IL Postcard

A Tale of Two Brazil Beaches

Date: 07/02/2009 Author: Suzan Haskins

If I lived in Fortaleza, Brazil, I know where I’d be spending my time…away from the hustle and bustle of Meireles Beach and the malecon that lines popular Avenida Beira Mar. This is where most of the high-rise hotels and condo buildings are…and where you’ll find the hordes of tourists and partiers who descend on Fortaleza, the most popular domestic tourist location in the country.

To be honest, Meireles Beach is not my kind of place--although I did love the barracas (beach restaurants) and the plates of heaping seafood and ice-cold Antarctica beers served up here. I could spend hours watching the sparkling blue water washing to and fro over the tawny sand. But I can do without the madness of rush hour traffic and the imposing high-rises…

Fortunately for me and others like me who prefer a less urban beach experience, Praia do Futuro is just a short 10-minute drive to the east. It feels, though, a world away…

Praia do Futuro ("Beach of the Future" in Portuguese) is the city’s “alternate” beach. No high-rises here, just a few one-, two- and three-story buildings. And lots of empty spaces…although it’s said that much of the land has been purchased by real estate developers who intend to build “when the time is right.”

That’s not to say that Praia do Futuro is deserted. Not by a long shot. Barraca after barraca is filled with happy, scantily clad beachgoers, out for a day of fun and sun.

These barracas, though, tend to be more rustic than those at Meireles. Here, they’re mostly massive open structures with thatched roofs covering communal areas with small shops, showers, lockers and churrascarias. Big-bellied Brazilian men grill massive cuts of meat over open-air grills. Grab a plate and fill it from a heaping buffet of salads, veggies, sushi, fruit, desserts…and leave room for steak, chicken, seafood, sausage, and, of course, organ meat hot off the grill. These places tend to charge by the weight of your plate…so remember: the more gluttonous (or hungrier) you are, the more you pay.

The beaches here are wider, prettier, and less rocky, too…safer for swimming and boogie boarding. Boogie boards, surfboards, and kitesurfing equipment can be rented on the beach. You can also buy whatever you need from strolling vendors…coconut water, ice cream, beach towels, bathing suits, jewelry, hats. Need a beer? Just wait a few minutes and a waiter will come by with one. (I even saw a beach booth where they spray you down with oil…for that Brazilian tan look.)

The barracas are open at night, too…in the evenings they become nightclubs on the beach with live music and entertainment. This is my kind of beachgoing….

Suzan Haskins
Latin America Editorial Director, International Living

To read more IL articles on Brazil Beaches, see:

Take a Look at What I Saw From My Dune Buggy in Morro Branco

I Can't Decide—Which of These Brazil Beach Houses Would You Choose?