West Coast of Ceará: A complete guide to stunning beaches and unforgettable experiences

The west coast of Ceará, which stretches from Tabuba to the border with Piauí, has a rich variety of beaches.

While some, such as Bitupitá, are rarely visited by tourists, others, such as the famous Jericoacoara beach, attract visitors from all over the Northeast.

The beaches and villages of this region stand out for the hospitality with which they welcome visitors and for the preservation of a traditional culture closely linked to the sea.

The dunes and the winds play a fundamental role in this scenario. An example of this is the Village of Tatajuba, which was literally swallowed up by the movements of a dune and transported to Nova Tatajuba.

From Fortaleza, the best way to reach the west coast of Ceará – known as the Costa do Sol Poente – is via the Estruturante motorway.

Main Cities and Beaches of the West Coast of Ceará

1. Municipality of Caucaia
2. Municipality of São Gonçalo do Amarante
3. Parish of Paracuru
4. Parish of Trairi
5. Municipality of Camocim
6. Municipality of Almofala
7. Municipality of Jijoca de Jericoacoara
8. City of Bitupitá

1 Municipality of Caucaia

Caucaia is part of the Metropolitan Region of Fortaleza and stands out as one of the main tourist centres of Ceará, attracting a large influx of visitors, especially due to the influence of the Metropolis of Fortaleza and the Cumbuco Beach.

The Caucaia Coastal Region includes the beaches of Iparana, Pacheco, Icaraí, Tabuba and Cumbuco.

The municipality is one of the main centres for sail sports, especially kitesurfing.

Cumbuco is the main tourist destination in Caucaia, known worldwide for its natural landscape of lagoons, rivers and dunes, and for water sports such as kitesurfing and surfing.

Cumbuco also offers a wide range of accommodation, including an international flagship resort of Portuguese origin. Its proximity to the metropolis of Fortaleza is a major attraction.

With 44 kilometres of coastline, Caucaia has 28 kilometres of coastline in Caucaia-Sede, while the remaining 16 kilometres belong to the Guararu and Catuana districts, which are part of the Cauípe River Environmental Protection Area and the Pecém Ecological Station.

Its beaches are among the most popular, both for the calm, clear waters of the South Atlantic and for the sand dunes, coconut groves, mangroves and natural lagoons that make this place a paradise of indescribable beauty.

1.1 The beaches of Caucaia: Refuges in the midst of nature

Caucaia is popular with those who practise extreme sports. The city offers a variety of activities such as windsurfing, dune walking, jet skiing, kayaking and banana boats. Especially in Praia do Cumbuco and Lagoa do Banana, sports tourism and adventure attractions abound, with trails and tours galore.

Many of the beaches have coconut trees and dunes, such as Cumbuco Beach, one of the most visited in the city. Other excellent beaches include

• Praia de Icaraí: famous for its carnival and for hosting various surfing championships.
• Barra do Cauípe Beach: popular for kite surfing and buggy rides. Don’t forget to visit the Cauípe Lagoon.
• Barra Nova Beach: ideal for families looking for calm waters; the sea is so calm it’s like a lagoon!
• Pico das Almas: perfect for surfers and those who want to get in touch with nature. The lack of infrastructure is compensated for by the rustic beauty of the landscape.
• Praia de Tabuba: Situated at the mouth of the Sapucaí River, it offers natural pools and beach bars.

2. The parish of São Gonçalo do Amarante

São Gonçalo do Amarante, also known as Praça da Matriz, honours the church of São Gonçalo do Amarante, the patron saint of the city.

The square is abuzz with life: lovers meet for a date, pensioners meet for a chat, the faithful strengthen their religious ties, children play, teenagers eat snacks and adults enjoy a beer.

The square has a light fountain, benches, kiosks, snack bars, internet, car park and toys. It’s a place where everything happens.

2.1 Taíba Beach

Praia da Taíba, a former fishing village, has become a major tourist attraction due to its natural beauty. Its hospitable people are always ready to welcome visitors with the friendliness and joy that are typical of the place.

Its sea is ideal for water sports such as surfing, windsurfing and bodyboarding. The nights are festive, full of forró, pagode and samba no pé.

Along the beach, stalls sell delicious dishes such as crayfish, fried fish, crayfish and lobster.

The Escargot Festival, held every August, is a gastronomic sensation in the region, attracting thousands of tourists from Brazil and around the world and providing jobs and income for the district, which already has 27 farms.

The view is a spectacle of colours, seduced by the blue sea, the golden sun and the beach with its coconut palm fringed sands.

This is Taíba: a place where neighbours meet for a pleasant chat, ideal for a visit to Ceará.

2.2 Pecém Beach

Pecém Beach, located between the beaches of Cumbuco and Paracuru, is 58 kilometres from Fortaleza, in the municipality of São Gonçalo do Amarante, accessible by the Costa do Sol Poente Highway, better known as CE-085, which is in excellent condition.

