Espelho Beach

Praia do Espelho is a short curve of sand between low cliffs about halfway between Trancoso and Caraiva, and the name - mirror beach - refers to the effect at low tide, when the reef pools that form along the shore go completely still and reflect the sky and the cliffs. Coconut palms and freshwater springs come down to the sand at the back, and there are a handful of restaurants on the cliff and beach that are the entire commercial infrastructure. The approach is the filter: an unpaved road that becomes difficult after rain, which has kept the place from developing the way Trancoso did. Curuipe next door is quieter still. Nothing else happens here.

What you actually see

• Reflecting reef pools - still water at low tide, which names the beach.
• Low cliffs and springs - fresh water coming down to the sand at the back.
• A handful of restaurants - the whole of the local infrastructure.
• An unpaved approach - the road that kept the development out.

When to go

September to March. A day, timed for low tide.

Honest expectations

At high tide the pools are gone and the beach is ordinary - check the tables. The road in is rough and can be impassable for low cars after rain. Restaurants are expensive and the good ones need booking. There is no accommodation on the beach itself.

Nearby

Trancoso is north; Caraiva is south down the coast.