The Northeast - The Rough Guide to Brazil - page 245

The Northeast
Long regarded as one of Brazil's poorest areas, the Northeast has definitely
benefited from the nation's economic boom and is now a region on the rise.
Despite having the most dazzling coastline in South America, a buzzing
beach scene and an exuberant culture that blends samba, reggae and
African influences, the area, divided politically into eight separate states, has
not been spoilt by tourism. There are major cities along the coast: some, such
as Recife, Olinda, São Luís and Fortaleza, have deep colonial heritage; others,
such as Maceió and Natal, have developed mostly in recent decades. All of
these cities have their own city beaches plus more idyllic and deserted
resorts hidden up and down the coast. The Ilha de Fernando de Noronha,
hundreds of kilometres offshore, is one of the finest oceanic wildlife reserves
in the world, an expensive destination but perfect for ecotourism.
While most travellers stick to the coast , it's the semi-arid region inland, the sertão ,
where the stereotypes, traditions and legends of the Northeast have most endured.
here is still much poverty here and the land still suffers periods of intense drought;
yet in the wet season it is transformed for a few glorious months to a verdant green,
and there are some intriguing destinations to uncover, from ancient petroglyphs to
poignant reminders of folk hero Lampião .

4

Alagoas and Sergipe
The smallest Brazilian states and long ignored by travellers, Alagoas and Sergipe have
developed rapidly in recent years, shedding their reputation as the poorest parts of the
nation and boasting their own dizzying stretches of pristine white sands. Though
lacking the romance of Rio and Salvador, the two state capitals of Maceió and Aracaju
offer fine beaches and a smattering of history, while some genuinely well-preserved
colonial towns are a short bus ride away. This part of Brazil is also noted for its quality
crabs , while its festivals are some the biggest; Aracaju's Forró Caju music festival attracts
over one million revellers every June.
With Bahia, this region was at the heart of Brazil's sugar boom in the nineteenth century,
though most of the population remained grindingly poor through to the 1980s (sugar is

Trips along the Cânion do Xingó p.252
Trips to the Foz do São Francisco p.256
The legend of Lampião: Brazil's Robin
Hood p.260
Pajuçara's reef pools p.261
Alagoas: best of the beaches p.263
Recife futebol p.270
Recife Carnaval p.272
Carnaval in Olinda p.275
The Torneio dos Repentistas p.280
Into the sertão p.284
Noronha taxes and fees p.285

Fernando de Noronha activities p.286
Bolero de Ravel p.287
Beaches by buggy: trips from Natal p.291
The biggest cashew tree in
the world p.294
Sandboarding and skibunda p.297
North of Natal: the Litoral Norte p.298
Praia das Fontes and Morro Branco p.306
The Litoral Oeste p.307
Prehistoric park p.313
The azulejos of São Luís p.314
Bumba-Meu-Boi p.318