Canoa Quebrada

Canoa Quebrada was founded by accident when the Portuguese navigator Francisco Ayres da Cunha´s boat broke down when travelling along the North East Coast (hence the name, Broken Boat).  360 years on it is well known in Ceará as a bohemian party town ideal for a weekend getaway. As it was my birthday and (another) public holiday, we decided to get ourselves down there for a few days relaxation.

As you know, I´m a big fan of bussing it about. The bus to Canoa seemed to stop at every tiny town along the way, but we eventually got there. We disembarked onto a sandy street, lined with brightly coloured pousadas, eateries, shops selling beach ware and souvenirs – it was exactly the charming little nook I had hoped to find.

It is essentially one long road called Broadway, with little side streets branching off from it. Everywhere you look there is a tiny house offering home cooked meals and rustic bars offering beer for one pound.

The beach is set against an impressive backdrop of red sand dunes, the sight of which is nothing short of spectacular. You can wind your way down the dunes to the crystal clear sea, and even etch your name into them.

Along the beach you´ll find numerous barracas to quench your thirst and satiate your hunger. We enjoyed a particularly delicious fried fish in a shrimp sauce on my birthday. My general drink of choice is coconut water… but when I saw a cocktail bar being pulled along the beach by a donkey – I just couldn´t resist a Pina Colada served in a fresh pineapple. Although it was hugely overpriced, I felt the chap deserved my money for his entrepreneurial flair.

In the afternoons, after lunch, the town sleeps, as the shops shut and locals have a siesta. It’s a perfectly peaceful time of day, in which you can only hear the rush of the sea and the birds in the sky.  Later on, it´s worth making the hike up the Duna Pôr do Sol (Sunset dune) to watch the blistering sun fade, turning the sky from the red of the dunes to burnt orange and dusky pink.

On the weekends, Canoa comes to life again at night. The main street is filled with party goers, clutching plastic cups of caipirinha made by cunning locals who set up shop with a crate of ice and an array of alcohol on the side of the road. The soundtrack to Canoa is reggae, which encapsulates the relaxed atmosphere of the town. (I thought of you so much Tiffany!) Make your way down to Freedom bar on the beach just past midnight and you´ll be met with a marijuana fuelled luau that spills out of the wooden bar (aptly painted the colours of the Jamaican flag) and onto the surrounding sand, with a bonfire to give a comforting glow to the scene and Bob Marley to make you sway and sing. The clientele are a stock brand that sport surf shorts and dreadlocks, and look like they have never heard of the word stress. Sometimes I wonder if I should take a leaf from there book… but didn´t.

Canoa is a stunning sight, and a wonderful weekend break. I´m only gutted I won´t have time to go back… Next stop, Jericoacoara.