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Barra do Cunhaú is in the municipality of Canguaretama and is very popular with families with children and people who are looking for peace and quiet.
The first impression of those who arrive at the entrance of Barra de Cunhaú is that of being in front of a huge freshwater lagoon, instead of the Atlantic Ocean.
In Barra do Cunhaú you can choose a quiet river bath in the waters of the Curimataú or surfing in the Pontal at the mouth of the bar.
Kitesurfing and windsurfing are also ideal, both on the river and on the beach.
But, for those who want excitement, at night you can take a “jump” in the neighboring praia de Pipa which is only 8 km from Barra.
City is a natural nursery of fish and crustaceans.
The boat trip along the Curimataú River combines leisure and environmental preservation.
Barra de Cunhaú, in the Rio Grande do Norte, is the natural nursery of fish and crustaceans and an extreme sports paradise. It is 72 kilometers from Natal to the city, going by BR-101.
Arriving in the city, the visitor needs to take the boat trip along the Curimataú River. The tour combines leisure and environmental preservation.
The region is surrounded by mangrove and the mangrove is wonderful, it is very well preserved.
Those who want can enter the mangrove, the natural nursery of crabs, to really see how they live.
The tour continues to Praia da Restinga. The warm and calm waters are perfect for relaxing or having fun with the family. The buggy ride takes the visitor to visit beaches in the region.
The restaurants by the sea are the most popular.
Crab in coconut sauce and fish stew with shrimp sauce are the most requested dishes.
Videos “Barra do Cunhaú”
Litoral Sul do RN - Reportagem
Barra do Cunhaú - Guia de Turismo08:26
Barra do Cunhaú - Kitesurf04:22
Jacuzzi natural em Barra do Cunhaú
Curimataú River
The river Curimataú, protected from the winds, is quiet and almost without waves. There are 5 kilometers of dunes and beaches through which the rivers Cunhaú and Catu wind, with thousands of coconut trees in the background.
There is also one of the ecological jewels of the coast of Rio Grande do Norte: a large mangrove swamp serves as a large nursery for oysters, crabs and other marine animals. On the reefs, you can fish with a rod or line.
It is possible to take a boat trip with two stops: one in the mangrove and the other on the “Other Side”, a deserted beach where, on one side is the river and, on the other, the open sea.
Kitesurfing in Barra do Cunhaú
Barra do Cunhaú was discovered by kitesurfers.
The beaches of the region of Tibau do Sul, Pipa and Barra do Cunhaú, were recently invaded by huge colorful kites that gave a special charm to the beaches. These kites are yet another sport that has found perfect conditions for practice: kitesurfing.
According to a kite surfer, “here is one of the best winds in Brazil for kitesurfing” and this is attracting fans of the sport from all over Brazil, as well as from other countries.
Barra do Cunhaú also has space for those who like extreme sports. The strong and constant wind practically all year round makes the city very popular with kitesurf lovers.
The most experienced also risk in the sea, where the biggest waves reach one and a half meters.
Origin and History of & nbsp; Barra do Cunhaú
About its origin, it is said that Barra do Cunhaú originated with the construction of a Fort by sailors who stayed here for the stranding of their ship, to shelter and protect themselves while waiting for rescue.
This stronghold was attacked twice, the first time in April 1634 and the second time in October of the same year.
The attackers undertook a swift and violent offensive, taking the fort on the night of October 21. There were unspeakable cruelties and the spoils were transported to a boat that was wrecked as it left the bar.
The ruins of the Fort were completely destroyed by the action of time and the waters of the Atlantic.Barra do Cunhaú belongs to the municipality of Canguaretama, being its first nucleus of colonization, the village Gramació, today the municipality of Vila Flor.
According to the Potiguar historian Câmara Cascudo, Cunhaú means “place where girls drink water”.
Beaches of Barra do Cunhaú
Barrinha Beach
The end of the Barra do Cunhaú waterfront is Praia da Barrinha, where the Catú River meets the sea. On the other side, Sibaúma, a village originated from a quilombo.
At low tide, the tip of the sand is exposed, providing sunbathing on wide mats, enjoying seafood and exotic drinks served by local stalls.
Deepening into the Catú River, a mangrove forest forms in its dark waters, for the maintenance and continuity of the life of animals and plants existing in that habitat.
The look of this blessed little piece is something breathtaking, especially at the ends of the sun; when dawn breaks or when dusk begins, magic invades the place and the noise of the waves entering the waters of Catú seem like a symphony composed by Vivaldi.
Boca da Barra Beach
Boca da Barra Beach, besides being radical and a regular option for kitesurfers, is the place where smaller boats and the ferry that takes tourists to Restinga beach leave. Before, in the sea arm, calm and clean waters, preferred by tourists from the region.
Then, strong winds, big waves, open sea.
The walk, along the wide strip of sand that covers this entire extension, is mandatory for those who love to contemplate the landscape, which changes colors, scents and sensations with each step. On this walk, you arrive at Pontal beach, the largest of all.
Praia do Pontal
There are those who report that Cunhaú has only one beach.
Ledo mistake, because there are several and differentiated by the grandiose details, which only mother-nature can explain or is able to do. Thus, we come across Praia do Pontal, which extends for 5 km, starting at Boca da Barra and ending at Barrinha, where the Catú River flows, on the limits with Sibaúma, a village belonging to the municipality of Tibau do Sul.
There, large natural pools, which point at low tide and make the joy of tourists and their families.
Bathing, diving with or without snorkeling, fishing from the rocky walls that rise in front of the wild sea, protecting the shore and turning each wave into a unique spectacle.
Praia do Pontal is also the beach where most of the beach huts, restaurants, hotels, inns and summer houses are located, as well as laboratories for the genetic improvement of captive shrimp.
A true show of flavor, tranquility and comfort is what you will find at Praia do Pontal. Oh, of course, and lots of sea, too….
Braço de Mar Beach
Right at the entrance of Barra do Cunhaú, you can see a wide strip of water that enters the Atlantic Forest on one side and forms a mangrove, rich in its fauna, on the other.
Many are confused saying that this is the Cunhaú River, but the truth is that it is a sea arm, where the Cunhaú River flows, making a trio with the Guaratuba and Curimataú rivers, which also have their mouth there.
This arm of the sea advances inland for more than 3 km, when it meets the three rivers, the Cunhaú being the largest of them, forming, in this mixture of salt water and fresh water, the mangrove.
In this ecosystem, tourists are delighted when the caiçaras remove huge crabs. Bathing in the mud of the mangrove is also a tradition, as it is a fact that the microorganisms deposited there have a cosmetic action on the skin.
On the opposite side of the beach, there is calm, salty water, where bathers are carried away by the calm and from where boat, motorboat, jet-ski and kayak trips depart, as well as, of course, kitesurfing, the fashionable sport, which invades this beach on days when the winds are stronger.
Sport fishing is also an option, since this arm of the sea is home to hundreds of species of fish, such as sardines, mullets, sea bass and sharks, among others.
How to get there
Located on the southern coast of Rio Grande do Norte, Barra do Cunhaú is 80 km from Natal and 110 km from João Pessoa, in the municipality of Canguaretama, easily reached by following the BR-101 highway. There just follow signs to the coast.
Tourism and Travel Guide of Barra do Cunhaú RN and Northeast Brazil
