Maceio, Brazil...snorkel

[bksunbuddies]

Port of called was recently changed. Leave in less than three weeks. Which beach would you suggest for snorkeling from the shore? I read that there are some beaches near the port.

 

I am looking for any information about Maceio and possibly snorkeling...recommended tours, beaches, sites...

 

Thanks for sharing your information.

 

Karen

 

:)

[brazilgirl]

Maceio is a lovely area..it is one of my favorites in the Northeastern region of Brazil. There are many beautiful beaches...the water is quite beautiful.

 

Here is an article that may help you make a decision. I´d spend the day at the beach in Maceio and do sightseeing at another port.

 

http://www.maceio.info/maceio-beaches.html

[bksunbuddies]

Maceio is a lovely area..it is one of my favorites in the Northeastern region of Brazil. There are many beautiful beaches...the water is quite beautiful.

 

Here is an article that may help you make a decision. I´d spend the day at the beach in Maceio and do sightseeing at another port.

 

http://www.maceio.info/maceio-beaches.html

 

I read the article and the links...Where do you think the best snorkeling is from shore? We want to be able to walk into the water and enjoy. :D It would be great if the beach area had lounge chairs to rent and bar access and restroom facilities nearby.

 

Do you know if any of the hotels offer a "day pass" ?

 

Thanks for responding.

 

Karen

[brazilgirl]

Karen...

 

Frankly , it´s been some time since I visited Maceio and when I was there I didn´t snorkel , I just laid on the beach! I visited Sonho Verde , which was lovely and another beach for a jangada ride ( a Brazilian raft) ,which is a fun Brazilian style activity to try. I can´t recall the name of the second beach.

 

I looked at a couple of sites in Portuguese and Ponta Verde , Gunga , and Pajuçara were cited among the top beaches for snorkeling. Some are out of town , but I am sure you could hire a driver. The beaches have kiosks which serve snacks and drinks. I didn´t stay at a resort , so I am not sure about day passes , not a common practice here.

 

Sorry I can´t give a more personal assessment , but Maceio is quite far from where I live , and sadly , I can´t go there more often...

 

Good luck !

Kim

[bksunbuddies]

Thanks for your help.

 

Maybe someone who has been to Maceio and seen this post will respond. :D

 

Karen

[Fattony]

Haven't been to Maceio. We're in Fortaleza, up the coast. No decent snorkeling here anywhere near the port-- no reefs or rocks making for good snorkeling, just mainly sand-- and any beaches near the port are too polluted, anyway (though you will still see people swimming). And in the rainy season (which is just starting, down here at least), you get more runoff from the city. My Lonely Planet guide to Brazil says Maceio is protected by a coral reef, so there would at least seem to be potential for good snorkeling, time and cleanliness permitting. How much time will you have? The LP guide warns that Praia do Sobral, Praia da Avenida, Praia de Pajucara and Praia dos Sete Coqueiros suffer from pollution. This guide book was written a few years ago (my guess would be that the situation has not improved since then, with a rising population). I'd ask the ship's crew if anyone knows which beaches are clean enough for swimming and snorkeling (i.e., don't necessarily rely on tour operators to be candid as to whether a beach is polluted). My personal advice would be to enjoy the beaches, and not the water, if it has just rained, but others may well disagree, and, of course, I'm speaking from general experience, not firsthand knowledge of Maceio.

[Fattony]

p.s. if you're also stopping at Recife, there is, obviously a reef there (recife means reef), but there are signs on the main beaches of the Boa Vista area advising bathers that they are at a "greater than average" risk of shark attack there (they don't say what they mean by average, but I've heard of occasional, not common, shark attacks, which some blame on dredging for a nearby port). If you go to the beach, I'd stay inside the rocky reef area. I have been to Recife, and rather enjoyed it, including the Dutch-built canals, and the historic town of Olinda (adjacent to Recife). Many cruises stop in Fortaleza. Not to run down the town I'm in, but it's not the most scenic city. Most visitors head to the Mercado Central (be sure to bargain there). Area is famed for lace, but the market sells lots of things, from sandals to beach towels to t-shirts. Many stalls selling the same things, so it's easy to walk around and bargain until you get a price you like (within limits). Only beach nearby I'd consider swimming in is Praia do Futuro (not Meireles, etc. in front of the main hotels). I know from painful, firsthand experience, that the U.S. dollar is rather low in relation to the Brazilian Real now, plus prices in general are high in Brazil, so don't necessarily expect bargains like you might find in some other countries in the region.

 

Boa viagem.