The Northeast of Brazil has so much to offer and today you’ll be in touch about the best places to visit in Paraíba, Pernambuco, Alagoas and Sergipe.
1.Cabedelo, Paraíba
Genipabu Ecological Tourist Park is one of the most visited places in Rio Grande do Norte. It is located in Extremoz, 25km from downtown Natal, the capital. There you can see the tallest sand dunes of the world and a breathtaking beach. Also, among the dunes, like an oasis you’ll see a freshwater lake where you can refresh yourself.
Also in Rio Grande do Norte, you can visit Maracajaú, in Maxaranguape, and enjoy their natural pools which are called “parrachos” and see their 70 years old lighthouse; visit the beaches like Pipa, Madeiro, the Dolphin Bay (Baia dos Golfinhos), Camurupim and Tourinhos and the popular Pitangui Lake.
2. Baía dos Porcos, Fernando de Noronha, Pernambuco
Fernando de Noronha is a volcanic archipelago about 350 kilometers off Brazil’s northeast coast. It’s named after its largest island, a protected national marine park and ecological sanctuary with a jagged coastline and diverse ecosystems. It’s on the wish list of many travellers due its unexplored beaches, and for scuba diving and snorkeling among sea turtles, dolphins, rays and reef sharks swim in its warm, clear waters.
You can visit Noronha any time of the year but the best months are between August and October because the sea gets calmer and is hardly rough.
Before you travel to this paradise, you should get informed and be aware that it’s an expensive destination – more than any other place in the Northeast; during some months, specifically the turtle nesting season, some beaches either close to visitors or the access becomes heavily restricted; only 450 to 500 tourists per day can visit Noronha, so the natural landscape may be preserved; you can go there by flight, cruise or private/chattered yacht; there is a fee of BRL 45.00 per tourist (around CAD 15.00) called ecological tax for one day in the island or BRL 130.00 (CAD 45.00) valid for ten days.
3. Porto de Galinhas, Ipojuca, Pernambuco
Porto de Galinhas is a beach located in Ipojuca, Pernambuco with around 18km of white sand and warm crystal water. There you can swim in the beautiful natural pools surrounded by different fish species.
You can also go to these places:
- Spend a day at Carneiros Beach;
- Go on a buggy ride to Maracaipe and take a raft to Maracaipe River and see some sea horses. There you can also go surfing;
- 35km from Porto de Galinhas you can visit Cabo de Santo Agostinho beaches. The most famous is Calhetas beach and they have buggy and catamaran local tours.
Usually travellers visiting Porto de Galinhas go to Maragogi, Alagoas by car or take some one day tours to visit the natural pools in the other state. The travel may take around 2 hours but it’s totally worthy. The next place I’m talking about is exactly Maragogi, so follow me!
4. Maragogi, Alagoas
Maragogi is another paradise you can meet, especially combining with Porto de Galinhas, Pernambuco. This destination is perfect for diving and getting impressed by coral reefs and sunken ships while swimming in the warm and calm ocean.
Maragogi is compared to the Caribbean beaches and it offers around 22km of impressive beaches and Galés (a group of natural pools). Put on your trip list Barreira de Peroba e Taoca natural pools.
5. Aracaju, Sergipe
The state of Sergipe is between Bahia and Alagoas and at last, but not least has paradisiacal views and many places to visit. The capital is Aracaju.
Here are some must see places in Aracaju:
- Praia de Atalaia: this is the main post card of Aracaju – the beach has 6km and is considered one of the best beaches of Brazil regarding infrastructure. At Atalaia Beach it’s possible to find some touristic points like Arcos de Atalaia, Passarela do Caranguejo, Oceanário de Aracaju and Passarela do Artesão;
- São Cristóvão: this city used to be Sergipe’s capital before Aracaju was founded in 1855. It’s the fourth older city of Brazil. It looks like a Hispanic historical city and it is indeed, due the Iberian Union, Spain used to rule it. One of the most important historical touristic points is São Francisco Square which became a UNESCO World Heritage Site;
- Cânion do Xingó: this canyon impresses us with the mixture of those huge rocks with the famous emerald waters of São Francisco River. This is the most beautiful part of São Francisco and it’s worthy to spend a night in Canindé de São Francisco to enjoy everything the Old Chico has to offer like the Cangaço Route, in Piranhas.
I could tell also other places like Saco Beach, Mangue Seco dunes (a famous Brazilian soap opera was shot in there – Tieta (1989)), the Aracaju Municipal Market – a complex with three markets: Antônio Franco (with many restaurants and handcraft products), Thales Ferraz (where you can find Brazilian chestnuts, cachaça and tapioca) and Albano Franco (where you can buy fruits, vegetables and fish).
Traveling to Brazil should be one of the things to do before you die! It’s a country with non-countable beauties – you can travel as much as you can to different regions of Brazil and still not seeing all it can offer, kind and happy people, rich in history, geography and culture.
After knowing about the Northeast, I’m sure you will be excited to be introduced to the South and Southeast – spoiler alert: it’s completely different from the Northeast and you will love it!