Fortaleza, Recife, Sao Luis - Aug 2025

[ShivRoy]

A quick belated update on another visit to Nordeste this past August. 

Excellent trip, and I really love that part of Brazil. Great beaches and plentiful sun in this season, food not too bad, authentic parties. Everything is at least half price of RJ and SP. Azul and some others fly from Florida direct into many cities in Northeast - less than 6hrs flying time on an A321, no need to go all the way to SP/RJ and backtrack, and it's very cheap (I flew to Belem and out of Recife, and my tix were about $200-220 one-way).

Fortaleza is slowly gentrifying, but that can't be said about saunas - however they are not getting worse at least!

Dragon sauna has closed and hosts occasional mainstream parties in that space, so the only sauna of note continues to be California and it's still good. They put more effort into organizing the suites turnaround, and now at times all four out of four are operational - on busy nights there's quite a bit of a line/wait, but then there are free cabins, and guys are not adverse to using them at all.

I saw old favourites at California and some new faces too. The going rate is 100, though some well-built guys are pushing to 150. There was a great guy visiting from SP for a week - looks a total straight muscular thug with lots of clearly gang tattoos, I mean I'd cross the street in Brazil immediately if such a guy would be heading my way - here he was very sweet and doing his job. He quoted 200 as in SP, but agreed on 150 straight away. He was very popular doing multiple programas on a couple of days that I saw him. Most others are really happy with 100, even if they try some gringo pricing first but I have enough of my broken bed-learned Portuguese to bat it away from the get-go.

The guy from Goiania, Douglas, is still there - he told me he moved to Salvador in February but then moved back to Fortaleza two or three months later. He's the same incredible guy I remember from a year ago. He's also clearly working to save - he's the only GP who works every single day, 7/7, without any days off. He also takes Prep unlike others. The majority of the guys would be more next-door rather than the 117 type, but there are exceptions, and one only needs one or two or three of those like Douglas or a couple of others.

The best day is by far Thursday when some non-regular locals also join to earn some buck - I hired one of those as soon as he came in rather late after 8pm, waited for him as he changed and led to a cabin - he was a bit timid and unsure how all this works, but then sex was good. I saw an Uber Eats delivery guy who probably just delivered to the address coming in further to the bar to see what's going on in his Uber Eats uniform and motorcycle helmet, then he had a discussion with a front desk guy and next I saw him changing from his Uber Eats uniform into a towel in the GP lockers section (he didn't put the helmet back on).

Sunday is also very good, Friday is pretty decent, Saturday is a tad slow. I was always surprised how Mondays were fairly busy - probably due to it previosly being a free suites night, however that's no more the case as of August 1, so it may change. Suites on Monday are still at 15, and on all other days at 30 or 35 (don't remember). The totally dead day is Wednesday - I came in and stayed maybe from 5:30 till 7:30, and throughout that time I was the sole client in the whole sauna - there were maybe 5 or 6 GPs, so the one I did a programa with was very happy how it turned out, he told me later that after I left no other client came in.

Staff at California are wonderful and kind and chatty - so despite the dilapidated environs (still, suites are miles better than 117 or 202 in RJ) it is still a good place for its purpose. There are more saunas and cruising clubs that I didn't visit this time - I did pop into to a sex cinema called Autorama, and they very occasionally hold special parties - it is a very well-done space and I can see how it can be enjoyed, provided there are any people there. When I popped into Autorama in the afternoon just when people were leaving for work, there was no one else there, apart from one sad twink GP, but it could be bad timing, and I'm really keen to know if/when things are happening there.

Sao Luis - sauna Go 61 is doing really well. I noticed that a week before my arrival all their socials on all the platforms disappeared and I feared they closed. I sent them a Whatsapp message and they assured me they are open. It is a really good sauna, with an open swimming pool, cheap bar and a nice layout and facilities. I really liked the choice of GPs, more of them went to the gym than the ones at California in Fortaleza - and free cabins on the 2nd floor are probably the best free cabins I saw in Brazil, so much that in my 3 or 4 nights there I did not see any single client asking for a suite. Suites exist, but nobody uses them where there are fine cabins (and a cleaning guy cleans every cabin promptly after eash use).

