Barracas
A full beach day.
MTur Destinos — Public domain · Jorge Andrade from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil — CC BY 2.0 · Jorge Andrade from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil — CC BY 2.0 · ME/Portal da Copa — CC BY 3.0 br
Praia do Futuro, «Beach of the Future», is an urban beach on Fortaleza's eastern shore, running about 7 km from the Mucuripe headland to the mouth of the Cocó River. Unlike the sheltered waterfront at Iracema and Meireles it faces the open ocean, and its waves and wind draw surfers and kitesurfers. It is famous for its barracas, beach huts, some of which have grown into large restaurant and leisure complexes where people spend the whole day between food, chairs and umbrellas. A 2025 federal law recognised beach-hut culture and its operators as part of Brazil's cultural heritage, and in April 2026 a settlement was signed to end a two-decade dispute over their occupation of the beach. The beach is free, seats at the huts come with ordering from them, and most serve alcohol. As the ocean is open and the sand bars shift, swim near the lifeguard towers and follow their flags.
A full beach day.
Surf and kite.
Swim by lifeguards.
Eastern shore of Fortaleza, from Mucuripe point to the Cocó river mouth
The ocean is open and the sand bars shift, so swim near the lifeguard towers, follow their flags and stay out of rough seas.