Pipa
Beach Village Under Red Cliffs South Of Natal, Known For Dolphins In Its Bays And A Strong International Following · Tibau do Sul, Rio Grande do Norte
Pipa is a beach village about 80 kilometres south of Natal, set on top of red and ochre cliffs above a string of bays, and one of the north-east's most popular places with travellers from abroad as well as Brazilians. Its fame rests on the Baía dos Golfinhos, a bay under the cliffs where dolphins regularly swim close to the shore and people wade out among them - reachable along the beach only at low tide. Next to it, the Praia do Madeiro is a calmer beach good for beginner surfers, and the Chapadão clifftop gives the classic view along the coast. Sea turtles nest on the beaches, and a small ecological sanctuary protects a patch of Atlantic forest. The village itself is a busy strip of pousadas, restaurants and bars, with a lively nightlife and a cosmopolitan crowd, which some love and some find has spoiled the fishing village it was. The tides decide the day: several beaches can only be reached at low water, and the rising sea cuts off people who misjudge it. Natal's airport is about 90 minutes away.
Praia da Pipa, Tibau do Sul, RN, Tibau do Sul, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
A village, always open, but the tide sets the timetable. The Baía dos Golfinhos and several beaches below the cliffs can be reached along the sand only in a window around low tide, and the window moves by roughly an hour every day, so check the tide table each morning rather than copying yesterday's plan. People who walk out late are cut off by the rising sea against the cliffs, and the only way back is wading or swimming with a bag over your head. Access stairways to some beaches, including the Madeiro stairway that is the easiest way down to the dolphin bays, are privately managed, may charge a small fee and close in the evening. Boat trips to see dolphins run in the morning and depend on sea conditions. Shops and restaurants on the main street open late morning and run late into the night; bars go on past midnight. At New Year, Carnival and the July holidays the village is packed and traffic on the single access road stalls.