Preá Beach
Eight kilometres of white sand built for kite obsessives
About
Praia do Preá stretches roughly 8 kilometres along the coast of Cruz municipality in Ceará's Northeast Brazil, a long, exposed arc of white sand meeting open blue water. Trade winds blow at a consistent 25 knots here, which is why the global kite community treats this beach as a pilgrimage site. Behind the sandbar, a flat-water lagoon offers a sheltered counterpoint to the choppy open ocean — the kind of contrast that makes serious kiters and windsurfers plan entire trips around it. The Rio Preá estuary cuts across the beach access route, adding a ferry crossing to the adventure. Infrastructure is deliberately minimal: no beach clubs lining the shore, no vendor rows, just wind, white sand, and blue water as far as you can see.
How to get there
From Cruz town, the drive takes around 20 minutes by car on a daily basis. Coming from Jijoca de Jericoacoara, allow 40 minutes in a 4x4 — the terrain demands it. A ferry crossing over the Rio Preá estuary is part of the route, so factor that into your timing. Parking is free and informal: sandy spots near the kite schools, nothing paved or metered.
Who it's for
For couples
Couples who share a passion for wind sports will find Preá genuinely hard to beat — the combination of open blue water, white sand, and a sheltered lagoon gives two people very different sessions from the same beach. Evenings are quiet and unhurried, with the nearest restaurants a short drive away in a low-key setting.
For families
Families with young children should think carefully before choosing Preá as a base: the water is choppy year-round and not safe for casual swimming, kite lines pose real hazards near launch zones, and soft sand with constant wind exposure makes the beach physically demanding. Older kids already into kite or windsurf training will find it exciting, but it is not a gentle beach-holiday destination.
Our take
Feet in the sand, eyes on the screen
Praia do Preá is a specialist beach, and it makes no apology for that. The water is choppy year-round — do not come here expecting a swim. What you get instead is 8 kilometres of white sand under 25 knots of trade wind, a flat-water lagoon that kite and windsurf instructors dream about, and an infrastructure footprint so light it barely registers. That wildness is the point. Come between June and January for the best wind and the most activity; avoid February through May when the rains arrive and services close. The nearest restaurants are a 6-kilometre drive, the parking is a sandy patch, and the closest airport is nearly 150 kilometres away — Preá filters out anyone who isn't serious about being here.
What to do
The flat-water lagoon behind the sandbar is the centrepiece for kite and windsurf sessions, and the Parador de Laguna Azul about 4.7 km away offers a base for lagoon exploration. The Árvore da Preguiça — the famous 'lazy tree' — sits around 5.7 km from the beach and is worth a stop. For a bigger day out, Praia de Jericoacoara is 12 km away: the iconic national park beach with its sunset dune is a completely different mood from Preá's raw, wind-blasted character.
The flat-water lagoon behind the sandbar is the money shot — kites arcing overhead reflected in still water, best captured in the hour after sunrise before the wind peaks.
The Rio Preá estuary crossing also frames well: the ferry, white sand banks, and open blue sky give you a composition you won't find at any other beach in the Jericoacoara corridor.
Where to eat
The nearest dining options are clustered several kilometres away. Alchymist Beach Club at 6 km and Komaki at 6.5 km are the closest choices, while Lua Cheia at 6.9 km rounds out the short list of options within reach. Pack food and water if you plan a full day on the beach — there is no on-site catering infrastructure.
Where to stay
Most accommodation sits roughly 11 kilometres from the beach, in the direction of Jericoacoara. Options include Pousada Vital, pousada pilão, pousada pérolas do mar, Mahí, and Vila Oasis — all within a short stretch of each other. Book ahead during peak kite season; availability tightens fast when competitions are on.
Photography
Shoot from the waterline at golden hour looking back toward the sandbar — the flat-water lagoon catches the light in a way the open blue ocean doesn't, and kites in the air give the frame scale. Early morning before the wind picks up is the only time you'll get a still surface reflection; by mid-morning the 25-knot trades are already reshaping the scene.
Good to know
Kite launch zones are designated — respect right of way and never walk through an active launch area; kite lines are a genuine hazard to anyone on foot nearby. No motorised vehicles are permitted on active kite beach sections, so leave the buggy parked. The water is choppy year-round: this is not a swimming beach, and you should not enter the water for leisure swimming. Outside the main kite season of June through January, the beach quietens considerably — February through May brings the rainy season, which kills wind consistency and closes many services.
Map
Nearby places
Alchymist Beach Club
Komaki
Lua Cheia
Restaurante Lua cheia
Esfiharia e Pizzaria Sabor do Paraíso
Pousada Vital
pousada pilão
pousada pérolas do mar
Mahí
Vila oasis
Parador de Laguna Azul
Árvore da Preguiça
Parador de Laguna del Paraíso
Things to see around Cruz
Praia de Jericoacoara
Main beach of the Jericoacoara National Park, iconic sunset dune and village.
Lagoa do Paraíso
Large freshwater lagoon with hammocks in the shallows.
Cruz town
Small market town serving the Preá kite community with accommodation and supplies.
Frequently asked
The information on this page is provided for guidance only and may evolve. Access conditions, safety and infrastructure can change without notice. Always check official sources before traveling.
Nearest beaches
Other wild beaches in Brazil
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Photo credits
Sources and licenses for the photos shown above.
- Photo 1 — Dave Lonsdale · source · CC BY 2.0
- Photo 2 — ItaloPreásimple · source · CC BY 3.0
- Photo 3 — Fabiobarros · source · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Photo 4 — Otávio Nogueira from Fortaleza, BR · source · CC BY 2.0
- Photo 5 — Otávio Nogueira from Fortaleza, BR · source · CC BY 2.0
- Photo 6 — Otávio Nogueira from Fortaleza, BR · source · CC BY 2.0