Itaúnas is located 260 kilometers north from Vitória, capital of the state Espírito Santo. Itaúnas is famous for its dunes and Forro, a typical Brazilian dance and music, which is part of the local culture. Every year in July the "National Festival of Forro Itaúnas" takes place. It is the world’s largest Forro festival. But this is not the only attraction worth your visit. The beach of Itaúnas is 25 km long. Large dunes give it its characteristic appearance and make it a perfect observation point for beautiful sunrises and sunsets. Three miles of beach are reserved for public use.
Main season is December and January. Thousands of tourists from all over Brazil enjoy their summer holidays at the Itaúnas beach. The small and charming village offers lots of Pousadas (small hostels) as well as camping sites. The village had to be relocated in the 1970s as it was originally located at the beach. But the dunes took it over and buried all the houses under waves of sand. Sometimes, depending on the wind, the old rooftops can still be seen from the beach.
If you love nature, you should take your time and go on a trail in the State Park Itaúnas (Parque Estadual de Itaúnas). It is a conservation unit of 3200 hectares with a diverse range of ecosystems, such as beach, mangroves, rainforest, river and dunes. You can’t miss the park as the village is located in its centre and if you’d like to learn more about Itaúnas and its history, visit the park’s headquarters which hold a small museum.
The River Itaunas is a sweet water river that can be explored by kayak. Just ride down the river until you reach the sea and keep an eye open for alligators and caimans. But don’t worry, it is not dangerous at all.
If you want to explore Brazil and its culture and get to know places normal tourists probably don’t know, plan your next trip to Itaúnas. You will be enchanted :)
