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The south coast of RN has dunes, lagoons, coconut palms, beaches with cliffs and a sea that, protected by stretches of coral, forms pleasant natural pools at low tide.

This is the typical landscape of the south coast of Rio Grande do Norte, easily accessible via the Rota do Sol (RN-063), a road that runs along the coast from Natal to Pipa, passing by pleasant urbanised beaches such as Pirangi do Norte and Sul, or more deserted ones such as Búzios, Barra de Tabatinga, Guaraíras, Tibau do Sul, Madeiro and Curral.

If you prefer to head straight for the famous Pipa beach, the best way to get there is via the BR-101 motorway.

The region includes the municipalities of Parnamirim and Nísia Floresta, the latter of which has a wealth of handicrafts, as well as Tibau do Sul and Canguaretama, where the old Cunhaú sugar mill, which was active in the first half of the 17th century, and the village of Vila Flor, with 18th century houses, are located.

Videos – What to do on the south coast of RN

Tourist Attractions and Beaches on the South Coast of RN

1. BARRA DE TABATINGA 

A must-see in Barra de Tabatinga on the south coast of RN, or simply on Tabatinga beach, is a visit to the Mirante dos Golfinhos (Dolphin Lookout), located on a cliff.

If you’re lucky, you can see – when the tide is high – dolphins having fun and putting on quick shows in the water.

Another attraction is the Arituba Lagoon, where you can take a pedal boat or a kayak ride. The preserved forest around the lagoon can also be seen during a quad bike ride.

A must-see is to take the opportunity to practise the adventure sports activity called zip-lining. Visitors to the lagoon can also enjoy the stalls serving typical seafood dishes.

Despite being located just 45 kilometres from Natal RN after Búzios beach, where the sea is rough, Tabatinga’s lower part has natural swimming pools formed by the reefs. It is also possible to take hang gliding and paragliding lessons there due to the good wind speed and the cliffs.

Natal has a coastline like no other, so keep enjoying the wonders that await you here.

See the tourist map of Rio Grande do Norte

2. BARRA DE CUNHAÚ

Barra de Cunhaú is located 85 kilometres from Natal RN on the south coast, Barra de Cunhaú belongs to the municipality of Canguaretama.

As the main waters are calm – due to the river flowing into the sea – those arriving have the impression of being in front of a lagoon rather than the Atlantic Ocean.

The meeting of the river and the sea is essential for the existence of mangroves, the natural habitat of crabs – a much-loved dish in the region.

The Cunhaú River and the entire coastline are ideal for water sports such as windsurfing, kitesurfing, jetskiing and water skiing.

There is also a Yacht Club, which encourages the practice and organises recreational activities such as trips on sailing or motorised boats. These activities strengthen local tourism.

Barra de Cunhaú is known for its captive shrimp farming – an activity known as carciniculture. It is popular with those who want peace and quiet, but if visitors want a bit of a buzz, they can check out the neighbouring Pipa beach, 8 km away by ferry.

3. BAÍA FORMOSA

Baía Formosa is the only bay in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, and the beach town of Baía Formosa lives up to its name.

It is one of the most beautiful tourist spots in the state and is located 94 kilometres from Natal RN, heading towards the South Coast on the BR 101 motorway.

Even though it is one of the most popular places on the state’s coast, Baía Formosa retains a peaceful and calm atmosphere and has fishing as its commercial activity.

Visitors can’t leave the town without first checking it out and taking a walk through Mata Estrela – the largest Atlantic Forest reserve in Rio Grande do Norte.

With almost two thousand hectares preserved by the sea, Mata Estrela is home to many endangered species of Brazilian fauna and flora.

Another option, for those who are superstitious or not, is to dive into the waters of Lagoa de Araraquara, nicknamed Lagoa da Coca-Cola because of the dark colour of its water, which does not influence its purity and quality. The locals believe that the waters of this lagoon have medicinal and rejuvenating powers.

Baía Formosa also includes the beaches of Sagi, Farol, Perobas and Barreirinhas. A unique feature of this beautiful bay is that during the year the cliffs that make it up change colour.

