I know, here in norther Brazil, a place with great beaches and great beach resort-towns everywhere, what is to make you go to one and not the other.
Well, I cannot advise you as I have not been to that many resort-towns but my friend from Fortaleza, a true-blue beach-babe, claims that this is her favourite, so it ought to mean something.
Canoa has a row of dark red cliff where there are restaurants and bars located at the base... surprisingly on stilts. In front of these restaurants and bars, there is an immense flat piece of gorgeous beach.
At first, I wondered why all the restaurants are packed so tightly to the base of the cliffs. Then, as I tanned the entire afternoon, I know why. The tide comes really up close!! Sitting on one of the beach-chairs near a bar, I had to move 3 times, before finally giving up. No wonder the bars and restaurants are on stilts!!
If you are here on a full moon, you are in luck. Firstly, you can watch the bright full moon rising from the horizon of the ocean. A stunningly surreal sight!
Secondly, you can join the Full Moon Party at Freedom Bar (the one with the huge Bob Marley's face) and party around the camp-fire til sun-rise. Meanwhile, you can trace the full moon as it circles around the sky on top of you.
Throughout the night, the tide will ebb and flow right back up to the stilts just before sun-rise... provided you have not collapsed from too much drink or grass.
A wonderful experience to see the FULL MOON RISE and then, the SUN RISE.

