Natal
Capital Of Rio Grande Do Norte, Founded 1599, With City Beaches And Dune Fields; Nearby Pirangi Has What Is Claimed As The World'S Largest Cashew Tree · Natal, Rio Grande do Norte
Natal, the capital of Rio Grande do Norte, is a sunny beach city on the north-east corner of Brazil and a gateway to a coast of dunes, lagoons and reefs. It was founded in 1599 around the star-shaped Forte dos Reis Magos, which still stands on the reef at the mouth of the Potengi River. The main tourist beach, Ponta Negra, curves towards the Morro do Careca, a large dune that is now closed to climbing to stop its erosion. North of the city the Genipabu dunes are famous for buggy rides, offered with or without emoção, meaning thrills, which means racing down dune faces, and for dromedary rides and lagoons where you slide into the water. To the south, Pirangi has a cashew tree that spreads over a whole block, often called the largest in the world, and Maracajaú has reef pools offshore. Natal gets some of the most sunshine of any Brazilian city and a steady breeze. It is mainly a base for the coast, which is why most visitors come.
Ponta Negra, Natal, RN, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
Natal is a city and its beaches are open at all hours, but the trips that bring people here run on their own clocks. The Forte dos Reis Magos keeps daytime hours, is often closed on Mondays and has closed for long restoration works in the past, so check before walking out along the reef. The Cajueiro de Pirangi opens daily in daytime. Buggy tours to Genipabu leave in the morning and return mid-afternoon; booking the night before through a hotel or registered agency is normal. The day-ruining rule is the tide: the reef pools at Maracajaú and the Parrachos de Pirangi can only be visited at low tide, so boat trips run only on certain days and hours each month, and a trip booked on the wrong day will be cancelled or disappointing. Ask agencies for the tide calendar.