Natal is also known as "the space city", related to its
pioneer rocket base, known as "Hell's Barrier", and a recent
study made the Brazilian Institute for Space Research, at the request of
NASA, revealed that in Natal the air quality is unparalleled in the
Americas. The local "Caribbean" is Via Costeira, a modern
roadway where the most advanced chain of high-class, sea-shore hotels in
Natal are located. They include Natal Mar, Jacumã, Ocean Palace, Imirá
Plaza, Vila do Mar, Pirâmide, Parque da Costeira, Marsol, Porto do Mar
and Barreira Roxa. Natal's striking development in tourism also includes
new hotels, restaurants and even a sophisticated gastronomic center.Natal's sea-shore has four beaches: Areia Preta on one side and Praia dos Artistas, Praia do Meio and Praia do Forte on the other. All of them form a beautiful landscape that can be seen from the top of the Ladeira do Sol slope. Areia Preta Beach exhibits a growing real state boom, with modern buildings overlooking luxurious landscapes and the very blue sea. At the Artistas beach the waves are good for surfing; Praia do Meio's coral reefs shelter authentic natural pools; and at Praia do Forte, the Fortaleza dos Reis Magos (Fort of the Three Wise Men) - Natal's most important historical and cultural relic -, seems to guarantee a perennial quiet sea, making it ideal for swimming.
At night, Natal offers a wonderful time, mainly at Praia dos Artistas, rimmed with
restaurants and nightclubs. In the beginning of 1997, the beach gained a
wood sidewalk over the rocks at the Ponta do Morcego (Bat's Point), a
place of memorable shows and delightful open-air night parties. Morro do
careca (Bald Hill) is Ponta Negra beach's most most famous
geographical feature, but it deserves more than a simple look. One
should take a walk by the sand, keeping an eye on the native's
attitudes, and trying to understand them is a good beginning. The
sailing rafts are still there. For those who are fond of physical
exercise, climbing up the Bald Hill is a real challenge, due its moving
sands. Cotovelo is the first attraction on the Route of the Sun Road, on
the way to the great Southern beaches. Just after the Hell's Barrier
rocket base, Cotovelo beach exhibits its majestic horizon of coconut
trees stretched out along the road. The beach, less than 10 kilometers
from Natal, is a passage way to Barra da Tabatinga and Pipa beaches, but
it is worth going there for diving, photographing, or even flirting.Pipa beach, exceedingly famous and fascinating, occupies a major chapter in the history of tourism in Rio Grande do Norte. This fisherman's community became a resort, a commonplace event in Northeastern Brazil, but in Pipa it turned out to be different.
Monumental dunes, a huge lagoon and a beautiful shore. When one puts the three together, the conclusion is Jenipabu, the perennial post card of Rio Grande do Norte and one of the most loved place by tourists who have ever visited Northeastern Brazil. Doubtless, its greatest appeal is the famous buggie-riding, evolving amid firm and moving dunes and throughout sand barriers dubbed "Devil's Caldron" or "World's End", which stirs up a lot of adrenaline. Jenipabu is like a great amusement park: it has toys and attractions for all ages.