The going rate is 100, I had programas with guys of different types there. It's not super busy, but there will be more than a dozen GPs on the night, and most would be in the Pointe 202 range looks-wise.

Sao Luis though as a city is really struggling. You see it's becoming poorer and more dangerous - usually Fortaleza was considered #1 in terms of poverty and violence in that region, but I had a distinct feeling that Sao Luis became much much edgier. One taxi driver told me how some neighbourhoods became really dangerous and how he wants to save money for a bus ticket (!) to Belem (8hr bus ride) as he thinks it's much better to live in Belem than in Sao Luis.

The pretty old town is still happening in the evening, and it's an easy walk from Sauna Go 61 - the main town fiesta in the old town now seems to be on Thursdays, and not on Fridays how I remember it from past visits.

Recife - again, very good times at Thermas Boa Vista - very decent choice of GPs or guys who wouldn't mind to earn something, cheap and good caipirinhas, actually a normal food menu like at a Brazilian cantina and I saw many people actually eating there. The universal rate is 100, suites are 35 and 40 (or 30 and 40? - smth like that) and they are really nice suites, especially more expensive ones upstairs. Fridays and Saturdays are hopping, and I met wonderful guys there - I think out of the three cities it is Recife where I saw some really stunning guys. Interestingly enough, Sundays though busy are mostly for locals to socialize and flirt between themselves, the stunners from Fri/Sat told me they are skipping Sunday and will be back on Monday, and I understood why: there were really a few good-looking young guys on Sunday but they were not GPs and it does feel much more like a regular sauna on this one day of the week. If I'm in Recife next time, I'd skip Sunday - unlike in Fortaleza or Sao Luis, where this is one of their best days.

Not sure when I'm coming back - I don't have plans to go to Brazil this year or next - but if I do come, I'd be really tempted to skip RJ/SP the same way I did this time and head to Nordeste or other provinces - I felt this trip was a breath of fresh air as RJ starts to feel a bit jaded lol.

[Xclay]

I love the Nordeste too and my guys in Fortaleza keep getting better and better -- except for one handsome favorite for several past years who keeps getting fatter and fatter. Last December, I paid for one last time. By June his BMI surpassed mine!  Despite his sad puppy eyes, no more trysts. He must have some chasers who adore him.

Great Uber Eats story. 

I also like the Sao Luis GP sauna a lot. Wish that United or some kind of Star Alliance connection flew into the Northeast!

Thanks for the great report.

[ShivRoy]

2 hours ago, Xclay said:

 except for one handsome favorite for several past years who keeps getting fatter and fatter. Last December, I paid for one last time. By June his BMI surpassed mine! 

Haha I know exactly what you mean - and I really like Fortaleza, but some of the guys in the sauna really should go to the gym at least half the number of days they drink.  There were a few guys at California who would be stunning if only they were a bit more athletic. Those GPs who drink in saunas on the nightly basis can quickly become flabby in 12-18 months (many working guys drink non-alc only in saunas, so well-done to them).

There is one guy in particular who I remember was a star of that Fortaleza circuit maybe 5-7 years ago, and since then the age, the drink, the pizzas have started to catch up with him, he still goes to the sauna regularly but he's getting wider in that middle-aged way, love handles and all, and is a fading star of that circuit nowadays, even though he could have managed it differently.

[Latbear4blk]

It has been less than two weeks and three sauna visits, but I have not seen many of those super hot men you guys are describing. Just a few of them, the fingers in one hand are more than enough to count them. But alas! we all have different preferences and I still have time to change my assessment about Recife.

[brall3]

Thanks for the report.  I have never heard anything about Sao Luis.  How did you get from Fortaleza to Sao Luis,  bus or air flight?  Also where did you stay in Sao Luis?  Is there only one sauna in the city?  Last but not least, how are the beaches in Sao Luis?

