Introducing Natal
Natal, the capital of Rio Grande do Norte, is a clean, bright and rather bland city that has swelled as the entry point for coastal package tourism. Surrounded by impressively large sand dunes, Natal’s main attractions are beaches, buggy rides and nightlife – don’t come here if you seek museums and theater.
Advertisement
The city’s northern beaches of Praia do Meio and Praia dos Artistas are no longer the attraction they once were. These days, most visitors stay in the southern beach neighborhood of Ponta Negra, 12km from the center. It is a striking location, overlooked by fantastic dunes, and with steady surf and some great nightlife in the Alto de Ponta Negra area.
Natal’s Carnatal (out-of-season Carnaval), at the beginning of December, draws huge crowds from all over Brazil, and is a much bigger deal here than Carnaval itself.
Last updated: Feb 17, 2009
Tips & articles
-
Brazilian beaches by buggy
13 July 2010
Right at the tip of the eastern coast of Brazil, blissful days can be spent traversing hundreds of different beaches...
Thorn Tree forum discussion
Recent posts
-
RE: Brazil departing from Natal
by amobr82 25 April 2012
Not true. Rio de Janeiro is about 1200 miles from Natal, Brazil; Cape Verde is almost 1800. Natal (airport code NAT) in Rio Grande do…
-
Re: Rio Grande do Norte- best plaeces to visit please
by BubbaK 25 March 2012
And your mode of transportation is . . .? By bus, you have limited options. Most busses will, I believe, stay somewhat inland, with…
-
Re: carnaval in Natal
by silbley 21 November 2011
I had a house in Natal where I use to spend my holidays, till 1998. Never saw any big parades during carnival period there. Only some…
