A day by the beach of Jericoacoara

We managed to find the tour to the West of Jericoacoara with the end in Camocim, so today is now free. We decide to enjoy the swimming pool of the accommodation, the beach and the village. A slow day.

It starts with an early swim in the ocean, before the sun gets to hot. The beach is wide and long, the water is knee deep for at least 100 meters because it’s still high tide. When we went there last night, it was very far away. The umbrellas guys are setting up for the day. 

As we finish our early swim, we walk back to our apartment and it’s about 9 am. All the tours and buggies are driving around picking up their customers and the village streets are busy. We still have a little bit of shade on our terrace, so we enjoy the outdoors and the cooling winds for a while longer.

We needed to change some money to be able to pay our buggy driver tomorrow, and I am unsure if I will buy a magnet here. Our sunscreen is about to ran out. Time to get back in the village for a stroll and some shopping, it’s close to lunch too. We casually go around what is now a very quiet place. Most restaurants are closed during lunch and everyone is gone for the day. The money changer only opens at 4pm, we will have to come back. We continue to a pharmacy for the sunscreen and end at a KG kitchen that we read had a lot of vegetarian options. We want to have more veggies today. It’s a good restaurant, very tasty choices available. Of course, not cheap – we are in a very touristic place after all.

The hottest hours of the day are upon us now, time to enjoy the pool and the internet. We spend the afternoon alternating between a refreshing dip and some planning work for Mexico on the shaded garden tables. It’s a relaxing pace. At 4pm, Alexis decides to try the Money changer again – it’s not open, after 30min, there is still no one. He texts our driver for advises and other options. Turns out the money changer opens after 4pm, but more or less whenever he wants after that time. There is another option, it’s the supermarket Tem deTudo. Alexis went there and asked the staff at the cashier because he couldn’t see anything indicating that they were offering currency exchange services. The staff brought him at the back, pass the service entrance to a shack… felt a little dodgy. But in the end, yes, there is a tiny counter where they exchange money too. Of course, the rate is absolutely horrible and he changes the bare minimum. 45min later, the guy from the first money changer sent us an whats app to tell us he was there and open now… Just be warned and bring cash when visiting Jericoacoara. No ATM here – most will accept card payments, but to negotiate with buggy drivers, cash is king.

I joined Alexis in the village and we walk on the beach watching a gorgeous sunset. We stay seated a little further away and until it’s dark. As we make our way back to the village, the party shacks are all set up waiting for revelers.

We take a beer by the beach front before going to a Lebanese restaurant we have seen before. We wanted to eat something different and this was a good choice.