[Xclay]

5 hours ago, brall3 said:

Thanks for the report.  I have never heard anything about Sao Luis.  How did you get from Fortaleza to Sao Luis,  bus or air flight?  Also where did you stay in Sao Luis?  Is there only one sauna in the city?  Last but not least, how are the beaches in Sao Luis?

Easy Azul flight from Fortaleza to São Luis.

I did not discover any particularly brilliant places to stay. I liked the high-rise Luzeiros Hotel by the ocean and it was a good value. Ubers were even less expensive than usual in Brazil.

São Luis has over a million residents (1.5 million metro) and has several gay saunas. But, as far as I know, only Go63 has GPs. The Go63 website is http://www.go63.com.br/

San Marcos beach is the most popular, but I used my few afternoons to explore the charming colonial old town, the Palácio dos Leões, and museums. The golden age of São Luis was in the 17th and 18th centuries when it was a major Portuguese port.

Sadly, Azul (struggling with bankruptcy) cancelled its flights from São Luis to Barreirinhas (the airport near fantastic Lençóis Maranhenses) and to famous beach town Jericoacoara. So adding those great (but sauna free) northeastern sites requires long car/bus rides but totally worth it. 

Curious footnote:
São Luis is considered the raggae (hay'gee!) capitol of Brazil! There is even a little Museum of Raggae in the old town.

[Xclay]

Actually, lots of nonstop flights to São Luis.

[Traveler365]

The people in the Northeast are very nice and friendly. Reminds me of small town USA.

[babybear2]

@ShivRoy Which parts of Sao Luis is getting very dangerous? I was there in August too, my hotel was near a big lagoon, it feels okay.

[ShivRoy]

On 10/16/2025 at 9:11 PM, brall3 said:

Thanks for the report.  I have never heard anything about Sao Luis.  How did you get from Fortaleza to Sao Luis,  bus or air flight?  Also where did you stay in Sao Luis?  Is there only one sauna in the city?  Last but not least, how are the beaches in Sao Luis?

I think @Xclay provided most answers already. Plane is really easy - Azul and Latam both fly there, and I think GOL too. It's an hour from Fortaleza or from Belem by air.

Previously I stayed at Luzeiros hotel, however it's fairly removed from everything - this time I checked in to Praia Callao Hotel on Callao beach, it was adequate with sea views.

On that front though, beaches in Sao Luis are for strolling and sunbathing, but not really for swimming. They have been well-known for years for extreme contamination due to some industrial and/or sewage dumps nearby - I read an article from some years ago how they tested the sand (not even the water, just the beach sand) across all Sao Luis beaches, and found parasites and gelmints in 100% of the probes. Praia Callao hotel had a rooftop pool overlooking the beach and the ocean which was a nice alternative.

The main atrraction is the old town which is pretty and Portuguese and tile-adorned everywhere - fairly small though. Alcantara, an island of forgotten ruins (as well as of an abandoned cosmodrome) is a couple of hours by boat and a fascinating day trip. The most important trip is to Lencois Maranhenses near Barreirinhas, just over 4hrs by a fairly comfortable and punctual bus one-way - one of the most beautiful places on earth that I've seen anywhere.

The old town is full of music and drinks in the evenings - those who are familar with Lapa in RJ, that's sorta the same scene albeit on a much smaller scale. Reggae is everywhere, as are caipirinhas and meat skewers (chicken hearts skewers stole my non-chicken heart).

There's only one sauna, correct, but sauna-wise that's enough for Sao Luis. There is another new sauna on the same street two blocks away, but not sure if GPs are there and I did not visit.

[ShivRoy]

On 10/17/2025 at 4:44 AM, babybear2 said:

@ShivRoy Which parts of Sao Luis is getting very dangerous? I was there in August too, my hotel was near a big lagoon, it feels okay.

Security-wise, the old town is edgy but those few blocks where evening fiestas are held are fine when the crowds and police are present. Areas near the hotels  (lagoon, Luzeiros, Callao beach) are fine - but when you take an Uber between the old town and the hotels/beach, or an Uber from/to airport, you drive through the areas that seem like infamous Crackolandia in SP which the rest of Sao Luis started to resemble in a way