Natal Sights

  1. Natal Fort

    Enjoy a tapioca ice cream at Natal fort, the fort that got Natal started. The Forte dos Reis Magos, founded in 1598, is still in its original five-point star shape and contains a chapel, well, cannons and soldiers' quarters. The views of the city and the dunes across the Rio Potengi are fantastic from this prime location on the reef at the tip of the peninsula north of town.

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  2. Ponta Negra

    Ponta Negra, at the far south end of the city, is the nicest beach in Natal - nearly 3km long and full of hotels, pousadas, restaurants, beach bars, surfers and sailing boats. On weekends it gets pretty packed: the northern part of the beach, with its pedestrian-only walkway, is less crowded. The surf here is consistent if small: you can rent boards from a few places along the beach for around R$25 a day. At the south end of the beach is Morro da Careca, a spectacularly high sand dune with a steep face that drops straight into the sea. Access to the dune has been closed off to prevent further erosion and damage to the primary Atlantic rain forest that covers it.

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  3. Praia da Barreira d'Água

    South of the lighthouse, the coast road Via Costeira continues 7km south to Ponta Negra, passing the calm Praia da Barreira d'Água with its resort hotels.

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  4. Praia do Meio

    Praia do Meio , is an urban beach with reefs and a lot of people getting drunk.

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  5. Praia dos Artistas

    Praia dos Artistas is an urban beach with good surfing waves. It used to be the hub of Natal nightlife but is now pretty sketchy after dark.

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