4. BARRETA BEACH – NÍSIA FLORESTA 

Barreta Beach is located 85 kilometres from Natal RN on the south coast, Barra de Cunhaú belongs to the municipality of Canguaretama. As the main waters are calm – due to the river flowing into the sea – those arriving have the impression of being in front of a lagoon rather than the Atlantic Ocean.

The meeting of the river with the sea is essential for the existence of mangroves, the natural habitat of crabs – a much-loved dish in the region.

The Cunhaú River and the entire coastline are ideal for water sports such as windsurfing, kitesurfing, jetskiing and water skiing.

There is also a Yacht Club, which encourages the practice and organises recreational activities such as sailing and motorised boat trips. These activities strengthen local tourism.

Barra de Cunhaú is known for its captive shrimp farming – an activity known as carciniculture. It is popular with those who want peace and quiet, but if visitors want a bit of a buzz, they can check out the neighbouring Pipa beach, 8 km away by ferry.

5. BÚZIOS BEACH – NÍSIA FLORESTA

Búzios beach is located 23 kilometres from Natal, on the south coast of Rio Grande do Norte, between the beaches of Pirangi do Sul and Tabatinga. It belongs to the municipality of Nísia Floresta, which is the pseudonym of one of the most notable writers born in Rio Grande do Norte – Dionísia Gonçalves Pinto.

It is one of Natal’s favourite summer resorts and is famous for the strength of its waves and winds, which call for caution when bathing and attract the attention of surfers and fans of windsurfing and kitesurfing. It also has beautiful dunes and the small Rio Doce.

On the seafront, visitors will find several stalls where they can eat. On the main avenue, a leisure option is the Big Blue Water Park with swimming pools, waterslides, a children’s playground and a restaurant.

With time to spare for cultural excursions, it’s also worth going to Nísia Floresta to visit the famous Baobá planted in 1877, the Mother Church, the old railway station, the Engenho Velho and the Nísia Floresta mausoleum.

6. CAMURUPIM BEACH – NÍSIA FLORESTA 

Camurupim beach is about 30 kilometres from Natal on the south coast, Camurupim belongs to the municipality of Nísia Floresta – the pseudonym of a feminist and renowned writer born in Rio Grande do Norte, Dionísia Gonçalves Pinto. Marked by the presence of reefs that form natural pools, the beach is ideal for calm and safe bathing.

At low tide, a good tip is to visit the inside of a cave between the reefs called Pedra Oca – it is possible for a person of about 1.60 metres to stand inside.

Camurupim also has two water parks: Parque dos Tubarões and Pontal Parque Aquático. There is also the Arituba Lagoon, where you can take swan-shaped pedal boats and kayaks.

You can also get to know the preserved forest around the lagoon on a quad bike ride. It’s even better to go zip lining. In addition to these attractions, there are stalls with typical seafood dishes to satisfy the tourist’s curiosity.

7. CACIMBINHAS BEACH – TIBAU DO SUL

Cacimbinhas Beach is located between the municipality of Tibau do Sul and the praia de Pipa, on the south coast of RN, Cacimbinha beach is a must for those interested in paragliding – the jump is made from above the cliffs.

You can go down to the seafront via a long staircase, and what you’ll find is a quiet, private place without many visitors.

In the waters off Cacimbinhas beach, kitesurfers take advantage of the opportunity to practise the sport, but the sea is only safe for the more experienced because of the constant winds. Nearby you can find the beautiful Pousadas in Pipa.

8. COTOVELO BEACH – PARNAMIRIM

Cotovelo Beach is located after Ponta Negra beach, 15 kilometres from Natal RN and belongs to the municipality of Parnamirim. Its public is generally made up of local holidaymakers.

The cliffs add charm to the beach, which attracts those who prefer to take advantage of the calm of the sea to relax, and the seafront restaurants.

From Cotovelo you can also see the cliffs that gave their name to the first Rocket Launch Base in Latin America – Barreira do Inferno. It’s called this because the cliffs by the sea are red and resemble the colour of fire.

