One of the most beautiful beaches along the Sunset Coast, Lagoinha is 100 kilometers (62 miles) west of Fortaleza [1]. A pirate hideout turned fishing village, its palm-shaded beaches are backed by dunes that range in hue from creamy white to orangey-pink. You can explore them by quadricycle or buggy.
The most popular excursion leads to the Lagoa das Alméceges, where you can bathe in crystalline waters and snack on seafood at the barracas along the shore. Like Cumbuco [2], Lagoinha can get unbearably crowded on the weekends.
Should you want to spend the night, Pousada Mar à Vista (Av. Francisco Henrique Azevedo 170, tel. 85/3363-5038, www.pousada-maravista.com [3]. R$70–90 d), perched on a cliff above the beach, is a decent, basic option with small, but clean, air-conditioned rooms. The patio restaurant is a good place to savor seafood with a view, or to watch the sunset while downing a cool caipirinha.
Viação Pegasus (tel. 85/3256-5100) offers bus service from Fortaleza’s rodoviária. The journey takes two hours.
Links:
[1] http://www.moon.com/destinations/brazil/the-northeast-coast/fortaleza-and-ceara/fortaleza
[2] http://www.moon.com/destinations/brazil/the-northeast-coast/fortaleza-and-ceara/west-fortaleza/cumbuco
[3] http://www.pousada-maravista.com