Brazil
Jericoacoara
Windswept dunes where the sun melts into the sea from a natural stone arch.
The streets of Jericoacoara are deep sand, and nothing else. No asphalt, no kerbs, no cars — just barefoot travellers and the occasional donkey picking through hammocks strung between cashew trees. The wind is constant here, bending the dune grass flat and filling the lagoons with kitesurfers. At sunset, the entire village climbs the Duna do Pôr do Sol to watch the light drop through Pedra Furada, a natural stone arch on the headland.
Jericoacoara is a former fishing village on the coast of Ceará in northeast Brazil, accessible only by 4x4 across open dunes or along the beach at low tide. The northeast trade winds are among the five most consistent on Earth, making the surrounding lagoons — Lagoa do Paraíso and Lagoa Azul — world-class destinations for kitesurfing and windsurfing. The village itself remains car-free, its sandy streets lined with pousadas built from woven palm and reclaimed wood. Beyond the lagoons, the dune field stretches for kilometres, the sand bleached white and shaped into ridgelines by the relentless wind.
Solo
The sand streets and communal sunset ritual create a village atmosphere where solo travellers connect effortlessly. Kite schools, yoga classes, and beach-shack caipirinhas make it easy to fill days without needing a plan.
Couple
Hammocks for two at Lagoa do Paraíso, sunset from the dune with sand between your toes, and candlelit lobster dinners on sand-floor restaurant tables. Jericoacoara makes romance feel effortless.
Friends
Kitesurfing sessions, dune buggy runs, and forró dancing on the sand after dark — Jericoacoara is a place where groups settle in for a week and still don't want to leave. The communal energy runs on wind, music, and cold caipirinhas.
Family
The car-free sand streets are safe for children, the lagoon pools at Lagoa do Paraíso are shallow and warm, and dune buggies turn the landscape into an adventure playground. Jericoacoara's gentle pace suits families who want barefoot days without a schedule.
- No paved road reaches the village — entry is by 4x4 across open duneland or along the beach at low tide.
- Kitesurfers and windsurfers rate the northeast trade winds here among the five most consistent in the world.
- Every evening, locals and travellers gather on a dune to watch the sun drop through the natural stone arch.
- The village streets are pure sand — no asphalt, no cars — and hammocks hang between cashew trees in the main square.
Grilled lagosta on the beach as kite surfers carve the lagoon behind you.
Tapioca crepes stuffed with coalho cheese and molasses from dune-side shacks.
Fresh ceviche and caipirinha on sand-floor restaurant tables as the tide creeps in.
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