Praia do Preá, near Jericoacoara, is a kite surfing mecca – 06/28/2023 – Tourism

Somehow, it’s still summer in Ceará. Colorful kites fill the blue sky like large birds flying over the sea. At the end of the afternoon, the wind gives a truce and joins the orange light of the sun to warn that it’s time to take the board out of the water. We are in Preá, a village full of natural beauty, one step away from the dreamed Jericoacoara.

Located in the municipality of Cruz, 245 km from Fortaleza (CE), Praia do Preá is one of the sanctuaries of world kitesurfing, a meeting point for lovers of wind sports from Italy, France, Germany, Portugal and, more frequently each season, Brazilians willing to venture out.

Thanks to its location, Ceará receives winds that come from the tropics towards the equator and, on the coast, they get even stronger when joining the sea breeze. There are seven months of guaranteed wind a year. From July to January, the wind favors the practice of water sports and makes the period the peak tourist season.

No umbrellas or extended chairs on the shore. That’s because the stay on the white sand of Praia do Preá is brief, at least for kite sportsmen. That environment works only as a kind of portal to the warm waters of the sea, whose temperatures fluctuate between 26°C and 28°C at any time of the year.

When tourism in Preá started to take off, in the early 2000s, the profile of those who visited the village was more “roots”, the adventurous type. They were young, mainly European boys, lovers of water sports.

Gradually, the scenario changed. The kite became safer and began to attract people of different ages and profiles. “Today, our audience is, in fact, a lot of families,” says Vanessa Chastinet, owner of Rancho do Kite, a space dedicated to classes and training for the practice of the sport. “We teach children from six years old to women from 50 to 60 years old. You don’t have that age to practice.”

For beginners, you can basically summarize kitesurfing in two words: sailing and surfing. It is worth remembering that, believe me, the waves are expendable. This is because the sport uses the force of the wind to move adventurers on a board in the water.

When it comes to equipment, the star is the kite, which acts like a wing, using the momentum of the wind to carry athletes to and fro. On days with good winds (they are plentiful), the colorful kites over the sea seem to orchestrate a rhythm in the Ceará sky.

One lesson is enough to understand why kitesurfing awakens so much passion. It is an activity that demands concentration. You have to be 100%, let’s say, immersed in it to make it happen. You cut yourself off from the world. For a few hours, nothing else matters.

To master the art of kitesurfing, 10 to 12 hours of lessons are recommended. At Rancho do Kite, the basic 12-hour course costs R$3,900. Each class lasts two hours, so there are, on average, six days of practice.

The Play Kite School, another school dedicated to the sport, costs BRL 3,120 for a beginner’s package of 12 hours of lessons. For those who already practice kitesurfing, have equipment and want to improve, the single lesson costs, on average, R$ 150.

In terms of money, the sport is still not so democratic, come on. The price of classes reflects the expense required to purchase the equipment. A complete kit, brand new, can cost R$ 20 thousand.

Looking for a kitesurfing school, however, is essential for anyone who wants to start or simply try out the game, something that is very common at this time of year, especially among tourists coming from São Paulo. Important information: flights departing from Congonhas (with a stopover) and Guarulhos land at Jericoacoara airport, located in Cruz, the city where the village of Preá is located.

A native of Brasilia who became a native of Prea 20 years ago, Vanessa, from Rancho do Kite, started sailing in 2003. Her experience and passion for the sport made her one of the first kitesurfing instructors in Brazil. In addition to sport, she is, of course, passionate about the winds and beaches of the place where she lives.

It is clear that the village of Preá, right there, next to the Jericoacoara National Park, would enter the route of real estate interest that has been shaking, above all, the northeastern coast. Today, it is in the sights of both Brazilian and foreign investors.

Former partner and co-founder of XP Investimentos, Julio Capua, is passionate about kiteboarding. With a flair for business, he founded Grupo Carnaúba, which is involved in the construction of three developments in the region: the upscale condominium Vila Carnaúba, the luxury hotel Anantara Preá and the Carnaúba Wind House, a lodging club.

Investors seek to consolidate Preá as an attractive destination for families, in addition to kite practitioners, maintaining its existing mystique of an untouched paradise.

After all, Preá, in addition to being a ‘mecca’ for kitesurfing, is, above all, a beach destination, where kites, canoes, bikes, walks or contemplation of the sun rising or setting over the ocean are part of the seaside routine. .

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WHERE TO STAY

CASA SIARÁ
Suites with daily rates from R$2,500 in low season (February 1st to June 30th, except holidays); and BRL 4,500 in high season (July 1st to January 31st, excluding holidays). Breakfast included

Avenida Beira Mar, 931, Praia do Preá

POUSADA SÍTIO PHOENIX
It offers suites with daily rates starting at R$200, bungalows at R$230 and chalets at R$260; breakfast included

Rua do Português, s/nº (Beira Mar), Praia do Preá

KITE VILLAS RANCH
Wooden house for up to eight people, with rates starting at R$4,200. With breakfast included

Rua da Praia, s/nº, Praia do Preá

FISH RANCH
It offers bungalows with daily rates starting at R$900 (low season) and R$1,800 (high season). With breakfast included

Rua da Praia, s/nº, Praia do Preá

WHERE TO TAKE KITESURFING LESSONS

PLAY KITE SCHOOL
Promotes individual course for beginners: 2 hours, for R$ 580; 4 hours, for BRL 1,120; 8 hours, for BRL 2,160; 12 hours, for BRL 3,120; Advanced classes: BRL 150 an hour (no equipment included); Full equipment rental for BRL 200 an hour

RANCH OF KITE
Offers individual course for beginners: 4 hours, for R$ 1,460; 8 hours, for BRL 2,800; and 12 hours, for BRL 3,900; There are also advanced classes, between R$145 and R$220 per hour per person (not including equipment);Full equipment rental: from R$315

WHAT TO PUT IN THE SUITCASE

• As it is a beach destination, the general recommendation is light and fresh clothes, flip flops or sandals, swimwear, sunglasses and caps/hats
• But there are three items that cannot be missing, especially for those who want to try kitesurfing: sunscreen, repellent and a T-shirt with UV protection
• Extra tip: avoid closed shoes, which will be full of sand, and short dresses, which will be moved by the wind and will leave you in the best Marilyn Monroe style