Driving up the coast of Alagoas - Maceió
Maceió is the capital of Alagoas. It used to be a sleepy port town but it has been built up over the years due to increased tourism. The coastline is protected by an offshore reef and boasts white sand beaches. Ponta Verde is the hot spot of downtown Maceió where you can find watersports and beach vendors. Praia de Pajuçara is where the Jangadas take tourists out for the natural pools. Check below for more information on Ponta Verde, Pajuçara, and the other beaches around Maceió. Do not miss Praia de Gunga, Ipioca, and Carro Quebrado outside of downtown Maceió!
Maceió has an average annual temperature of 25-29 C (77-84 F) with high humidity. Perfect beach weather!
Beaches South of Maceió
Approximately 50 minutes south of Maceió you will find three beaches: Praia do Gunga, Barra de São Miguel, and Praia do Francês. Tours are available to all three for $65 RS in a shared van or $150 RS in a private van.
Praia do Gunga is located 50 minutes South of Maceió off the AL-101 highway on a deserted road lined with palm trees. The entrance has a big sign "Praia do Gunga" and to the right of the sign you can stop at the Mirante do Gunga. The cost to ascend the Mirante is $4 RS - it is worth it. The mirante boasts views of a sprawling palm tree plantation that seems to go on forever. After the Mirante, enter through the gates and drive down to the beach. There are plenty of beach vendors offering drinks, food, water sports, and good vibes. This is my favorite beach in Maceió - highly recommend.
Barra de São Miguel is located 15 minutes North of Praia do Gunga where the river meets the sea. If you opted to take the 3 beaches tour, they will bring you here as well. If you are driving by yourself, drive North on AL-101 and turn off to the right when you see the signs. Barra de São Miguel beach is nice, but Gunga is the best in my opinion.
Praia do Francês is located 10 minutes North of Barra de São Miguel. If you take the 3 beaches tour, you will stop at this beach. If you drive by yourself, there are plenty of parking options. The left side of the beach is more secluded. Praia do Francês is about 25 minutes from Ponta Verde.
Beaches in downtown Maceió
Praia de Pajuçara is the launch point of the famous Jangadas (basic wooden sailboats) that go to the Piscinas Naturais (natural pools). The vibe here is all about relaxing in the water, but it can get pretty lit on the weekends.
The boat - fits 4-6 people
The cost - $40 RS per person
15 minute ride from the shore to the Piscinas Naturais
Swimming time is 1-2 hours - confirm with the captain
There are food and drink vendor boats floating around
Best time to go - LOW TIDE! (full moon = lowest tide)
When you arrive at the piscinas naturais, the captain ties up the boat and then you are free to jump in the water and swim. There are hundreds of little yellow striped fish that swim around while people take pictures with them. Our boat captain brought crackers so we could feed the fish.
The captain sailed us to “the aquarium” which is a more secluded spot 5 minutes South that has more fish. The natural pools in Maceió were one of my favorites. You can find the jangadeiros on the beach here or I can set you up with my captain. After the tour, it is nice to relax at Pajuçara in the sand or head to Lopana, a fun beach bar with a good atmosphere.
Ponta Verde begins at the point of Maceió where you will see a circle of food trucks, which is a great spot to grab a bite to eat. There are also plenty of restaurants, barracas, and beach vendors along the boardwalk. This is the location of the famous red and white striped lighthouse. At low tide you can walk out to the lighthouse from the shore. It is also possible to rent kayaks or stand up paddle boards to go out to the lighthouse.
Praia de Jatiúca is located further down the boardwalk at Posto 7 (lifeguard stand 7). In the morning this path is filled with runners, bikers, and walkers. You can find windsurfers here if the conditions are right. At the beginning of Praia de Jatiúca there is a lake that separates the ocean from the road with a clay statue of two figures in an embrace.
Praia de Jacarecica is the surf spot. The beach here is less crowded as you travel further North. A great way to see the northern beaches of Maceio is to walk/run/bike from Ponta Verde up to Jatiúca and then continue on to Jacarecica (approx 5-6 km from Ponta Verde to Jacarecica).
Beaches North of Maceió
North of Maceió you can find Guaxuma, Garca Torta, Riacho Doce, Praia da Sereia, Ipioca, Tabuba and Carro Quebrado. Renting a car is the easiest way to go North of Maceió, especially if continuing to The Ecological Route. The bus system is not reliable and adds significant time to the journey. There are two Localiza car rental agencies in Maceió: Ponta Verde and Zumbi dos Palmares International Airport. If you are going to Carro Quebrado and the Ecological Route then 4WD is recommended, but we managed with 2WD.
Guaxuma, Garça Torta, and Riacho Doce are close to one another so if you are short on time choose one and then continue. Guaxuma is a quiet beach that is popular for those who have vacation homes in the area. Garça Torta is a family friendly beach popular for swimming in the natural pools. Riacho Doce is the perfect beach to enjoy nature in a quiet setting.
