Excursions from Natal

There are many places to explore in day trips from Natal. Here are the ones that I have undertaken.

Parrachos, Maracajau

Maracajau is some 30-40 minutes’ drive by car from Ponta Negra on a good road. It is a small fishers’ village with some 2000 inhabitants. The beaches are very nice and invite to take a dip. If you are into kite boarding, there are a couple of places in the area that are great to give it a go.

Ma-Noa Park

The Ma-Noa Park is nearby. It is pretty much an amusement park not only for kids but also for grownups. There is a lagoon, some sports activities, buggy rides and snorkeling near some reefs reachable by boat.

Although there was the possibility to have lunch in the complex, I opted to continue exploring the area and came across the close by Restaurante Mergulho.

Caipirinha and lunch

While waiting for lunch (daily catch of fish, macashera, rice, green beans), I had the best caipirinha with fresh maraca juice that I have had so far. But not only the drink was good but also the food and the service. The place is also equipped to take customers out diving or snorkeling on the nearby reef.

Day trips from Natal invite beach driving

The beach invites to rent a quadruple motor bike and head off for a ride on the beach. Some cars are also seen on the picture. However, nowadays, unfortunately (?), it is prohibited to drive your 4-wheel car on the beach. I had my experience with the military police stopping and fining me twice on one beach trip.

Bay of the Dolphins

If you opt to go to Tabatinga, you will be passing by the Baia dos Golfinhos which offers a great view onto the sea and maybe you are lucky to spot some dolphins.

Natural pool Camurupim, Tabatinga

Further on, just after Tabatinga, you get to the Piscina Natural Camurupim. During low tide, this natural pool is formed between the beach and the close by reef barrier.

What a service! The ice cream follows you all the way into the water.

Lunch near Tabatinga during your excursion from Natal

There are a number of beach restaurants. They serve pretty much the same local dishes. As it was season, I had one of my preferred ones i.e. Carangeijo i.e. Crab cooked with a variety of spices. Delicious albeit involving quite some work to get to the meat!

World’s largest cashew tree

On the way to Tabatinga, the road passes by what is said to be the largest Cashew tree in the world. And yes, this is a tree and it is huge. It does not grow very tall so it appears to be more of a large bush but I assure you that this is a tree.

Cashew nut

Before the fruit, these half-moon shaped nut shells grow with each one containing one cashew nut. They are very difficult to crack. Only in a later stage the fruit grows on top of the nut.

The fruit

And this the ripe fruit. A Caipirinha prepared with the juice is exceptional. In case you want to prepare one, remember to cut the two extremes of the fruit as they contain a substance that is not pleasant in the mouth.

Riacho Taborda

On the way to Tabatinga, you will also pass a place called Riacho Taborda which has a couple of inspiring beach restaurants and a little port.

But before getting there, there is this fruit and vegetable market with all the different local produce on display.

Excursions from Natal

Of course there are plenty more short trips that you can do in the area. One that is a lot of fun is the buggy tour. You will be seeing more spectacular beaches and have a rather adventurous ride through the desert like dunes close to Natal. But I have done a separate post on this.

PIPA

Another one is to go to Pipa which is a very popular destination. It is a bit over one hour drive from Natal. This place is well known for its night life on its streets. Best enjoyed if you spend one night there to enjoy the party.

In case you have a couple of spare days

If you have a 2-3 nights to spare you might take the one hour direct flight to Fernando de Noronha. I paid some 150 Euros for the return flight. While the flight is cheap, expect the place to be rather expensive. Apart from accommodation and food you will have to pay the environmental and national park taxes. Check out my post on this excursion.

My posts on Natal and surroundings include the general one covering mainly Ponta Negra near Natal,  one on various daytrips that you can do, where to have the best food, my experience during a buggy tour, and finally some travel tips.

Enjoy the read!