Foto: TAVARES JÚNIOR
,, Some people say this will be the next Jeri. But it’s not. Curimãs is Curimãs — and it’s unique
The beach of Curimãs feels like a step back in time. Arriving there is like returning to an era when kites didn’t yet fill every beach and locals watched kitesurfers with curiosity. Curimãs is still like that: a place where residents open their doors to those who arrive with the wind, expecting nothing in return.
Isabel Leon came to Curimãs to improve in the sport. Photo: Tavares Júnior.
In 2025, athlete and founder of Kite Ladies Trip, Samy Marins, chose Curimãs as the destination for her women-only kite trip. For Isabel Leon, one of the participants, the place stands out for the quality of its wind — constant and strong. “In the morning the riding is calmer; by late afternoon the wind picks up and the sunset completes the incredible experience that this place is,” the kitesurfer says.
Manel Caetano teaches kitesurfing to one of the local children. Photo: Giselle Nuaz
Curimãs is the second-to-last beach of Barroquinha, the last municipality on the western coast of Ceará. It is home to Manel Caetano, a fisherman and the village’s first native kitesurfer. He learned to ride in 2010 and since then has lent gear left behind by tourists to children in the community. Today, around 20 boys and girls are learning kitesurf with him. After his work at sea, Manel takes on the role of instructor and assistis the young riders on the beach.
Fabio de Maria’s favorite place is Curimãs. Photo: Giselle Nuaz
Enchanted by the place, São Paulo entrepreneur and kitesurfer Fabio de Maria — who helped develop destinations such as Jericoacoara and Preá — has also turned his attention to Curimãs. Since 2020, he has been investing in a hotel and restaurant in the region, prioritizing local labor and environmentally respectful construction. Of all the possible destinations, this is the beach Fabio chose as the place where his nine-year-old daughter is learning to kite, with Manel as her instructor. “Some people say this will be the next Jeri. But it’s not. Curimãs is Curimãs — and it’s unique,” says Fabio, who already has his second home in the village.
