Cumbuco
Kitesurfing Village About 35 Km West Of Fortaleza, With Dunes, Lagoons And A Steady Trade Wind For Half The Year · Caucaia, Ceará
Cumbuco is a former fishing village about 35 km west of Fortaleza that has become one of Brazil's best-known kitesurfing spots. From roughly July to January a strong, steady trade wind blows along the coast, and the beach and nearby lagoons fill with kites, schools and riders from Europe and southern Brazil who stay for weeks. The Lagoa do Cauípe, a short drive away, has flat, shallow water that is ideal for lessons. Away from the kites, most visitors come on a day trip from Fortaleza for buggy rides over the dunes, a stop at the Lagoa do Banana to slide down the sand into the water, horse rides and a trip on a jangada, the traditional sail raft. The village itself is a mix of pousadas, kite shops, restaurants and holiday homes, pleasant but not beautiful, and at weekends and in high season the beach is crowded with tour vans. For kiters it is a real destination; for everyone else it is a good day out if you are staying in Fortaleza, not a reason to fly in.
Cumbuco, Caucaia, CE, Caucaia, Ceará, Brazil
The beach is public and always open, but the day has a clear pattern. Tour vans from Fortaleza arrive from mid-morning and leave in the afternoon, so the beach and the buggy stands are busiest in the middle of the day, especially at weekends, in the July holidays and from Christmas through Carnival. Kite schools work according to the wind, which is usually lighter in the early morning and builds through late morning into a strong afternoon breeze in the season from roughly July to January; from roughly February to June the wind is weaker and less reliable and rain is more frequent, and some schools reduce operations. Buggy and horse rides run through the day and stop by dark. The lagoons have their own barracas, which open in daylight and may close early on quiet weekdays. Restaurants and pousadas in the village open all year, though a few close in the slow months. Tides change which parts of the beach are usable and matter for buggy routes along the sand, so check them. Book kite courses ahead in high season.