Pecém offers a beautiful tourist setting, with coves and natural saltwater pools, coconut groves, rafts and white dunes contrasting with the green of the sea.

With its inviting waves, it is an excellent place for surfing.

3. Parish of Paracuru

Paracuru is 88 kilometres from Fortaleza and has about 20 kilometres of coastline with a great variety of landscapes.

Farol Beach is the main beach in the parish and the busiest, being the closest to Praça da Matriz.

When the tide goes out, Pedra Rachada becomes a picture postcard with its natural pools.

For those looking for more excitement, Quebra Mar beach is ideal, with winds that can reach 40 kilometres per hour, creating perfect conditions for kitesurfing and windsurfing.

At Sunset, the view becomes even more breathtaking. The sunset must be seen from the highest point of the dune at Praia das Almas, a virtually unspoilt spot.

3.1 Munguba Beach

Munguba Beach: A busy urban beach in Paracuru, with fishing pens.

3.2 Ronco do Mar beach

Ronco do Mar is a popular spot for surfers and young people, with a concentration of beach huts. It is also known as Igreja Velha Beach.

3.3 Pedra Rachada

This beach is located in a small bay with coconut palms, reefs and natural pools. There are fish pens in the sea and a good structure of stalls.

3.4 Bica beach

At Praia da Bica, visitors from neighbouring beaches often swim in the freshwater inlets, which serve as an anchorage for boats.

3.5 Lagoinha beach

Lagoinha is a well-defined bay with a red dune full of coconut palms. Waves crash against the rocks at high tide, making it very crowded in high season and at weekends.

4. Municipality of Trairi

Trairi is located on the state’s coast, west of Fortaleza.

Flecheiras Beach is the town’s main attraction, known for its natural pools formed by coral reefs at low tide.

In Trairi, visitors will find good inns by the sea, with the opportunity to take long, invigorating walks with the grandeur of our sea as a backdrop.

Tourists who spend their holidays in this city of Ceará return with renewed energy.

For those looking for excitement and fun, Flecheiras has plenty to offer.

Bars, restaurants and concert halls liven up the evenings. There are frequent festivals and sports championships.

Tourists can climb the dunes to enjoy the views and visit small and large lagoons in the middle of the sand. Trairi is synonymous with fun, joy, good food and parties.

Another tourist attraction is Mundaú Beach, where rare beauties come together: the river, the sea, the dunes and the coconut trees.

A boat trip along the river is a great way to discover the beauty of the area; if you prefer, you can take a drive and get a closer look at the lagoons and vegetation that line the coastline.

We also recommend a visit to Praia de Guajiru, where you’ll find mobile white sand dunes with interdune lagoons and a vast stretch of sand framed by coconut trees.

At low tide, tourists and locals alike enjoy a refreshing swim in the natural pools.

4.1 Embuaca Beach

Embuaca Beach: A fishing village that preserves adobe houses built next to the dunes and coconut trees. The sea is darkened by the waters of the Mundaú River.

4.2 Guajiru Beach

Guajiru Beach: A quiet beach surrounded by coconut trees, with calm waters and natural pools.

4.3 Flecheiras Beach

Praia das Flecheiras: has a wide strip of broken sand, with huts, inns and hotels, and is suitable for swimming.

4.4 Mundaú beach

At the edge of Mundaú Beach, the sea near the Mundaú River has dark waters. The seafront has inns, coconut trees and a strip of beaten sand.

5 Municipality of Camocim

Camocim is located 365 kilometres from Fortaleza, near the famous city of Jericoacoara and the border with Piauí.

With 62 kilometres of beautiful beaches, some deserted and others with good infrastructure, its great attraction is its natural beauty.

Traditional fishing canoes are part of the typical landscape. The town has an adequate tourist infrastructure, including guesthouses, hotels and restaurants, which are particularly busy during the Carnival and the Micareta in October.

Lovers of eco-tourism and water sports such as kitesurfing and windsurfing will find plenty of opportunities. Buggy hire is the main way to get between the beaches.

Among the attractions, the Coreaú River Estuary stands out, with boat trips to see birds and mangroves.

Maceió Beach is busy during Carnival, but offers quiet with calm, warm waters the rest of the year.

Tatajuba Beach, famous for its white dunes and Lagoa da Torta, is another great attraction. It can be reached by boat or buggy and is ideal for extreme sports enthusiasts.

Praia da Barrinha is a quiet fishing village, perfect for relaxing, while Praia do Xavier is one of the most beautiful and virtually deserted. Praia das Barreiras, with its cliffs, offers an incredible panoramic view.

The huge coconut grove adds to its beauty. A little further on is Xavier’s Beach, considered one of the most beautiful in the region and practically deserted.

Barra dos Remédios Beach, where the Rio dos Remédios meets the Atlantic Ocean, is one of the last deserted beaches in the state.