Just beyond Cotovelo beach is the famous Pirangi beach, home to the world’s largest cashew tree on its main street. The tree is over 100 years old and is still growing and bearing fruit. Visitors are charged a symbolic fee.

Tourists can also climb up a wooden palanque that is taller than the tree and enjoy its canopy from above.

9. GUARAÍRAS LAKE – TIBAU DO SUL

Lagoa de Guaraíra is a lagoon with calm waters that reflects the beauty of Tibau do Sul beach, on the south coast of Rio Grande do Norte, before Pipa beach.

Although it was once a purely freshwater lagoon, today, due to its encounter with the sea, it is also made up of salt water. Here you can take boat trips, motorboat trips, canoe trips, kayak trips and even banana boat trips.

As well as being used for fishing and being essential for the state’s shrimp farming, Guaraíras has an extensive mangrove area. On the seafront there are several stalls offering typical coastal cuisine.

If you can wait to see the sunset there, you won’t regret it.

10. LAGOA DE CARCARÁ – NÍSIA FLORESTA 

The Carcará Lagoon is on Tabatinga beach, which belongs to the municipality of Nísia Floresta. Little known, it has clean, warm and transparent waters and you can see the bottom with its clear sands.

Although it’s hard to get there, don’t give up. On the way there you’ll come across the Papary sugar mill, which offers tourists a tasting of Papary and Vila Imperial handmade cachaças – produced on site.

For fun at the Carcará Lagoon, you can windsurf, kayak or pedal boats.

The lagoon is part of a little-known tourist route called “Roteiro das Águas” (Water Route) in the “Lacuste Bonfim” system, which is made up of several other lagoons: Redonda, Boágua, Arituba, Alcaçus, Ferreira Grande, Urubu and Carcará. If you enjoy a lagoon, it’s worth a look. It’s 50 kilometres from Natal RN.

11. MALEMBÁ BEACH – GEORGINO AVELINO

Malembá is located 38 km from Natal RN, on the south coast of the state, between Barreta beach and Tibau do Sul. Although it is close to Tibau do Sul and receives many tourists arriving or leaving, Malembá belongs to the municipality of Georgino Avelino. The beach is deserted, which is why its natural beauty remains almost untouched. The sea is calm, with weak waves and reefs.

Famous for being a kitesurfing spot due to the strong winds, Malembá is also popular with those who want to take advantage of its dunes and go for a buggy or quad ride, sandboarding and skibunda. Access to the beach is via the ferry crossing from Tibau do Sul.

You can also get there from the beachfront, for those coming from the city of Natal, by buggy or tractor-trailer.

To have fun at Lagoa do Carcará you can windsurf, kayak or pedal boats. The lagoon is part of a little-known tourist route called “Roteiro das Águas” (Water Route) in the “Lacuste Bonfim” system, which is made up of several other lagoons: Redonda, Boágua, Arituba, Alcaçus, Ferreira Grande, Urubu and Carcará. If you enjoy a lagoon, it’s worth a look. It’s 50 kilometres from Natal RN.

12. PIRANGI DO NORTE E SUL – PARNAMIRIM 

Pirangi do Norte beach is separated from Pirangi do Sul beach by the Pirangi River. It is located on the south coast of RN, 22 kilometres from Natal, and is the beach most frequented by holidaymakers. The sea is suitable for swimming.

Pirangi beach is home to the world’s largest cashew tree. The centenary tree has a crown of 10,000 square metres and is still bearing fruit. You can see it for free when you pass through the centre.

A symbolic fee is charged to enter and walk through its branches. You can also climb up a wooden palanque, higher than the Cajueiro, and see all its green beauty and the ocean from above.

Pirangi beach also has a famous boat trip, organised by the Tourist Complex opposite the Cajueiro, called Marina Badauê.

The schooner trip to the beaches of Pirangi do Norte and Sul, Búzios and Cotovelo is very popular with excursions.

