Our road trip begins in: Natal
Natal
Given its location on the Northeastern “point” of the South American continent, we decided to officially begin our Great Brazilian Road Trip in the city of Natal. Natal is the state capital of Rio Grande do Norte and is best known for its massive coastal sand dunes.
Many blogs describe Natal as “up and coming” but maybe not quite there yet. Several suggested skipping Natal entirely and heading straight to Praia de Pipa, a popular beach community an hour and a half south of the city. However, a friend of ours described his time in Natal as “absolutely amazing!” and convinced us that we needed at least 2 nights to explore all the city had to offer. We changed our plans and were ready to be blown away.
After such a build-up, Natal was, sadly, a disappointment.
We rented a small apartment in Ponta Negra, a “trendy” neighborhood in the south of the city close to the acclaimed Praia da Ponta Negra (Ponta Negra Beach) and the iconic Morro do Careca (Bald Hill). The pandemic limited our interactions with Ponta Negra’s famed “nightlife” but, driving around, we found ourselves puzzled at how little the area seemed to offer in general.
Morro do Careca is closed indefinitely to prevent further erosion. High tides completely covered Praia da Ponta Negra, and all of the beachside restaurants were closed. A handful of brave surfers attempted to catch some waves and a few folks were stubbornly camped out on the concrete barrier between the beach and the boardwalk. But otherwise, Natal seemed more like an urban ghost town than a thriving coastal city.
"… This is it…?"
Just before leaving, we decided to do a Buggy Tour of the Genipabu Sand Dunes a few miles north of Natal city limits. We drove in the general direction of the park entrance, and when we got close, we were flagged down by a guide who offered us a 1.5 hour tour of the dunes. Perfect!
In the age of Instagram, Dune Tour Buggy Drivers are ready to meet market demands. Our tour included hardly any historical or geological facts but had at least 2 stops with dedicated photographers who knew exactly which poses and props to use to capture the magic of the moment.
Our Buggy Driver was also an amateur photographer and was well-trained in the importance of taking multiple photos at each vista and getting all our best angles. Cheesy? Maybe. But we had a blast!
The Dune Tour was, by far, the most amazing thing about Natal.
Pit Stop: The World’s Largest Cashew Tree
As we left Natal, we decided to stop by the World’s Largest Cashew Tree. The tree twists and turns itself in an area as large as a city block and was absolutely beautiful. It’s still producing fruit and is home to a few small monkeys but, unless you’re The World’s Largest Cashew Fan, it probably isn’t worth driving 20 minutes out of the way for a 15 minute walk in the shade.
Next stop:
Pipa Beach
Praia de Pipa is a trendy seaside town with an international reputation. Even during a pandemic, the small community bustles with visitors from Argentina, the UK, US and, of course, elsewhere in Brazil. Despite the masks and hand sanitizer, Pipa’s holiday energy felt almost normal, like stepping forward (or backward) in time.
Although busy, Pipa is small. All activity centers around one main street (“Avenida Baia dos Golfinhos”) which follows the coast. The Avenue has an endless stream of restaurants, bars, and shops all of which are open late (an unusual thing these days). Parking is a nightmare so leave your car at your hotel and explore on foot.
Pipa has two popular beaches (Praia de Pipa and Praia do Amor) both of which can be easily accessed from downtown. Unfortunately, this “easy access” means both beaches are packed full of people and, during high tide, the sand almost completely disappears. Shoulder-to-shoulder people make it hard to enjoy the sun, especially during a pandemic.
For a more relaxed, isolated beach experience, our Airbnb host recommended Praia Baia dos Golfinhos (Dolphin Bay Beach) which can only be accessed during low tide. To get there, you must walk from Praia de Pipa, following the coastal cliffs and navigating a sizeable rock field before entering into the peaceful Bay of Dolphins. We would have stayed longer but we were nervous about being stranded after the tide came in.
We also enjoyed Praia do Madeiro. A short drive from Pipa, you access this beach by climbing a wooden staircase through the forest. After the chaos of Pipa Beach, Praia do Madeiro felt like the perfect balance of creature comforts and calm. The waves were a little rough which meant we spent less time in the water than we might have otherwise. On the plus side, there were plenty of surfers to watch as we sipped caipirinhas in the shade. As an added bonus, we were happy to see a large piece of the beach remained even during high tide.
Although we only booked 3 days in Pipa, we found ourselves wishing we had stayed longer. This was largely influenced by our spectacular Airbnb which was a tranquil oasis the perfect distance from downtown. We spent an entire day reading by the pool which was heavenly. Walking home from dinner, we were entertained by the many revelers drinking, singing, and dancing in the street. We were also immensely grateful to be sleeping far enough away from the noise to not be disturbed.
Overall:
If we had to do it over again, we would have skipped Natal and spent the extra 2 nights in Pipa. Anything you can do in Natal, you can do in Pipa, including Dune Tours. Why waste a moment of fun on something mediocre?
