PICTURE CUMBUCO
Its position just south of the equator gives it a wonderful climate, with average daytime temperatures of 27 to 30°Celsius the high 80s Fahrenheit the year round. A constant gentle breeze blows along the beach, keeping it free of insects and ensuring it never gets too hot.
Brazil is blessed with nearly 5,000 miles of beaches, and those of Cumbuco are acknowledged to be some of the best in the world.
The pretty village of Cumbuco is just a short taxi ride from Fortaleza. It remains unspoiled and the locals depend on fishing and tourism for their income.
This picture shows part of the village, which has restaurants and bars and is populated by the most welcoming people in the world.
Brazilians love to give visitors the best of their country and whilst many speak English, you will get an even better welcome if you learn a few simple phrases in Portuguese.
Here are some of the local fishing boats jangadas drawn up on the beach.
Local fishermen sail as much as 50 miles out to sea and remain away for two or three days, to get the best catshces.
if you would like to sample the life, it is possible to have a short trip on one of these quite unique sailing boats.
This is a typical beach scene not at dawn or dusk, but in the middle of the day!
If solitude is what you crave, you can walk or ride on horseback for miles and not be bothered by crowds.
If you want to be with people, stop at one of the may beach bars and restaurants that from the village, as you can see here.
The bars and restaurants are there to slake your thirst and satisfy your appetite at any time whether you want to join in the sports or not. Windsurfing and kite surfing are all available on the beach, as is horse riding.
Behind the beaches are many freshwater lagoons. Many of them offer water sport facilities, such as wet bikes, banana boats and kite surfing. One of the lagoons is home to a kite-surfing school, so you dont have to be an expert!
Some of the lagoons have beautiful homes built right on the water as shown here.
By contrast, some of the lagoons are completely untouched.
This one, with its spectacular backdrop of distant mountains, is home to wild horses, which can be seen drinking at the shore, and you can often spot eagles soaring on the thermals from the nearby hills.
Cumbuco possesses the most spectacular sand dunes. This area of mighty dunes is close by and can be explored in a dune buggy expedition.
