← Maratona Internacional de Fortaleza·1 night

Canoa Quebrada: A Night Among the Cliffs

One night in the cliff-and-dune village of Canoa Quebrada, using separate outward and return tours so the Monday is not rushed.

Duration1 night
TransitAbout 164 km by road on the east coast, by bus, organised tour or private transfer
DepartsFortaleza

After the Maratona Internacional de Fortaleza: Canoa Quebrada

The Route: Fortaleza → Canoa Quebrada → Fortaleza → Fortaleza Airport (FOR) Logistics: Road journey of about 164 km. Outward and return services are listed separately by at least one operator. Marathon Month: April Duration: 1 night

Fortaleza ──(about 164 km by road)──> Canoa Quebrada ──(about 164 km back)──> Fortaleza ──(transfer)──> Fortaleza Airport (FOR)

Canoa Quebrada lies in the municipality of Aracati, about 164 km down the coast from Fortaleza. Red sandstone cliffs drop to the beach, dunes stand behind the village, and the main street, Rua Dragão do Mar, is known to everyone as Broadway. Almost every pousada, restaurant and shop in the village sits along or just off it. The cliffs and dunes are inside an environmental protection area created on 20 March 1998, and the local authority watches the cliff edge for erosion and unauthorised building, so keep to the paths and stay back from the edge.

April in Canoa Quebrada: the climate is semi-arid, with sun for most of the year and rain concentrated between March and May. April is therefore the tail of the wet season. Mornings can be clear and afternoons can bring a downpour. Pack a light waterproof and plan the cliff walk for the morning.

Getting There

An outward day tour and a separate return product are both listed by Girafatur, which means you can travel out on the Monday after the race and come back on the Tuesday without paying for a round trip you will not use. Confirm with the operator that the two services can be combined, that hotel pick-up is available, and what the luggage allowance is. If you prefer a cheaper option, check the Aracati bus times at the Fortaleza bus terminal. Expect the road journey to take a good part of a morning and decide whether the legs can cope with sitting in a vehicle for that long. Break it with a stop if the driver is willing.

Night One: Canoa Quebrada

Broadway is the easy part of the day. It is a short, level village street and you can walk its length slowly in a few minutes, then walk it again for dinner. Beachside restaurants serve grilled fish and shrimp, and the evening crowd gathers on the street after dark. Rooms are in small pousadas along and around the main street, so book one within a few minutes' walk of the beach and ask about air conditioning and breakfast times.

Leave the cliffs for the morning. The beach below them is the recovery walk: flat, wide sand at low tide, with the firm strip near the water easiest on tired calves. Walk for 20 to 30 minutes and turn round. Dune-buggy trips and sandboarding are sold along the street. After a marathon, the buggy is a seated option that is rough on the back and the sandboard is a poor choice for tight hamstrings. If you want a view, take the buggy for a short ride and do not walk up soft sand.

Wind sports are part of the local scene, with kitesurfing and windsurfing on offer, but the wind season is not a given in April and nobody should plan a lesson on a stiff body.

Getting Home

Take the return tour or a transfer back to Fortaleza on the second day. Allow generous time for the road and the city traffic, and do not book a flight for the afternoon of the return day. Fortaleza's Pinto Martins International Airport (FOR) handles international and domestic departures. A small regional airport, Canoa Quebrada Dragão do Mar Regional Airport, is listed near Aracati, but plan to fly from FOR unless you have seen a scheduled service for it.