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NATAL, RN
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Capt. Donald
Director
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It
is strongly advised for both members and non-members to take advantage
of our advice on local reservations throughout the northeast.
The
club maintains 'convenio' contracts with selected pousadas and hotels
in recommended areas and suggests tours with recommended operators
only.
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State of Ceará
Our
neighbor state to the northwest is Ceará , it's capital is
Fortaleza. Fortaleza, the capitol of Ceará is a sprawling
city of close to 2.8 million people, and provides access to some 540
km of the finest beaches in all of Brazil.
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Fortaleza
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= ORGANIZED TOURS by Andetur Brazilian Travel Club SEE MY NOTES BELOW!
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View of the harbor
Coco Park
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Fortaleza
is a sprawling city of 1.8 million people and capital
of the State of Ceará, and provides access to some 550
km of the finest beaches in all of Brazil.
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In
recent years, the city of Fortaleza has undertaken many
civic improvement projects, and some downtown areas that
were formally dilapidated or even dangerous have been
transformed into attractive waterfront promenades, café
districts and artists hangouts. The beachfront and
neighboring streets are alive year-round and far into
the night with outdoor cafés, handicraft stalls, dance
clubs, bars, and street vendors.
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Most
travelers seem to spend most of their time in the Iracema
and Meireles districts. The area surrounding the
Ponte Metállica (Metal Pier) in Iracema and along the
Praia de Meireles is loaded with cafés, bars, bohemian
art stall, shops, vendors and pousadas, and is a great
place for an evening stroll.
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Praia do Futuro, near the high rise hotels, is the scene
of a great annual Afro-Brazilian religious festival for
Iemanjá, the goddess of the sea. |
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We use highly recommended 'in-coming' tour operators for Ceará |
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There are literally hundreds of hotels and pousadas in Forteleza, ranging from bare-lightbulb dives to chic penthouses with a view of the beach. The ones listed here are often used and recommended by Andetur depending on our clents preferences.
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MAJOR HOTELS |
| Hotel
Caesar Park - Fortaleza |
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| Imperial
Orthon Palace Hotel - Fortaleza |
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| Marina
Park Hotel - Fortaleza |
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POUSADAS |
| Pousada
Arara - Fortaleza |
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| Pousada
Colonial de Gramada |
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| Pousada
Jardim (parque) |
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| Pousada
Salinas |
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| Pousada
/ Hotel Sunflower |
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Don's
notes on beaches:
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Sun
Coast - Beaches to the south west, between Fortaleza
and Canoa-Quebrada
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Porto das Dunas (Beach Park)
- (22km) |
Claims
to be the largest 'water park' in South America. |
Prainha
(39 km) |
Relatively
small coastal fishing village, but the locals from Fortaleza
flock here on the weekends.. Developing into a tourist center. |
Iguape
(50 km) |
Relatively
small coastal fishing village, but the locals from Fortaleza
flock here on the weekends.. |
Caponga
(76 km) |
Relatively
small coastal fishing village, but the locals from Fortaleza
flock here on the weekends.. |
Barra
Nova |
Relatively
small coastal fishing village, but the locals from Fortaleza
flock here on the weekends.. |
Aguas
Belas (79 km) |
Relatively
small coastal fishing village, but the locals from Fortaleza
flock here on the weekends.. |
Morro Branco (91 km) |
Relatively
small coastal fishing village, but the locals from Fortaleza
flock here on the weekends.. Developing into a tourist center.
The dunes are colored natural sand. |
Praia das Fontes (94 km) |
Relatively
small coastal fishing village, but the locals from Fortaleza
flock here on the weekends.. |
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Canoa-Quebrada
and beaches to the south west.
A popular beach to the southwest of Forteleza, Canoa-Quebrada has long been a favorite of Brazilian tourists visiting Ceara and Rio Grande do Norte. Adopted as Brazil's 'in' beach town in about 1982, the once-idyllic fishing hamlet no longer qualifies as 'remote'. Drugs, venereal diseases, crime - including at least one rape - and terminal hipness long ago scratched Canoa from our list. I mention it on this website mainly because you will be steered there frequently by well-meaning Brazilians who still regard it as primitive.
Canoa's
beach itself, however, flanked by massive white sand-dunes,
is still fabulous, and provides a 'starting point' for trips
to the south. North bounders should go inland to Aracati,
then follow CE-004 to Fortaleza.