Just 3 kilometres from the centre of Camocim, Praia das Barreiras has imposing cliffs from which you can enjoy an incredible panoramic view.

Finally, Ilha da Testa Branca or Ilha do Amor is accessible by ferry and offers breathtaking views, swimming and gastronomic delights such as fresh prawns.

5.1 Buggy ride

The buggy ride in Camocim is one of the most enchanting experiences on the western coast of Ceará. It can last all day or be done in a shorter version. After crossing the river by ferry, you arrive at Amor Island, where you will find a long sandy beach.

The route includes crossings through mangroves, dunes and lagoons. A stop at the Funil Dune leads to the Green Lagoon, followed by the Encantada Dune and the Tatajuba Beach, which has the Torta Lagoon, ideal for swimming.

Visitors can watch the sunset at the Encantada dune or extend the walk to Guriú, where the river forms pools of warm water. It’s a famous postcard, and if you want you can continue on to Jijoca de Jericoacoara.

5.2 Nova Tatajuba

Nova Tatajuba is a fishing village 32 kilometres from Jericoacoara, built in the 1980s after the old Velha Tatajuba was covered by dunes.

Today the village has no electricity, the houses are made of mud and the only vehicles are buggies. The landscape is characterised by coconut palms and high dunes, the most impressive of which is the Encantada d une, over 30 metres high.

Surrounded by legends, the Encantada dune offers spectacular views and is a point of reference for fishermen.

6. The town of Almofala

The small seaside village of Almofala, situated between the Aracati-Mirim and Aracati-Açu rivers, is home to a jewel: The Church of Nossa Senhora da Conceição dos Tremembés, built in 1712 on the land of the Tremembés Indians and buried by the dunes in 1897.

In the 1940s, the wind opened up the church, revealing its beautiful baroque features.

In the square of the small church, listed by Iphan in 1980, the villagers celebrate the feast of Our Lady of the Assumption in the first week of August and the feast of the patron saint, Our Lady of the Conception, in the first week of December.

Access to Almofala, 12 kilometres from Itarema, is via the BR-402 and CE-434 motorways.

7. Parish of Jijoca de Jericoacoara

Among its attractions are the Blue Lagoon and the Paradise Lagoon, ideal for windsurfing due to the constant winds.

The colour of the water in the lagoons varies according to their depth; they are perfect for snorkelling and sailing, as well as for relaxing and contemplating the beautiful landscape surrounded by dunes.

The best time to visit Jericoacoara’s lagoons is during the rainy season (between March and May), when they are at their fullest.

For windsurfing, the best time is from July to November, when the winds are strongest. It is important to remember that the use of motorised equipment is prohibited throughout the lagoons.

7.1 Jericoacoara

Jericoacoara, located in the municipality of Jijoca de Jericoacoara, about 300 kilometres from Fortaleza, is a fishing village with sandy streets and no public lighting, ideal for those seeking quiet and paradisiacal landscapes.

Affectionately known as Jeri, the village is considered one of the most beautiful beaches in Brazil and has become a cosmopolitan destination. Access is by jeep or buggy, preserving its isolation.

Visitors will find sophisticated restaurants and a variety of tours available.

A stay of at least four days is recommended to fully explore the region. Jericoacoara is perfect for sports such as windsurfing and kite surfing, with beaches of calm waves and strong winds.

In 2002, the area was declared a National Park, with free access outside high season, but with strict environmental protection laws.

7.2 Pedra Furada

Pedra Furada is one of the postcards of Jericoacoara and can be reached by a half hour walk along the beach. The nearby Malhada beach is ideal for a swim.

The stone must be reached at low tide, but it can also be reached by buggy across the Jijoca lagoon.

7.3 Buggy rides

There are two options for buggy rides from Jericoacoara. One is 12 kilometres east, including Preá beach and the dunes. The other goes west for 20 kilometres, passing the beaches of Mangue Seco, Guriú, Tatajuba Velha and Tatajuba Nova. Both take about five hours.

7.4 Sunset Dune

Every day at around 5pm, visitors and locals climb Jericoacoara’s Dune to watch the sunset from a height of 40 metres. The colours of the spectacle range from violet to orange. At the end, the spectators applaud while some slide down the dune.

8. City of Bitupitá

The city of Bitupitá has about 6,000 inhabitants and is located on the border between Ceará and Piauí.

It is a rustic fishing village, ideal for a day trip as it has no accommodation infrastructure.

The village is famous for its corrals, underwater traps made of logs and nets, in which fish are caught. When the tide goes out, the fishermen remove the fish and sell them on the beach.

There are about ten corrals near the edge of Bitupitá beach, with others up to 10 kilometres from the shore. Visitors can watch the fishermen at work and buy fresh fish from the local stalls.

To reach the village, take the BR-402 from Barroquinha, which is 40 kilometres from Camocim, and then drive 35 kilometres on a dirt road, recommended for four-wheel drive cars.

Tourist guide to the west coast of Ceará.

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