Jericoacoara

Jericoacoara, known simply as Jeri, is a village set among the vast dunes of Brazil's northeast coast within a national park, and its remoteness, reachable only by four-wheel-drive across the sand, kept it a secret long after other beaches were developed. It has no paved roads, only lanes of soft sand, and its rhythm is set by the wind and the sun: a huge dune at the edge of the village fills each evening with people climbing it to watch the sunset over the sea, and the steady wind makes it one of the world's top spots for kitesurfing and windsurfing. Around it lie freshwater lagoons with hammocks strung in the shallows, the natural rock arch of Pedra Furada on the beach, and endless dunes to explore by buggy. It is laid-back, barefoot and increasingly popular without quite losing its end-of-the-road feel.

What you actually see

• The Sunset Dune - the great dune climbed each evening for the sea sunset.
• Kitesurfing and windsurfing - the reliable wind that draws riders from around the world.
• The lagoons - Paraíso and Azul, with hammocks set in the warm shallows.
• Pedra Furada - the natural stone arch on the beach, walkable at low tide.

When to go

July to December brings the strongest, steadiest wind for kite and windsurfing and reliable sun; the first half of the year is wetter but fills the lagoons. The village is busiest around New Year and Brazilian holidays. Evenings on the dune are the daily highlight year-round.

Honest expectations

Getting there is a commitment: several hours from Fortaleza ending in a bumpy four-wheel-drive transfer across the dunes, as no ordinary car can reach it. There are no paved roads and sand gets into everything. It has grown popular and prices have risen, and some lagoons are seasonal, drying down later in the year. The remoteness that makes it special also makes it less convenient.

Nearby

The dune coast stretches for miles with other beaches and lagoons; Fortaleza is the distant gateway city.