By Simone Sousa Leandro |Translation: Corey Bunyard
My initial interest in Brazil began with a Located on the state of Ceara in the Northeastern region of Brazil, the former fishman village was discovered by hippies in the 1970’s. Canoa Quebrada is a beach that not only boasts natural beauty, but also offers a hospitable people, a variety of accommodation options, artisans and good diversity.
Whoever goes to Canoa will find themselves unable to sit still! Rafts excursions are recommended (the traditional vessel of Ceara) to enjoy a wonderful excursion on the sea, and listening to the stories of the fishermen. However, those who prefer land and adrenaline can buzz through the sand dunes of the beach in a buggy. When the ocean is low, an exciting and safe option for those with children is enjoying the natural pools located in “Porto das Baterias.”
With a stable climate of temperatures between 80 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit the entire year and strong winds, Canoa is the ideal location for sports like kite surfing, paragliding and ziplining. If you like sports and don’t like to sit still, you can enjoy learning kite surfing with local instructors. The other option is paragliding, where you can be blown away by the view of amazing red cliffs on the shore.
One unforgettable suggestion is to experience one of the most beautiful moments in Canoa: sunset from the top of a sand dune! It’s truly one of the most incredible scenes and one of the principle attractions of the village. During the night, the party goes down on the principal street, the famous “Broadway.” A mixture of rhythms takes note of the location, where the tourist may encounter anything from Reggae to Forro, and even Rock and Electronic Music. Obviously, there are a variety of bars and restaurants with diverse menus of regional and international culinary delights.
From the beauty of its dunes and cliffs and its special charm, the former fishing village captures the attention of people from all over the world as one of the most visited beaches in Brazil by national and international tourists. Canoa Quebrada waits with open arms for whoever wishes to “embrace” it.
How to Get There
From Fortaleza take the CE 040 highway to the South until you reach the municipality of Aracati. From there it’s another 7.5 miles of road to the beautiful beach of Canoa Quebrada. By bus there are daily routes from the bus station in Fortaleza directly to Canoa Quebrada. The bus company Sao Benedito makes the trip daily.
Origin of the Name
Canoa holds a history starting in 1650, when the Portuguese Navigator Francisco Aires da Cunha received an orderfrom the Portuguese King, Dom Manuel, to find villages and acquire new lands on the Northeastern coast. Navigating the Sea, Aires da Cunha finally hit his ship against a large rock on Ponta Grossa beach, wrecking the ship.
Worried about reaching solid ground, Aires searched on until he reached a charming fishing village where he was helped by native residents. Since 1650, the gorgeous beach has been known as Canoa Quebrada (Broken Canoe) and is still one of the principal tourist destinations of Northeastern Brazil. In the 1980’s it became internationally recognized for its natural beauty of difficult accessibility. The 7.5 miles from Aracati to “Canoa” could only be traversed by 4x4s, attracting thousands of Europeans and Hippies.
Another very interesting and enchanting attraction in eastern Ceará and considered a must-see in the Brazilian Northeast is Morro Branco beach, in the municipality of Beberibe.
*Simone Sousa is a Brazilian journalist living in Fortaleza, Brazil’s Northeast, and a travel writer and contributor.
* For airline tickets from the U.S to Brazil or Latin America, customized travel packages, hotels and cruises, please visit our travel agent page or contact Magali Da Silva by phone or whatsapp: 1 (323) 428-1963. We are based in Los Angeles, California and have been for over 25 years.
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