Jericoacoara Travel Information

Jericoacoara – The Most Adventurous Beach Town in Brazil

Jericoacoara is perhaps the most adventurous beach town in Brazil, and the base for all kinds of dune and ocean-based fun. The coast around Jeri is home to top-class kite-surfing, decent surf, buggies and quad-bike trips around the dunes and lagoons, sand-boarding horse-rides along empty stretches of sand, and epic 4x4 journeys by beach along Brazil’s fabulous north-east coastline.

Jericoacoara, or Jeri as everybody calls it, is perhaps the most adventurous beach town in Brazil, and the base for all kinds of dune and ocean-based activities. The coast around Jeri is home to top-class kite-surfing, decent surf, buggies and quad-bike trips around the dunes and lagoons, scary sand-boarding descents, horse-rides along empty stretches of sand washed by Atlantic waves, and epic 4x4 journeys by beach along Brazil’s fabulous north-east coastline. There is more fun to be had in and around the tiny town of Jericoacoara than most places can even dream about, as well as being set amongst beautiful scenery of turquoise tropical seas, blue lagoons and white dunes to watch spectacular sunsets, sunrises and especially the full moon.

Even the journey to Jeri is an adventure. The town sits in the middle of wind-blown dunes in Ceara State, far in the north-east of Brazil, close to the equator. Ceara guarantees its visitors sunshine on every single day of the year. The first part of the journey from the city of Fortaleza, the state capital, is done by road for around 4 hours, but the final 90 minutes or so must be done on specialised transport via the beach and the dunes. The adventure begins in Jeri before you arrive!

Once on the sandy roads of the town, you can relax. The beach is right in front, with surf around the headland and calmer waters closer to the shore, warmed by the almost constant tropical sun. You will see capoeira on the beach every afternoon in Jeri, before your first sunset brings the chance to climb the huge dune that sweeps down to the main beach. Sunset is the highlight of every single day in Jericoacoara as crowds gather on the Sunset Dune to watch the golden sun dip into the Atlantic Ocean, reflecting of the sea as it goes. Capoeira players tumble down the dune at your side and sand-boarders descend to the beach below. Horses, 4x4 vehicles and buggies pass by on the beach, bringing people back from days of dune adventure. 

These excursions include trips to the Paradise and Blue Lagoons nestled amongst the dunes. You can also travel further out of town to Mangue Seco, with boat trips around the mangroves and a visit to the abandoned town of Tatajuba, buried under the encroaching dunes. The Parnaiba Delta across the state border in Piaui is another option, with the wild delta being rich in wildlife amongst the creeks and islands. 

Kite-surfing safaris and classes can be arranged from Jeri, with days spent at the best spots in the area, including Praia do Prea close by and Paracuru and Cumbuco closer to Fortaleza. All have some of the best kite-surfing conditions in the whole of Brazil, with world-class winds from July to January especially.

Perhaps the very best adventure you can have in Jericoacoara, or anywhere else in Brazil, is to take the 4x4 trip along the best beaches of the north-east, between Jericoacoara and Praia da Pipa, close to Natal. This can even be extended to the stunning dunes of Lençois Maranhenses and Sao Luis in the other direction, one of the most adventurous journeys in Brazil.

After days travelling up and down the coastline, your evenings can be spent relaxing in Jeri. The sand roads play host to various restaurants and bars, with nightlife being impossible to miss and easy to enjoy around the beach and the few sand-roads. Perhaps the most special time of all is during Full Moon, when a beautiful red moon rises over the dunes behind as the sun sets in the ocean in front. If you can last through a Jericoacoara night, it happens the opposite way around at dawn, 12 hours later! This all contributes to the holiday atmosphere that makes Jericoacoara one of the best destinations in Brazil for adventurous people!

Suitable Destination For: Those who like Adventure! And dunes, sea, sun, sand, scenery, sunsets.

Best Time to Visit: All year long. Ceara State guarantees 365 days of sun/year and offer refunds on trips to visitors who don’t see the sun. Brazil Adventure Tours can do the same (although only for Ceara State!). March and April are the wet season months, so if any months are best to avoid it would be those two. Kite-surfing winds are best from July to January.

Essential Sights & Activities: The Journey to Jericoacoara; Sunset Dune... at Sunset; Lagoons; Activities such as sand-boarding, surfing and especially kite-surfing; buggy or 4x4 trips through the dunes; Full Moon rising & setting directly opposite the sun. 

Jericoacoara Tours