CI - Commerce International: "In the shade of the Brazilian sun".
Whether you prefer to live to the rhythm of bossa nova in Rio, to lead the life of a wealthy recluse in a luxury beach hut, or simply be rocked by the singing of fishermen in Pontal de Maceió, with its thousands of kilometres of fine sand, Brazil is a destination full of promise.
After a subdued 2009 due to the crisis, luxury tourism is making its way back up....
Opting for more memorable trips, Namibia and Botswana emerge as preferred destinations. Following India, China and the USA, Latin America, especially Brazil, is becoming a favoured holiday spot now that luxury hotels are developing here in idyllic spots, once popular amongst hippies in the 1970s.
The brand new Vila Selvagem, in Pontal de Maceió, at the mouth of the Rio Jaguaribe, is a haven of peace. Lodged against a andscape of sand dunes, coconut palms and freshwater lagoons, this small fishing village is found on one of the longest beaches in Brazil (573 km!), on the coast of the state of Ceara, in the northeast of the country. This is a land suited to growing sugar cane and tobacco. Pontal de Maceió (Fortim (CE) is around 130 km south of Fortaleza, Brazil’s fifth largest city with 2.5 million inhabitants. Far from the madding crowds, guests at Vila Selvagem can live at the pace of fishermen who, when the clock strikes four, cross the village square to their jangadas (small sailing boats), setting off to the horizon at sunrise, gently pushed by the breeze in water at 28°C. The jangadas will only return at nightfall, laden with lobsters! The Vila Selvagem is the only hotel in the village. “We visited many beaches but were won over by the beauty of the beach at Pontal de Maceió and its natural swimming pools formed by the sea at low tide. The hotel’s name, meaning “wild village”, alludes to the deserted nature of this spot where an authentic Brazil can be discovered, away from tourist sites,” explains Célian Chaufour who opened the hotel with his father. The father-son team offers 15 luxury contemporary-style apartments and chalets, with verandas facing the sea, a hammam, a rhassoul clay beauty treatment room, a spa and a beauty centre. Clients can choose to diet or on the other hand, indulge in a cuisine rich in fish and seafood that nevertheless does not err towards excess: a weeklong package including beauty treatments and meals can be had for prices starting at 874 euros. This privileged spot between sea, river and land, is conducive to lounging as well as sport. And it may not be very environmentally friendly, but young clients enjoy driving buggies on the stretches of sand dunes that change colour from day to day: golden yellow, ochre, white… Meanwhile, thrill-seekers may enjoy jumping from the summit of a dune to the sea, or else go fishing on the River Jaguaribe. The view of the beach with its deep red cliffs and numerous water holes can also be enjoyed from horseback. Bicycles are also available at the hotel for trailing between streams and across the great stretches of sand at low tide. Many grottos and labyrinths also await discovery.
Read full article in the CI magazine site.