Cumbuco

For those who do not know Cumbuco, it is a small, but fast-growing fishing village 25km from Fortaleza. It is only a 30 minutes car drive from Fortaleza and can be reached within less than 40 minutes from the international airport.

It is the first stop on the Costa do Sol Poente (Sunset Coast). Formed by majestic white sand dunes, coastal strip lined with coconut palms and coastal lagoons, the town of Cumbuco is today one of the most important tourism centres in Ceara State, thanks to its proximity to the state capital and for the many leisure activities on offer.

Amongst the attractions found in Cumbuco, three large dune lagoons set the pace for tourist attractions: Lagoa do Banana, the most sought after destination, ideal for water sports; Lagoa do Cauipe, formed by the river-mouth entering the ocean is the meeting point for people who love off-road adventures, wind-surfing, and kite-surfing; and the Lagoa do Parnamirim, nestled inbetween beautiful dunes. It is here that people practice the skibunda sitting on wooden boards and literally ski downhill and end up in the fresh water lagoon to refresh themselves.

For those looking for more excitement, the popular buggy rides on the white dunes is certainly worth a try! For the less adventurous amongst us, there are donkey and horse rides along the beach and neighbouring dunes. For those who want to experience the ocean in Cumbuco, taking a raft ride along the coast is always popular. Among the many beaches in the area worth noting, are Tabuba and Coqueiros beaches. Tabuba is flat and ideal for people who like to take long coastal stroles. Coqeuiros has small dunes and large waves, which attracts many surfers. Access to Cumbuco is via the CE-085 and CE-090 highways. Cumbuco also has an established hotel network, and local cuisine is based on seafood that really is a mouth-watering experience to treasure!

Cumbuco has perfect conditions for kite surfing and wind surfing which is one of the reasons why thousands of tourist visit Cumbuco each year. The centre of Cumbuco is right next to the beach, which is lined with beautiful tropical palm trees and where one can find a dozen or so beach restaurants (barracas). After sunset a few of these remain open and other restaurants, and bars, also open their doors to Brazilians and foreigners alike. One can see the locals gather on and around the main square (prazinha) and what strikes one is the great number of children playing until well into the night, which attributes to the relaxed atmosphere in this idyllic village. One straight away feels at home here, and at the same time very very relaxed.

Property in Cumbuco and surrounding areas are a great investment opportunity as well as a wonderful place to reside in the peaceful location and tranquillity that property in Cumbuco has to offer.

Major European developers and investors had been quietly snapping up pieces of land for major resort development on the stretch of coastline around Fortaleza over the last 5 years. It is not so quiet anymore. New developments are springing up everywhere, and Cumbuco is the first area to the west of the city to see this development.

A major Portuguese resort and golf course developer Vila Gale has started construction of its golf course (picture below of construction, Oct 2009). The project, Cumbuco Golf, will include five-star hotels in the 450-hectare site. Next door, a Spanish group has launched a 990-unit project. The Spanish groups neighbor is a project by a major Brazilian group of 1,400 units. These major developers will seriously raise the bar in the area, and their marketing budgets and muscle will sell Cumbuco to a whole new market.

In 3 years time, this sleepy beach town will be barely recognizable. Soccer-playing kids will compete for space on the cobblestone streets with foreigners browsing in the shops or on their way to dine in the new restaurants that will open during the boom. Golf carts carrying golfers will be as common a sight as dune buggies carrying windsurfers .

Visitors will come in droves to these new resort properties, invading what is now this sleepy little town. Little houses in the town center will be converted into more cafes, restaurants, bars, and boutiques. Very soon they will have a commercial value that they dont have today. As the town develops, more foreigners will want to have it all: be right on the beach and a short stroll to the buzz of the Cumbuco town center.