Cascavel travel guide

Cascavel, 62 km southeast of Fortaleza, has a Saturday crafts fair by the market. It is the access point for the beaches of Caponga and Águas Belas, where traditional fishing villages coexist with fancy weekend homes and hotels. Caponga, 15 km northeast of Cascavel, has a wide, 2-km-long beach lined with palms. Jangadas set sail in the early morning; arrangements can be made to accompany fishermen on overnight trips, a 90-minute ride costs US$14 for up to five people. There is a fish market and crafts sales (ceramics, embroidery and lacework) on the beach. A 30-minute walk south along the white-sand beach leads to Águas Belas, at the mouth of the Rio Mal Cozinhado, offering a combination of fresh and saltwater bathing (access also by road, 15 km from Cascavel, 4 km from Caponga). The scenery here, and 5 km further east at Barra Nova, changes with the tide. A walk north along the beach for 6 km takes you to the undeveloped Praia do Batoque, which is surrounded by cliffs and dunes.