Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Maragogi
Some 140km north of Maceió, just 15km before the border with Pernambuco state,
the beautiful but sleepy beachside settlement of MARAGOGI is a soothing place to break
the journey north, with a wide swathe of golden sand and a smattering of appealing
pousadas and simple restaurants. Other than lazing around, the main draw is the Área
de Preservação Ambiental Costa dos Corais marine reserve, a pristine combination of
reef and sand bar rich in marine life - at low tide pools of crystal-clear water form
between the coral. Three areas are open to visitors: Galés , 6km offshore (30min by
boat), and Taocas and Barra Grande further north. Local agencies offer day-trips to
Galés from R$65 (plus R$10 for snorkelling and R$100 for diving).
ARRIVAL AND TOURS
MARAGOGI
By bus Real Alagoas ( T 82 3311 5558, W realalagoas
.com.br) runs 2 buses daily between Maceió and Maragogi
(departing 4am & 11am; returning 6.30am & 1.30am;
R$13); they also run 2 buses to Recife.
Tours Most tour agencies in Maceió can arrange day-trips
to Maragogi for R$90.
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
Pousada Barra Velha AL-101 Norte, Sítio Barra
Velha, Praia de Peroba (13km north of Maragogi)
T 82 3296 8105, W pousadabarravelha.com.br. Clean
and comfortable standard suites with c olourfu l local
artworks, as well as bigger, circular chalets. R$200
Pousada Camurim Grande AL-101 Norte Km 124
T 82 3296 2044, W camurimgrande.com.br. Enticing
luxury accommodation right on the beach at the southern
end of town, with a huge pool ringed by palms, cosy wood
chalets and bungalows all equipped with LCD TVs,
whirlpool bath, hammocks and free wi-fi. R$498
Restaurante Maragaço Av Senador Rui Palmeira
1001 T 82 3296 2041. One of several high-quality
seafood restaurants along the beach in town, a small
no-frills place with some outdoor seating but where the
focus is on the food. Daily 11am-9pm.
4
Pernambuco
Though the state of Pernambuco cuts deep into the interior of Brazil, once again it's
the coast that provides the greatest allure, with a series of stunning beaches and beach
resorts and two intriguing but contrasting cities: the modern behemoth of Recife , the
state capital, and the beautiful colonial town of Olinda , the second-oldest city in Brazil.
Both host raucous Carnavals that attract revellers from all over Brazil. Historically the
region is known for being occupied by the Dutch between 1630 and 1654, though the
state's most famous son is one Luiz Inácio da Silva ( Lula ), who was born dirt-poor in
1945 in Caetés, 250km from Recife - he went on to become one of the nation's most
successful presidents (2003-10).
Recife
The Northeast's largest metropolitan area, RECIFE (“her-see-fey”) is a dynamic,
sprawling city of over four million with a booming economy and two major ports.
The city centre - the three islands of Santo Antônio, Boa Vista and Bairro do Recife
- remains a chaotic, shabby place, where scrappy street vendors, markets, polluted
drains and heavy tra c contrast with crumbling Art Nouveau buildings and a
profusion of colonial churches. It's actually a compelling mix, once you get used to
it (a bit like Rio's old downtown), is completely safe (during the day at least), and
the regenerated Bairro do Recife area in particular is a real gem, more akin to belle
époque Europe than to the rest of Brazil. Most of the money - and the middle class -
lives in the beachside district of Boa Viagem , a forest of high-rise condos and
beach hotels to the south, though it's not as much of a resort area as Maceió -
shopping malls and businesses have moved out here, but it remains a residential
area at heart.
 
 
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