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Jericoacoara - The History

Many things have not changed since Jericoacoara was only a quiet village of fishermen, lost between huge white dunes, visited only by adventurous travelers.

Jericoacoara was discovered for tourism in the '80 years, and his fame came from a famous article published in the famous North American newspaper Washington Post Magazine, and was affirmed with the creation of the National Park in 2002.

• 1984 - Environment Protection Area

The fishing village of Jericoacoara was declared an Environment Protection Area by a federal law which has presumably limited the town's development and contribute to the conservation of its landscape.

• 1992 - Limit construction in Jericoacoara

The building of more accommodation was forbidden in this year, in order to limit the quantity of tourists and visitors in Jericoacoara.

• 1994 - Article in the Washington Post Magazine

One of the most important years of the history of Jericoacoara, is published an article in the Post Travel Magazine (The Washington Post), which declares Jericoacoara as one of the 10 most beautiful beach in the world for all its natural aspects. From now on the fame of the small village of fishermen arrive anywhere.

• 1998 - Electricity

This year, very important for Jericoacoara, comes the electricity, to feed only homes (there are not piles of light in the streets again today). Until 1998 only existed electric light bulbs powered from diesel generators.......and street lighting of the moon and stars.

• 2002 - National Park

In this year the IBAMA together the government of Ceará and the Prefecture of Jijoca of Jericoacoara have trasformed the area of Jericoacoara in a National Park.

• 2010 - Today

...The beauty of Jericoacoara remains without limits...

Origin of the name "Jericoacoara"

The name "Jericoacoara" derives from the Tupi-guarani yuruco (hole) + cuara (turtle), or hole of the turtles - a reference to the fact that Jericoacoara is a beach where spawning occurs from sea turtles. Some people say that the name comes from the mountains of Serrote, which takes the form of an alligator lying, or a local expression of an alligator Wed to Sun, and the place was once called Jacarequara, psychic powers, to the Over time, the current, internationally known as Jericoacoara or simply Jeri by the local population.