Villa Tapi, Jericoacoara

Villa Tibá is one of our favourite places to stay in Jericoacoara, and it earns that for a simple reason: it is quiet, but it is not out of the way. The pousada sits directly in front of Praia da Malhada, a couple of minutes' walk from the main beach and from Rua do Forró, so you are close to the centre of the village and to the water, yet far enough back from the noise to actually sleep. Old cashew trees shade the gardens, the pool faces the sunset, and the whole place is built in the low, handmade style that makes Jeri what it is: wood, carnaúba thatch and lamps woven by hand.

Why it works for windsurfers and wing foilers - Jericoacoara is one of the most dependable wind destinations on the planet, and Villa Tibá puts you within a few minutes' walk of the action. The main beach launch is a short stroll from the front gate, which means you can rig, sail and be back at the pool without a shuttle, a buggy or a long walk in the heat. On a normal day you will be on the water in minutes rather than half an hour, and you can come back for lunch, change kit, or sit out the lightest part of the afternoon and go again when the trades fill in.

The gardens are the heart of the property, laid out under mature cashew trees with plenty of shade and space to spread out. The pool has an integrated hydromassage section and looks west over the sea, which makes it the obvious place to be at the end of a session; there are sun loungers around it and a steam sauna alongside, which is more useful than it sounds after a long day on the water.

Breakfast is served buffet-style in a large palhoça with views over the beach and sea: tropical fruit and juices, breads, sweet and savoury tarts, hot dishes, and tapiocas and crêpes made to order. Wi-Fi is free and fast throughout the property, reception is staffed 24 hours, and airport transfers can be arranged in advance for arrivals and departures. Jericoacoara's own airport (JJD) is roughly half an hour to forty minutes away by 4x4 across the sand tracks, so most guests are checked in and looking at the sea within an hour of landing.

There are five suite categories, all of them generous by Jeri standards, at 59 or 76 m². Every suite has a King Size bed with 400 thread-count linen, a deep soaking tub, a pressurised solar-heated shower, air conditioning, a 55" smart TV, free Wi-Fi, a safe and a minibar. Each one opens onto a rustic private veranda under wood and carnaúba thatch with a hammock, table and chairs. Lighting comes from natural-fibre lamps woven by hand by Dona Ana, and the ground-floor suites take a King bed plus a single bed, which is what lifts them to three guests. The two upper-floor suites add a private rooftop mirante for the sunset and the night sky.

Suíte Térrea Vista Mar (lateral) e Jardim (Ground Floor Suite, Side Sea and Garden View)
Size: 59 m² · Sleeps 1–3
Ground floor with easy access, King Size bed plus a single bed, soaking tub, veranda with hammock looking onto the gardens and the sea to the side.

Suíte Térrea Vista Mar, Jardim e Piscina (Ground Floor Suite, Sea, Garden and Pool View)
Size: 76 m² · Sleeps 1–3
The largest of the ground-floor suites, King Size bed plus a single bed, soaking tub, wide veranda with views over the gardens, the pool and the sea. Good for a family or two friends sharing.

Suíte Superior Vista Mar (lateral) e Jardim (Upper Floor Suite, Side Sea and Garden View)
Size: 59 m² · Sleeps 1–2
Upper floor with a private mirante for sunset and stargazing, King Size bed, soaking tub, rustic veranda with hammock. A couples' room.

Suíte Superior Vista Mar, Jardim e Piscina (Upper Floor Suite, Sea, Garden and Pool View)
Size: 76 m² · Sleeps 1–2

The best room in the house: upper floor, private mirante over the sea, the gardens and the lit pool at night, King Size bed and soaking tub.

Suíte Vista Jardim (Garden View Suite)
Size: 59 m² · Sleeps 1–3
Set among the cashew trees and gardens, King Size bed plus a single bed, soaking tub and private veranda. The quietest and best-value of the five.