Guia Beach Show Jericoacoara-Ceará-Brasil

EDITOR’S WORD
Jericoacoa is a magical and charming
place located about 300km away from
Fortaleza, on the westernmost point of
the state of Ceará. It has been voted one
of the ten most beautiful beaches on the
planet, according to The Washington
Post and specialized media. Until the
mid-1980s, Jeri, as it is also well known,
was only a fishing village that coexisted
harmoniously with the striking beauty
of the place and its rich flora and fauna.
The National Park of Jericoacoara was
created in 1985. It is an environmental
protection area managed by the
Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity
Conservation (ICMBIO).
Foto: Alicita Neta
I had the privilege of visiting and
enjoying Jeri in the early years of the
growth of tourism of the region. At that
time, there was no electricity and the
village depended on diesel generators and lamps.
The forró was something quite special and a mustsee
experience, especially because of the lighting
with lamps and the “arrasta-pé”. It was a unique
experience enjoyed by tourists and by the local
community as well. Those who lived this period know
what I am talking about. I worked in the tourism
industry and I used to bring tourists to Jeri together
with Serginho Herrera, Jr. Bonitão, and Johnny, Ana
Herrera’s former husband - who introduced me to this
paradise. Mr. Sérgio Herreira, the owner of the pioneer
Hippopotamus B&B, is largely responsible for the
development of tourism in Jericoacoara.
I have followed this whole process of expansion, the
growth in the number of inns and restaurants, the
arrival of electricity and the internet, the discovery
of new routes and attractions on the nearby
beaches, the boom in extreme sports (windsurfing,
kiteboarding, surf, longboard, sandboarding, and
capoeira), and the discovery of the place by foreigners
and consequently by international tourism.
Jeri has changed with times and has grown
considerably, but the place has not lost its true
essence and it remains beautiful and desired by ten
out of ten travelers. Today, Jericoacoara has enough
infrastructure to receive tourists from all over the
world and offer amazing and unforgettable leisure
days, joy and unique sensations to its visitors. There is
always the desire to stay and enjoy a little longer, or
to be back soon.
It is not easy to get to Jericoacoara, if we compare
with other tourist cities in the Brazilian northeast.
Because of the dunes, you can only get to the village
by 4x4 transport or by jardineira (an open overland
truck that carries 20 to 30 people).
From Fortaleza, you take a six-hour bus trip to Jijoca,
and then a one-hour trip by jardineira to Jeri. If you
prefer to arrive in Jeri more rapidly, you can hire
private transportation. That makes the travel much
faster. With the opening of the international airport,
the travel is even shorter, and the tourists can go from
Cruz to Jijoca, and then travel to Jericoacoara as they
choose.
The attractions are numerous in Jeri, and you should
know exactly what you want to do according to the
number of days you are staying in this paradise. We
welcome visitors of different profiles; some for a short
stay, from one to five days, but some stay from three
to six months and end up almost living here. They
usually go sailing, practice extreme sports, and enjoy
what the place has to offer.
Pedra Furada (Holed Stone), Árvore da Preguiça (Lazy
Tree), Lagoa do Paraíso (Paradise Lagoon), where the
Alchymist Beach Club is the most visited attraction,
and the sunset at the top of the main dune are not to
be missed. There are several other places across the
region to visit though. For that reason, I advise you to
read this guide very carefully and choose your route.
In short, enjoying Jeri means adventures, discoveries,
sweet smiles, new friends, easy life, and breathtaking
places, all in one place. For these and many other
reasons, come to Jeri, do not leave it for later, come
and enjoy this paradise. Jeri awaits you with open
arms. Enjoy it, Jeri is ours.
Mardônio Paz Filho
Editor-in-chief
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| Jericoacoara. O paraíso é aqui