Praia da Sereia is known for the mermaid statue and the barracas lined up on the beach for cheap food. The beach is undeveloped and the main draw is the mermaid that sits on a rock formation. This beach is best at low tide when the water recedes and creates a sandbar with a large natural pool. The water is very warm; perfect for a relaxing swim.
*Pro Tip: Praia da Sereia is known for being a little bit dangerous due to drug dealers in the area - so be cautious.
Ipioca is a quiet beach lined with palm trees approximately 30 minutes from Maceió. Take a photo at the blue door – located next to the Waterfront Apart Hotel. The point of Ipioca has white sand and clear blue water on a sunny day. The natural pools are very close to the shore so you are able to walk to them at low tide. Ipioca is a popular place to stay for those who are looking for something quiet outside of the city of Maceió. If you are looking for upscale beach clubs check out Praia de Sauaçui - Hibiscus and Guarda Rios are the most popular.
Tabuba is 20 minutes North of Ipioca and has many rock formations that create a nice area for swimming and pictures. This beach is often frequented by the locals and
Carro Quebrado is the final beach before The Ecological Route begins. This beach is a must see as it is one of Brazil’s most beautiful and most deserted beaches. In the morning, the beach is deserted except for a man selling coconuts out of a fridge turned on it’s side. The water is warm and the contrast against the red rocks and white sand is incredible against the blue sky.
How to get to Carro Quebrado:
1. Use google maps to get to Capitão Nikolas Beach Club. The road diverts from the highway and goes over a low bridge and a small town before turning into a dirt path that leads to Capitão Nikolas.
Optional: You can park at Capitão Nikolas and hire an ATV or buggy
2. Continue on the dirt road to pass the new development of apartments and go up the hill that leads to the entrance for the Carro Quebrado Mirante (lookout point). This was closed due to the pandemic, so we continued on the road until we found the next access point a few minutes further on the right.
3. There are some wood logs in the ground that mark the parking point, unless you are on a scooter and can pass through. Park the car and walk the rest of the way (about 10 minutes). *Pro tip: the area is safe but always take all belongings out of the car and crack the windows when parking and leaving the car.
4. Walk down the dirt path with the sea in the distance. The path turns right and the cliffs open up to the left. You can see the lookout point in the distance. Keep following the path down towards the beach.
5. At the entrance on the beach you will see a broken down VW bug. You have arrived!
If you are heading to the Ecological Route next, then you do not have to exit this beach the same way you entered. Instead of backtracking, continue driving along the dirt path and follow it to the main road. Google maps led us back to the main road without issues. This road will take you towards the start of the Ecological Route at Barra de Camaragibe. After Carro Quebrado, the drive turns inland into rural farm towns with rolling hills and a lot of cows. This lasts for about 1 hour until you arrive at Barra de Camaragibe.
Send me an email to discuss questions, clarifications or custom travel plans!
more details about the destinations in Alagoas that are North of Maceió
Where to stay in Maceió
Ponta Verde is the best location in downtown. There are grocery stores, laundromats, cafes, restaurants and bars in the area. It is safe to walk around day and night. The best part is the proximity to the beach.
I stayed in an Airbnb at TIME Edificio. The best amenity was the rooftop pool.
Ipioca is a good option if you are interested in relaxing on a quiet beach. There are many private beachfront pousadas to choose from here.
I recommend 4 days for Maceió and surrounding areas.
Where to eat in Maceió
Massarella for homemade pasta & pizza, Bali ice cream, Lopana beach bar, Japabowl, Villa Maceió Food Park, New Hakata for unlimited sushi, Sun Poke and Ponta Verde Food Park
Where to exercise in Maceió
Walk, bike or run on the boardwalk with the locals.
Academia Maceió is located on the boardwalk in Jatiúca just before Posto 7. This is a no frills/no shade gym, but it is a great place to workout with an oceanfront view.
There are CrossFit gyms, a SmartFit and a Selfit located throughout Maceió
How to get to Maceió
Bus
From Salvador to Maceió – ROTA runs a 10 hr overnight bus that is safe and reliable. There are two seat options: leite cama (lay down) and semi leite (semi lay down).
I recommend purchasing one week in advance because the leite cama seats are in high demand. The bus departs Salvador at 7:25PM and arrives in Maceió at 6:45 AM.
The Salvador bus terminal: bus ticket counters are located on the second floor. There are many fast food options, one pay by kilo buffet, and a grocery store. There are showers in the public bathroom for $10 RS. The metro station is located outside to the left of the main entrance. Uber from Mercado Modelo to the Salvador bus station is $40 RS.
The Maceio bus terminal: we arrived early and went straight to the taxi area for Uber - $11 RS from the bus station to Ponta Verde. No shops were open at this time.
Plane
Zumbi dos Palmares International Airport - located 25 km (16 miles) from Ponta Verde. Flights arrive from Rio - Galeão, São Paulo - Congonhas and Guarulhos, Salvador da Bahia, Campinas, Brasília, Recife and Lisbon.
Map of all places listed
Maceió Album
Drone shots by Jon Brierley
@jbfilminit
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