noronha has to be one of the most intense experiences you can live in Brazil.
   
2. up to four or five dolphins jumping out of the water simultatenously, while dozens of them follow the small boat from where you contemplate the amazing display. Encountering dolphins in Noronha is joy at its purest.
3. in spite of the pushing and shoving; of the endless queue of tourists all waiting to take exactly the same snapshot in front of the statue, arms opened; in spite of the awful mood of the professional photographers; in spite of the street vendors; when you reach the balcony of the Corcovado mountain and the whole of Rio unfolds in front of your very own eyes, your heart and mind are transported somewhere else.
   
4. the ceaseless rhythm of the percussion, the tune you will not stop humming even after you’ve gone to sleep, the festival of colours and dazzling costumes, the bumba-meu-boi festival in São Luís is pure magic.
   
5. from the top of the sunset dune in Jericoacoara there is a terrific panoramic view of the sea and the dunes. When the moon is full, it will appear right at the same time as the sun goes down, turning the experience into an unforgettable moment.
   
6. think of the wildest rollercoaster your mind can imagine and then take all safety devices out of the picture. That’s what a buggy ride on the Genipabu dunes feels like. Your stomach will turn, you will bid farewell to friends an family endless times, you will swallow tons of sand, and your heart will be tested to the limit.
   
7. everything in the village is special, but watching the sun go down behind the Serra do Mar from the harbour in Paraty is an unforgettable moment that can open the door to never-ending passions.
   
8. an endless succession of dunes and green lagoons, absolutely no one around, the merciless sun being your only companion. A walk through the Lençóis Maranhenses is intense to the extreme.
   
9. there is something unreal about that intense red colour. Because of that, contemplating the scarlet ibises near the Baronesa beach in Alcântara is an activity where the notion of time quickly vanishes.
   
10. the roaring of the waters and its spray are felt from afar, but the real power of the place is only truly manifested when you reach the mighty Devil’s Throat at the Iguazu Falls. Don’t be surprised should you find yourself leaning dangerously towards, such is the power of the enchanment [the observation deck for the Devil's Throat is actually in Argentina, but most of what you see from there it's on Brazil].
    

I want to close my list with a very special emotion, that can be experienced anywhere on Brasil, but only once in a long while. In terms of strong emotions, few things can compare to the explosion of joy that follows the conquest by Brazil of a soccer World Cup. The last time it happened I was lucky to be here to witness it, it was 2002.

Here are all the Top 10 lists published in the blog so far.

[read the 2010 update: 10 must-see places in Brazil]

This is a list of my top 10 favourite places in Brazil. It only includes places I have visited – for that reason you will not find on the list potential jewels such as Ilha Grande. Click on the names of the places to find out more about them.

1. Fernando de Noronha (Pernambuco)

Noronha is where you will find the most beautiful beaches in the whole of Brazil, and crystal-clear waters of unparalleled beauty. A place like no other in Brazil.

2. Paraty (Río de Janeiro)

Atlantic rainforest, desert beaches and the best preserved colonial architecture in the country come together to make of Paraty a very special destination. On top of that, Paraty is close to Rio and São Paulo.

3. Lençóis Maranhenses (Maranhão)

While it’s not easy to get to the Lençóis, the reward more than makes up for the long journey. A unique landscape of dunes and lagoons where mass tourism hasn’t left its mark yet.

4. Jericoacoara (Ceará)

Another destination with a nearly-mythical status among travellers. Captivating sand dunes in a remote setting.

5. Iguazu falls (Paraná and Argentina)

The breathtaking beauty of the falls will captive you the moment you set your eyes on them.

6. Arraial d’Ajuda (Bahia)

Hard to believe you would find a charming place like Arraial d’Ajuda so close to Porto Seguro.

7. Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro)

Rio is a city like no other, not just in Brazil, but throught the world. Its serious problems do not allow for a higher place on the list.

8. Bonito (Mato Grosso do Sul)

In the southernmost point of the Pantanal lies Bonito, a mecca for ecotourism and fun in close contact with nature.

9. Trancoso (Bahia)

Trancoso is near Arraial d’Ajuda and shares with its neighbour a series of wonderful beaches and a relaxed atmosphere.

10. Ouro Preto (Minas Gerais)

In spite of the sorry state of conservation of its World Heritage, Ouro Preto makes it to the top 10 because of the truly mesmerizing historical riches found in its churches.

MyMaps!: mash-up that will allow you to locate of all the places listed above at GoogleMaps!

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The sands of Jericoacoara are magical. Windswept, the sands form mesmerizing patterns that extend as far as the eye can see.

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RELATED POSTS:
hotels and pousadas in Jericoacoara

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NAME: pousada Vila Kalango

WHERE: Jericoacoara, Ceará

WEBSITE: www.vilakalango.com.br

IN ENGLISH: though there’s been an option for English on the home page for quite a long time, it is not active (why bother, then?)

PRICES ON THE WEBSITE: yes

LOCATION: on one end of Jericoacoara, right next to the sunset dune, with the beach in front.

THE BUILDING: the pousada occupies a garden of 5,000 m2 with palm trees and cashew nut trees.

THE ROOMS: there are several types of rooms: we stayed at an apartamento standard, 30m2, built with materials from the region. The walls are made of clay bricks, the roof uses carnaúba palm leaves, and the floor is made of wood. They have a fan, a king-size bed, a mosquito net, and a hammock on the outside. Charming decor. There are more luxurious accommodations, rooms built on the top of stilt houses (see photo above). No telephone or television on the rooms (a plus, we think).

PRICES IN OCTOBER 2004: R$120 per room per night. Prices have risen quite a lot since we were there.

BREAKFAST: included in the price. Excellent. Including hot dishes (crêpes, tapioca) prepared while you wait, and bread baked on the premises. Breakfast is served on a wonderful dining room, with open views to the dune and the sea.

MEALS: we didn’t have any meals at the restaurant, but from what we saw on the menu, the food looked really enticing.

FRONT DESK: correct.

OTHER FACILITIES: the pousada now has a swimming pool and (paid) Internet access.

CONTACT BY E-MAIL: can’t evaluate this item as we booked the pousada through a travel agent.

OUR JUDGEMENT: at 2004 prices, incredible value for money. Prices have risen a lot since then, and from what other travellers have told us, the pousada is even nicer today. Though not cheap, if you want to give yourselves a treat in Brazil, this could be the place. The beautiful pictures of the pousada on its website do justice to the place.

GOOGLE MAPS [MY MAPS!]: Pousada Vila Kalango

SEE ALSO: hotels and pousadas in Jericoacoara

How many days should I allow for Jericoacoara?

The advice we give from this blog is to stay a minimum of three nights in Jericoacoara, so you have two entire days in the village (one to go to Tatajuba, and the other one to go to the Lagoa Azul and the Lagoa do Paraíso). Bear in mind you will spend an entire day going to Jericoacoara and another day coming back. And you will still need to allow time to visit the Pedra Furada.

SEE ALSO: hotels and pousadas in Jericoacoara

[Don't forget there is a list of all the questions & answers published in the blog here]

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 Redençao 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

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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