It lasts two and a half hours and includes a stop for snorkelling in the parrachos of Pirangi, a stretch of reef where you can see the small fish that inhabit the corals.

The tour takes tourists to other beaches in the region and to the natural pools with transparent waters at Pirangi, which is 800 metres from the coast. Take the opportunity to take a dip!

In addition to the natural attractions, as it is one of the most famous beaches to enjoy the summer, the Parnamirim town hall organises a large carnival every year in Pirangi, which brings together different bands and attracts the public to the main street. Plan to enjoy all this on your next visit to Natal RN.

13. PONTA DO MADEIRO – TIBAU DO SUL 

Madeiro beach is very popular with curious people who want to see dolphins with the naked eye and those who want to catch their first waves. On the beach there are stalls offering surfboards for hire, and you can also hire the services of instructors who will give you tips and guide you through your first steps on the waves.

The beach, which is a bay, has unrivalled beauty. To reach the seafront, you have to descend a particularly long wooden staircase, surrounded by local vegetation. But the physical effort is compensated by the view you’ll get of the area, with its colourful cliffs and coconut trees.

One option for getting to Ponta do Madeiro beach – if you’re on Pipa beach – is to take a walking trail from the Ecological Sanctuary – an area of preserved Atlantic Forest with trails that will bring you into direct contact with nature. The trail ends at a staircase that leads down to the beach.

14. SAGI BEACH – BAÍA DE FORMOSA

Sagi Beach is located 115 kilometres from Natal RN, after Baía Formosa. It is the last beach on the south coast and borders the state of Paraíba.

The border between the states is marked by the Guajú River – with its dark, warm waters. The fact that it is far from the capital makes Sagi an almost untouched beach. There is a dune called “No Limite”, which you can climb and enjoy the beautiful landscape that separates the two northeastern states.

Sandboarding is practised in the dunes of Sagi. You can also take raft trips along the Guajú river, visit the mangrove swamp and take a mud bath – the mud is taken from the mangrove swamp and rubbed all over the body, as it is believed to have rejuvenating properties. Sagi is a beach for those who want to enjoy the tranquillity of nature.

15. SIBAÚMA BEACH – TIBAU DO SUL

Sibaúma Beach is located 90 kilometres from Natal RN on the coast. Sibaúma Beach is the last beach in the municipality of Tibau do Sul.

Unlike the other beaches belonging to this municipality, which are well known. Sibaúma’s peculiarity is that it is a long, deserted beach and is also a fishing village.

However, if you’re in Praia da Pipa, it’s only 10 minutes away.

16. NÍSIA FLORESTA CRAFTS

The municipality of Nísia Floresta, 43 kilometres from Natal, accessed via the RN-063 or the BR-101, stands out for the large prawns in its lagoon of the same name and, above all, for its handicrafts.

The Campo de Santana Labyrinth Association brings together 24 women who meet every afternoon to produce the labyrinth, the famous northeastern lace woven on a wooden hoop using traditional techniques.

They supply the association’s shop window and also fulfil orders from the capital, making towels, table runners and even dresses (Rua Deodécio Anselmo, 11).

The Alcaçuz Lace Makers Association, meanwhile, is made up of 23 women who make bobbin lace, weaving pieces with varied and surprising motifs – pineapple, church door, raindrop, among others (Rua Projetada, s/n).

At Cachaça Artesanal de Alambique Papary you can taste and buy cachaça in a mill atmosphere, in a cosy little orange house.

The drink is produced at Fazenda Brasileira Augusta, whose stills can be visited by appointment (RN-063, s/n, Fazenda Brasileira Augusta, Timbo, 7 km from Nísia Floresta).

17. PIPA BEACH – TIBAU DO SUL

Pipa, a district of Tibau do Sul, is a destination for those looking for beautiful beaches and nightlife. The natural beauty is due to the cliffs and the clear sea, with rough stretches and calmer ones.

The bustle is due to the wide range of restaurants, bars, cafés, shops and inns that line the streets of the old fishing village, discovered just over twenty years ago by surfers.

