Imagine a seemingly endless expanse of blue-green sea, where the water is a constant 27 degrees and you can sail all day, every day in winds of 20-30 knots. Fringed by coconut palms, the beach at Jeri has been voted one of the top 10 beaches in the world. Then at sunset the partying begins when all the locals are more than ready to celebrate even the most insignificant of events. The tempo of life starts slowing from the very moment you step off the plane; the rhythm of the lifestyle immediately grabs you.

Sailing conditions are near-perfect with sand underfoot; so forget the shoes and wetsuit, they'll only spend your holiday at the bottom of your suitcase. Although not really suitable for beginners, it is possible to practice the basics in safety early in the morning or on the 9 mile Paradise Lake which is a 20 minute buggy ride away. The latter is a magnet for those wanting to slalom-blast due to the mirror flatwater and incredibly consistent wind blowing across the dunes! The main sailing area is close to the village where the gently sweeping bay that offers protection for the locals boats runs out to a point. On the inshore the water is flat with small wavelets created by the wind pushing up the water on the shallow sandy seabed. As the wind is cross to cross offshore, once outside on the wind line the true face of Jericoacoara can be appreciated with 4m to 5m sailing from June to January. On the point, the ever present waves are at their best, never intimidating but one of the features of the venue. For the less experienced the closer to the village the softer the conditions.

Clube dos Ventos is located directly on the beach overlooking the windsurf spot. It is a brand new state-of-the -art centre with restaurant, bar, massage plus internet access. The well-maintained equipment ranges from 75 litres to 115 litres, giving an indication of the conditions to expect. The local staff are fully switched on into the sport and are a fountain of knowledge about the conditions both for day and night activities.

There are numerous bars and restaurants in the village and fish lovers will be in their element with the scope and variety of dishes on offer. To experience Jericoacoara to the full, time out from the water can be spent horse riding, sand boarding on the superb white sand dunes, leisurely hiking either in the

South America fact file