Why Choose Flecheiras Beach in Ceará, Brazil?

As piscinas naturais na orla da Praia de Flecheiras

Hello, my name is Bruno, and this is our first blog post :)

I am one of the creators of the Visit Flecheiras project, and I want to tell you why I decided to live in Flecheiras Beach, Ceará. Here's the perspective of someone who isn’t originally from here. This is my fourth time in Ceará, and this time I decided to stay. Once you visit, it becomes very hard to leave.

The decision to truly live here came gradually as I explored Ceará.

As I mentioned, this is my fourth visit. It took several trips back and forth before I finally made it to Flecheiras. Back in 2015, after years of working in São Paulo, I decided to make a life change. Influenced by my friend Carlos, I moved to Jericoacoara. I stayed for a while, but eventually returned to Minas Gerais. I'm from Uberaba, in the Triângulo Mineiro region.

In Minas, I worked on other projects, but I always had the urge to come back and explore more. As famous as Jeri is, it doesn’t fully represent Ceará's culture and people. Then in 2018, in a moment of craziness and intrusive thoughts, I decided to walk along the coastline from Flecheiras to Jericoacoara. Honestly, I have no idea why I thought of this, but the idea felt right. That’s when the saga of 188 kilometers of walking began!

Starting from Flecheiras Beach in Trairi

This journey immersed me completely in Ceará's coastline. A fun fact is that I started in Flecheiras because of a friend I met in Jericoacoara back in 2015. I remembered she lived in Trairi, so I checked the distance, and the idea took shape. Thank you, Lorena :)

First photo taken in Flecheiras, at Barraca das Algas

I only spent three days in Trairi/Flecheiras before beginning my coastal pilgrimage. Over 11 days of walking, I experienced every bit of Ceará and understood why I always longed to be here. I passed through over 15 villages, fishing communities, untouched beaches, pristine nature, crystal-clear waters, calm seas, strong winds, and plenty of sunshine.

Here are the places I walked through: Flecheiras, Emboaca, Mundaú, Baleia, Caetanos, Icaraízinho, Moitas, Almofala, Itarema, Ilha do Guajiru, Juritianha, Acaraú, Aranaú, Preá, and Jeri. I’ll write a detailed post about the trip later—it’s too much beauty and too many stories to share!

Crossing mangrove areas with the help of fishermen’s boats

I mostly slept in a tent on the beach, near communities, or in fishermen’s backyards. I ate with fishermen, or in villages, and then walked again and again. Some days I walked 7 km, while other days it was 28 km.

Three things made me love the experience even more:

1. Food: Everywhere I stopped to eat, I was happy. In fishing villages, I enjoyed fresh fish and farinha, often asking for some lime to pair with the fish. Shrimp and seafood were abundant, but unfortunately, I’m allergic. :(

   
   

2. Nature: The sights along the way were astonishing. The pristine beaches, the lazy palm trees on Praia do Jiqui, the beauty of Icaraízinho de Amontada and Moitas, the untouched mangroves, and the incredible variety of plants and animals. Flecheiras offers all of this!

   
   

3. The People: I will forever cherish the kindness of the people I met along the way. Hardworking, kind-hearted individuals who helped and welcomed me, even though they didn’t know me.

Arriving in Jeri through the Serrote

This journey showed me Ceará in a unique way, and from that point on, every decision I made was about returning for good.

In 2022, I sold a business I had in Minas and came back to Flecheiras. I stayed with a friend of my mom’s from Uberaba who had lived in Flecheiras back in the 80s and 90s. Known as Dra. Eliana, she was the dentist for the fishermen and the local community. Everyone in the village speaks highly of her work. Today, she owns a guesthouse called Casa Recanto do Cajueiro. (see more).

For the first time, I truly experienced the slow pace of life in Flecheiras. I connected with people, formed bonds, and explored everything the region has to offer. Flecheiras is incredibly privileged; it’s the jewel of Trairi’s beaches. Trairi is the municipality that supports its beaches: Canabrava, Guajiru, Flecheiras, Emboaca, and Mundaú.

Flecheiras has several key qualities that made me choose it as my home:

• A small, peaceful village

• Support from the nearby town of Trairi (groceries, healthcare, banks, etc.)

• Proximity to a major city (130 km to Fortaleza)

• Safe streets

• Few vehicles (for now)

• A long, uncrowded beach

• Amazing night skies

• A variety of establishments, including guesthouses, restaurants, shops, and services

• Fresh, balanced food

• Warm weather with strong winds

• Stunning nearby beaches

• Natural beauty

• A family-friendly, tranquil environment

I could list even more reasons, but you get the idea, right?

I returned to Minas again at the end of 2022. I told you, the move happened little by little.

Pôr do sol em Flecheiras no Ceará

Vista panorâmica da vegetação em Flecheiras

O Risole atravessando a barra do Rio Trairi

Rua do Restaurante Caipira no Barreiro

Caju de baciada

Eu e meus outros 2 meninos

Then, in June of this year, I came back for good! This time, I was more organized, practical, and ready with some projects in mind, though most didn’t work out. 🥲 I could tell you an inspiring story, but the truth is, things just didn’t pan out.

The bright side is that out of these setbacks, the Visit Flecheiras project was born. My wife and I came up with the idea one evening while sitting on our doorstep, watching our dogs play. We wanted to create something to showcase Flecheiras as we see it and promote responsible tourism here. The very next day, our first page went live.

I didn’t need much to choose Flecheiras as my home. I just wanted a peaceful place. Flecheiras offers me constant contact with nature, serene walks on its stunning beaches, freedom for my dogs in the village, friendly people, accessible fresh fish, and breathtaking sunsets every day. What more could I ask for?

After reading this, it’s probably not hard to imagine why I chose Flecheiras, right?

Come and visit Flecheiras—just be careful, you might not want to leave either :)

Browse our website and learn more about our project to showcase Flecheiras Beach to the world 🌎
Click here