It
is possible to drive on the beach (with a bugre) or hike south
along the coast all the way to the state border with Rio Grande
do Norte all the way to the town of Tibau. Just before Tibau
you will run into a river requiring that you cross on a make-shift
ferry. (70 km)
LIST
OF POUSADAS IN CANOA
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Travelling south by bugre or jeep towards Tibau, RN, you will pass the beach communities of:
Majorlândia
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Fishing
town and beach resort, accessed at Aracati, an inland town
with some nice colonial architecture and Portuguese tile
work. Aracati is accessable via seven daily buses from the
main terminal in Fortaleza. The trip takes about 3
1/2 hours and reportedly cost approx. US$7.00. Aracati
is also one of the most well known party towns for Caranaval. |
Quixabá |
Electricity
and simple overnight accomadation |
Retiro
Grande |
Fishing
village. |
Ponta
Grossa - |
Fishing
village. Surprising heritage to 17th century Dutvh
invaders. |
Redonda
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Fishing
village. Accomodations at Fátima and Assis' place,
a local snooker parlor / dormitory / that also doubles as
a dance hall on Sunday afternoon. |
Praia
dos Picos |
Fishing
village. |
Barreiras |
Fishing
village. |
Icapuí |
Fishing
village reputed to have Ceará's most beautiful women.
There are tours that go to Icapuí, but at present, it isn't
listed by OceanView. |
Ibicuitaba |
Fishing
village. |
Tremembé |
Fishing
village. |
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NOTE: The
villages listed above have no commercial accommodations. Travellers
with hammocks can often arrange to stay at a fisherman's house.
A curious transporte called "Misto', runs daily along the beaches
from Mossoró in Rio Grande do Norte, heads to Tibau on the coast,
then plies the beach north to Redonda
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The beaches to the north of Fortaleza in Ceará
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Cumbuco
(41 km) |
Becoming a very popular tourist area, with it's dunes and buggy rides. |
Paracuru
- (100 km) |
30,000 population, is becoming the Carnaval party beach of Ceará. |
Lagoinha
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(130 km) |
Popular beach town, with nice hotels and buggy tours. French pirates reportedly used the area as a hideout.
| We have 'good reports' on the : |
- Pousada do Milton - aprox. US$ 30.00.
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Fleixeiras
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| Three pousadas reported: |
- Pousada da Célia - approx. US$ 15 - 25
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- Pousada O'Coqueiro - approx. US$ 15 - 25
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- Hotel Solar das Fleixeiras
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Mundaú - |
- Mundaú Dunas Hotel - approx. US$ 25
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- Sombra
dos Coqueiros - approx. US$ 25
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- Brisa
do Mar - approx. US$ 25
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- Casa
de Retiro Estrela do Mar - Catholic religious
retreat offers lodging approx. US$ 10 with a great
view of the beach. 085 351-1220
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Guajirú - |
Fishing
village and beach |
Baleia
- (206 km) |
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Praciamos
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Marinheiros
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Patos
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Fishing
village |
Almofala
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Fishing
village |
Itarema
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Barrinha
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deserted
beach |
Praia
Formosa - |
deserted
beach |
Preá - |
semi-developed
- Pousada
Azul do Mar - approx. US$ 15
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Ceará's Jeep
Club
ULTRA LIGHT FLYING
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Jericoacoara
(327 km)
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A
trip to Jericoacoara is as de rigueur in Ceará
as riding the cable-car up Pão de Açucar is for tourists
in Rio. The landscape for many kilometres around the
village remains idyllic and post-card gorgeous.
SPECIAL
TOUR
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ACCOMMODATIONS
- all approx. US$ 12 - 30 |
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- Pousada
do Véio - also offers camping spots
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- Pousada
do Paulo - close on a lagoon
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PHOTOS OF JERICOACOARA
(including the Ceará jeep
club) |
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Beaches to
the north of Jericoacoara
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Manque Seco |
picturesque
fishing village |
Guriú - |
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Nova
Tatajuba |
| Pousada
Verde Folha - approx. US$12 |
| Pousada
Tatajuba - approx. US$ 30 |
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Camocim
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a
port town and saltworks |
Bitupitá - |
developing
area |
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Fortaleza
