Jericoacoara, Ceará
Blink, and Jericoacoara—a four-hour drive west from the northeastern city of Fortaleza—could
be mistaken for a Saharan desertscape. But the first glimpse of the cerulean waters beyond
the Pôr do Sol, Jeri's near-100-foot-high Sunset Dune, is anything but a mirage. Sand
hills tower as high as buildings and the breeze can reach gale force from September to November.
As a result, it's a haven for sand boarders and windsurfers, who also relish the Jacuzzi-like
waters (average year-round temperature: 80 degrees). And with seas to the east and
west, it's one of the few spots in continental Brazil for miraculous views of both sunrise
and sunset.
WHERE TO STAY A liberal use of carnauba, a local wood, helps the bungalows
and elevated huts at Vila Kalango (30 Rua das Dunas; 55-88/3669-2290; www.vilakalango.com.br;
doubles from $141) blend in among the property's palms and cashew trees. Inside, everything
from the towel racks to the wardrobes is made from sand-colored lumber. At the Mosquito
Blue Hotel (Rua Ismael 55-88/3669-2203; www.mosquitoblue.com.br;
doubles from $121), whitewashed exteriors are distinctly Mediterranean, while the 44 rooms
are spare and simply furnished, with white bed linens and modern wall sconces from Fortaleza.
WHERE TO EAT Uniquely Brazilian sandwiches like pernil (a popular
pork cut), pineapple, and cheese make Café Brasil (65 Beco do Guaxélo;
55-88/3669-2272; lunch for two $9) the top spot for lunch. Pair the dish with a siriguela
juice, made from a grainy tropical fruit that tastes like a cross between an apple and a pear.
At Chocolate (214 Rua do Forró; 55-88/3669-2190; dinner for two
$36), a collection of hanging lanterns sets the mood in the eight-table alfresco risotteria
with 20 versions of the Italian rice.
Fernando de Noronha, Pernambuco
There are more spinner dolphins and sea turtles than people on Fernando de Noronha—ibama
(the Brazilian Environmental Protection Agency) limits visitors to this mountainous archipelago
and national marine park 340 miles off the coast of Recife to an average of 700 a day. The
result: its 16 immaculate beaches, set between craggy sea cliffs and the volcanic rock formations
emerging from the translucent waters, are virtually deserted. Nearly everything and everyone
(including unesco) on the seven-square-mile main island is geared toward preserving Noronha's
abundant marine life and endemic land species.
WHERE TO STAY The unusual emerald waters of the horseshoe-shaped Baía
do Sueste and the isle of Cabeluda form one of the most idyllic backdrops in the Americas,
all of it on view from the bungalows and common areas at Pousada Maravilha
(55-81/3619-0028; www.pousadamaravilha.com.br;
doubles from $525). Whether guests here sink into outdoor ofuro (Japanese baths)
on their private decks or onto the impossibly comfortable lobby furniture from top Brazilian
design firm Artefacto, heaven is one word that immediately comes to mind. The 12 eucalyptus-
and ipe-wood bungalows at the new Pousada Teju-Açu (Estrada da Alamoa,
Boldró; 55-81/3619-1277; www.pousadateju-acu.com.br; doubles from $344) resemble
upscale tree houses—ones filled with examples of northeastern Brazilian design, such
as onion-skin lamp shades and finger paintings of hometown street scenes from Recife Artist
Zé Som.
WHERE TO EAT Environmental laws limit fishing in these waters, leading to
a shortage of fresh seafood on the island, so the long lines for tables at Ecologiku's
(Estrada Velha do Sueste; 55-81/3619-1807; dinner for two $64) are justified. Sizable
local lobsters are served whole or thrown into fiery capixabas (a version of Bahia's
moquecas, or seafood stews).
