Things to do in  Natal

This large pool of fresh water is a spot to refresh from the sun, wind, sand, and adventure of Brazil's Natal beaches. Though nearly 16 feet (5 meters) deep at its center, it's shallow at the edges, making it a popular spot for swimmers. Its clear waters also make it a favorite spot to kayak, paddleboard, and fish.

Via Costeira, also known as Senador Dinarte Mariz Avenue, is a significant beachfront walkway and paved road that extends from Ponta Negra beach in Natal. It's one of the city's most important avenues, with two lanes in each direction and no traffic lights. It winds along the coastline and is popular with visitors for its beach views.

Pipa Beach (Praia da Pipa) is not one single beach, but four, collectively stretching for more than 6 miles (10 kilometers). Backed by coconut palm plantations, sand dunes, cliffs, and Atlantic forest, these stretches of sand are considered some of the most spectacular in Brazil. The warm waters are home to dolphins and sea turtles.

If the string of shallow coral reefs that grace Natal’s sandy coastline could be called a necklace, then Maracajaú Reef is its biggest, most beautiful jewel. This reef formation full of coral, iridescent fish, and other marine life covers over 3.5 acres (1.4 hectares and is about 4 miles (7 kilometers offshore from Maracajaú Beach.

Brazil’s tranquil Jacumã Beach (Praia de Jacumã) is surrounded by reefs that break up the waves, creating a peaceful environment and a cove that's ideal for swimming. The white sand beach is lined with tall, shady palm trees. Located in the small fishing village of Jacumã, it is a relatively secluded beach with few tourists or beachgoers.

The star-shaped Fort of the Magi predates the founding of Natal by nearly two years. The Portuguese began building the fort on January 6, 1598, the same day they celebrated Epiphany, hence the name and shape of the structure. Its strategic location was ideal for international defense.

Ponta Negra, one of Natal’s most popular and accessible beaches, stretches for 1.8 miles (3 kilometers) along the shore. The lively south end of the beach is lined with restaurants, bars, hotels, and pousadas (or inns), while the northern end features a pedestrian-only boardwalk and a few resorts, lending it a more low-key vibe.

The Pirangi Tree is a record holder—at 500 yards (457 meters) in circumference, it’s the largest cashew tree in the world. To put that into perspective, it’s the same size as 70 cashew trees. The Pirangi Tree has been its own forest for many years, and visitors can collect cashews from it as they wander underneath its ancient branches.

With its white sands, palm-studded dunes, and coral reef, Maracajau Beach makes a picturesque alternative to nearby Natal. Sip caipirinhas at a beach bar or snorkel amid schools of tropical fish in what’s dubbed the Brazilian Caribbean.

Known for its shifting sands and freshwater lagoons, the beach village of Genipabu attracts travelers who come for adventure on the rolling dunes. The winds shifting across the sand means that the landscape of Genipabu is always changing. The sands pile up into dunes that rise and fall, creating ridges and mounds across the shores and eventually plunging into the sea.

The Natal Metropolitan Cathedral (Catedral Metropolitana de Natal) boasts a modern trapezoidal shape and unusual use of windows and light. It's the antithesis to traditional cathedral design and an architectural landmark in Natal’s historic center. Three interlocking crosses sit outside its entrance, welcoming worshippers and visitors.

Natal is known for its spectacular beaches and Barra do Canhaú is no exception. Its clear waters and white sands are backed by palm trees and mangroves, as saltwater meets freshwater at the mouth of the Curimatau River. Canhaú, the small fishing village near the beach of the same name, has retained many of its original charms.

Of Brazil’s many beaches, Cacimbinhas (Praia das Cacimbinhas) is a quieter one—accessible by walking down a long staircase—and a popular spot for windsports such as kitesurfing and paragliding. On the northeastern coast, near Natal, the beach is framed by tall cliffs, which overlook a sprawling shoreline, turquoise waters, and sand dunes.

This long, white sand beach outside of Natal is divided in two by the Pirangi river, creating Pirangi do Norte and Pirangi do Sul. Its calm, turquoise waters make it a popular place for swimming and water sports such as surfing and diving, with frequent competitions on the beach. Plus, you can hop in a buggy to zip around the sand dunes.

This large sand dune, located in the center of Natal, has become the main symbol of the city and the state of Rio Grande do Norte in Brazil. Gracing the front of most Natal postcards, Morro do Careca rises 394 feet (120 meters) from the ground at the southern end of busy Ponta Negra beach—one of Natal’s most popular destinations.