82 kilometres from Natal, Pipa wakes up late (the shops don’t open before 11am) and goes to sleep late (the bars stay open well into the night).

However, it’s not all hustle and bustle: alongside busy stretches such as Praia da Pipa, there are deserted stretches of coastline, perfect for those in search of peace and quiet, such as Praia das Minas.

In high season, tourists can see the folkloric group of Master Geraldo Cosme, the region’s only representative of coco-de-zambê (a folk dance accompanied by the sound of drums), which performs in hotels in Pipa and Tibau do Sul.

Located in the centre, Pipa beach has the best infrastructure and tends to get crowded during the high season. Large natural pools of warm water emerge over the reefs at low tide.

18. PRAIA DO AMOR – TIBAU DO SUL

Praia do Amor is located in the municipality of Tibau do Sul, in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. Neighbouring Praia de Pipa and Praia dos Afogados, it is considered excellent for surfing.

The name of the beach, which is isolated by high cliffs, comes from a large heart-shaped cliff.

The nearby Amor beach got its name because the strip of sand seems to form a heart.

Both at Praia do Amor and at the nearby Praia do Moleque, further south, low tide causes shallow pools to emerge over the reefs and rocks, from where you can see fish, octopuses and crustaceans. At high tide, there are stretches that are good for surfing.

Access to these beaches is via a staircase carved into the cliffs that frame them or on foot from Pipa beach.

At the less frequented Praia das Minas, surrounded by high cliffs, the wildest landscape, with a strong sea, is reached by a precarious staircase in the cliffs.

19. PIPA ECOLOGICAL SANCTUARY

In the 120-hectare private area of preserved Atlantic forest, there are twelve short, signposted trails of varying levels of difficulty. On the way to the Sanctuary, you can see trees (cashew and muricis, among others) with species identification plaques.

It is advisable to use insect repellent when hiking. The Caminhos dos Piratas trail is one of the most difficult, with a descent down a wooden staircase to Madeiro beach (you should return from the beach before 4pm, as the Sanctuary’s gates close at 5pm).

The Passeio da Peroba is a path that runs along the cliffs of Ponta do Madeiro and leads to the Mirante das Tartarugas (Turtle Viewpoint), which, on the right, overlooks the placid Baía dos Golfinhos (Dolphin Bay) – where grey dolphins (Sotalia fluviatilis) pass by – and, on the left, the Madeiro cove. Goianinha-Pipa road, km 23, Praia de Pipa, Tibau do Sul.

20. BUGGY RIDE TO PARAÍBA

The buggy ride from Pipa to Sagi, a beach on the border with Paraíba, leaves from Chapadào, 110 metres high on the cliffs, and offers beautiful views of the sea, the beaches of Amor, Moleque and Minas.

From Ponta do Cabo Verde, the tip of the land in the shape of a barrel (or a kite) – that’s why the beach has that name – you can walk along the sand to the beaches.

The first is Sibaúma, which is long and has a calmer sea. Then cross the ferry over the River Catu to the beautiful beach of Barra de Cunhaú. Another ferry over the Curimataú river takes you to Coqueiros beach, a long stretch of white sand full of coconut trees and a calm sea.

Approaching Formosa Bay, you can once again see stretches of white sand surrounded by cliffs and rocks. There is a stretch of calm water, protected by reefs, and a rougher stretch, suitable for surfing, as well as a small harbour and a viewpoint of the bay and its boats and Praia dos Coqueirais.

The Estrela Forest, the largest remnant of Atlantic forest in Rio Grande do Norte, with 2039 hectares including restinga vegetation, dunes and lagoons such as the dark-coloured Coca-Cola, as well as genuine specimens of brazilwood, is accessed from Formosa Bay.

Nearby is the Sagi River, narrow and dark in colour, where you can take a dip and enjoy the mangroves. If you’re lucky, you might see the Xuxu manatee, which has earned a name for itself by appearing in these waters. On the other side of the river is the bay of Traição, in Paraíba.

Tourism and Travel Guide to the South Coast of RN and the Northeast