Raia da Pipa, Rio Grande Do Norte
In the seventies, surfers began migrating northeast from Rio and eventually discovered this
primitive fishing village one hour south of Natal. Once roads were completed, in 1994, and
widespread phone service was installed, in 1999, an upsurge in tourism followed, and Pipa
began its makeover from bohemian to bourgeois. Praia Principal is packed with bathers and
bars, but it's a different story just around the corner at Baía dos Golfinhos. This
dolphin and sea turtle sanctuary is Pipa's claim to fame: an immaculate 1.2-mile stretch of
postcard-perfect sands backed up against steep cliffs of oxidized clay. Above the bluffs sits
Pipa's cobblestoned main drag, Avenida Baía dos Golfinhos, a mile-long thoroughfare
that draws an international crowd.
WHERE TO STAY Most rooms at the small inn Sombra e Água Fresca
(Rua Praia do Amor; 55-84/3246-2144; www.sombraeaguafresca.com.br;
doubles from $123) hug a sharp incline overlooking Chapadão (a flat red-clay plateau,
the defining landmark of the area) and the Atlantic beyond. The rustic chalets at Toca
da Coruja (464 Avda. Baía dos Golfinhos; 55-84/3246-2226; www.tocadacoruja.com.br;
doubles from $206) are furnished with 19th-century vanities and wardrobes, rescued from
Brazilian farms, and ceramics by sculptor Francisco Brennard.
WHERE TO EAT Part Willy Wonka oddity, part gastronomic adventure, the eccentric
culinary sideshow at Camamo (Fazenda Pernambuquinho; 55-84/3246-4195;
dinner for two $132)—10 minutes from Baía dos Golfinhos by car, in Tibau
do Sul—is not to be missed. Chef Tadeu Lubambo only welcomes eight people per night
to his little farmhouse stuffed with indigenous art, childhood toys, and other oddities. His
self-proclaimed "exotic gastronomic ritual" is a six-course prix fixe introduction to nouveau
Brazilian cuisine, featuring dishes like grilled lobster with thyme and cinnamon-laced mangos.
Morro de São Paulo, Bahia
A two-hour boat ride south from the Bahian capital of Salvador makes Morro de São
Paulo, the main village on the 232-square-mile Ilha de Tinharé, an easy weekend jaunt
for Salvadorans. Even so, until only a few years ago the town was rough around the edges,
with run-down guesthouses the only places to stay. Now the sandy one-lane strip spills over
with an interesting mix of modern hotels and colonial relics (a ruined 17th-century stone
fortress greets visitors at the dock) before giving way to five consecutive beaches. Creatively
named First through Fourth (except for the nonconforming Praia do Encanto), the white sands
benefit from a tropical Bahian climate that hovers around 77 degrees all year. The Patricinhas
and Mauricinhos—as Brazilians call the Beautiful People—eat on the First Beach,
drink on the Second, and sleep on the tranquil Praia do Encanto.
WHERE TO STAY It's a bumpy 30-minute ride over cratered dirt roads from
Morro to the Ánima Hotel (55-75/3652-2077; www.animahotel.com;
doubles from $94), which just opened among the pink bromeliads and coconut trees on Praia
do Encanto. Its nine bungalows are the model for Morro's upgrade, each done with graceful
touches such as bamboo towel racks, Kiri Indian maracas from Porto Seguro, and ceramic lamps
from Maragojipinho. In the kitchen, cheerful Bahianas cook wonderful breakfasts like grilled
beiju, a tapioca pancake. The shabby-chic lobby at Villa Dos Corais (3rd
and 4th Praias; 55-75/3652-1560; www.villadoscorais.com.br;
doubles from $179) makes a startling contrast to the 40 brightly colored yellow, orange,
and green villas that straddle the property between the Third and Fourth beaches (rooms 43
and 44 have the best ocean views).
WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK French-trained Brazilian chef Silvana da Matta Machado
melds Brazilian and Thai traditions at the Ánima Hotel (dinner for two $41),
the most refined dining destination on the island. Joe Moutinho's pioneering barraca (tent),
Caipifruta da Joe (Praça Aureliana Lima; 55-75/3652-1108),
has been serving the masses for 19 years. A Bahian atabaque drum squad provides the sound
track as Joe artfully turns kiwi, guava, graviola, and passion fruits into cachaça-laden
cocktails.
