Explore South Coast • Nísia Floresta, RN
Freshwater lagoons, cliffs and the viewpoint where you can spot dolphins swimming in Dolphin Bay, in Tabatinga.
Nísia Floresta lies just south of Parnamirim, with beaches such as Tabatinga and Barreta and so many freshwater lagoons that the area is nicknamed the "land of lagoons" of the South Coast. The Tabatinga viewpoint, over Dolphin Bay, is one of the most photographed spots in the region. It's also the only municipality in Brazil named after a writer: Nísia Floresta Brasileira Augusta, the country's first feminist educator, who was born there.
Nísia Floresta combines a viewpoint, beaches and a swim in a freshwater lagoon — a relaxed counterpoint to the rest of the South Coast route.
Tabatinga, RN
Perched over the bay, this viewpoint lets you watch, from the top of the cliff, Guiana dolphins (Sotalia guianensis) swimming freely in the water below — a species studied by the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) in the area.
Local tip
Bring binoculars if you have them — you can see the dolphins jumping from afar, especially in the morning.
This place is on this tour
Want an itinerary of your own?
Plan a custom itinerary
Nísia Floresta, RN
A freshwater lagoon surrounded by dunes and coconut palms, with calm, warm water — the perfect counterpoint for a relaxed swim, with no waves or currents, in the middle of the South Coast route.
Local tip
A great stop to rest and swim in calm water halfway through the tour, with no currents or waves.
This place is on this tour
Want an itinerary of your own?
Plan a custom itineraryShallow, crystal-clear fresh water — one of the most popular lagoons on the South Coast, with beach kiosks and pedal boat rentals.
The largest lagoon in Rio Grande do Norte, with 9 km² of calm water — a good option for water sports.
A lagoon with calm, warm water among the dunes, with restaurants nearby — usually included in 4x4 tours of the area.
A more secluded lagoon with no kiosks, good for a quiet swim away from the crowds at the better-known lagoons.
Crystal-clear water surrounded by unspoiled scenery — one more of the town's dozens of freshwater lagoons.
Camurupim, RN
A rock formation off the usual route, with a hollow shape that gave it its popular name ("hollow rock"). The visit is short, but it rewards those who like the less obvious corners of the coast — and it depends directly on the day's tide.
Local tip
The visit depends on low tide — your driver checks the best time of day before adding this stop.
This place is on this tour
Want an itinerary of your own?
Plan a custom itineraryA calm, family-friendly beach: a long reef holds back the sea and forms small natural pools at high tide.
Also known as Pirangi do Sul, it's the quieter, more rustic side of Pirangi Beach, with calm water surrounded by reefs.
Planted in 1877 near the Church of Our Lady of Ó, it's one of the largest baobabs in Brazil, 13 meters around, and has been protected as national heritage since 1965.
On the farm where she was born, it holds the remains of Dionísia Gonçalves Pinto — Brazil's first feminist writer and educator, after whom the town is named.
Stop at the Dolphin Viewpoint in Tabatinga and cool off in one of the area's freshwater lagoons, such as Arituba Lagoon.
Carcará Lagoon is in Nísia Floresta, on the South Coast of Rio Grande do Norte — the same area as the other freshwater lagoons listed here.
Rio Grande do Norte is waiting for you. Save your spot and make memories that last forever.
