Natal

From MaxTravelz

Natal, the capital of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, is a small city on the Atlantic coast, known for its beaches.

Contents 1 Understand 2 Get in 2.1 By bus 3 See 4 Do 5 Eat 6 Sleep 7 Stay safe 8 Get out

Understand

Get in

By bus

Natal's bus station is way off on the southern edge of town, while the beaches are up north. So if you're planning to stay on the beaches, it's a long ride, through the city center and onwards.

See

• Forte dos Reis Magos, the star-shaped fort at the northern tip of the beach, was built in 1598.

Do

Natal's urban beaches stretch for several kilometers, each section having its own name. From the north, there's Praia do Forte, Praia do Meio, and Praia dos Artistas. Next, towards South, there is a stretch of 10 km called Via Costeira, where the best hotels (4 and 5 star hotels only) of Natal, and little more than that, are located. Then, in the Southern end of the city, there is Ponta Negra, the most famous beach, and Morro do Careca (Bald head Hill), the best known landmark of Natal.

Most tourists visiting Natal hire a buggy with a driver and travel along the coast, both North and Southwards. The coast of the State of Rio Grande do Norte affords a rare combination of dunes, lagoons, falesias (rocky plateaus with abrupt edges) and vegetation; combine that with sunny weather, friendly people and good prices, and it's easy to understand why Natal is a growing destination for tourists from all over the World.

Eat

Plenty of seafood restaurants with outdoor seating can be found along the beaches.

Sleep

• Hotel Recanto do Mar, on the beach.

Stay safe

If visiting the Forte dos Reis Magos, it's highly recommended that you take a taxi there, and not walk along Praia Forte; recently there have been an increasing number of robberies and assaults of tourists along the beach, past the populated areas (actually, one should not walk to the Forte because it is far away - about 3 km - from the nearest hotel or bus stop). Official statistics show that Natal is the safest city among the Brazilian capitals. Pick pockets follow the tourists, but robbery is rare. The city is conscious of the importance of tourism, which causes the Government to invest heavily on ostensive security of the busiest spots.

Get out

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