Praia da Pipa, Brazil
Introduction
Praia da Pipa in Brazil is a beach town approximately 80km south of Natal, the capital and largest city of Rio Grande do Norte state. Pipa is a special place for us. While dating my wife in 2000, I brought her here for the first time and we fell in love with this serene fishing village with sandy, and clear blue beaches and vibrant night scenes . In 2007, my wife and I returned to Natal and took a day trip to Pipa, which is still a relatively small and quiet beach town. There was this constant urge to return over the years and in 2014, just before the FIFA World Cup Opening Ceremony, I returned with my family. Today, there appear to be a lot of foreigners living and working in Pipa. This is one of a few places we are considering living when we retire in the near future. You can get a feel of Pipa and its surrounding area from the pictures and videos in this post.
How Did We Get There?
Most international travelers will arrive at the Augusto Severo International Airport. You can then prepay a taxi ride from the airport that will cost approximately R$200 ($60 dollars) to get to your hotel in Pipa. This is the easiest way to get to Pipa but if you're looking to save some money, you can explore taking the bus to Pipa, use UBER, or arrange with the hotel you're staying with, for shuttle service. For us, we arrived in Recife which is a city that is 250km north of Pipa. We spent a week exploring Olinda, a historic city just north of Recife. From there, we took a 5 hour bus ride that cost about R$60 ($18 dollars) per person to Pipa. The buses are like our Greyhound with comfortable seats. The bus made a 30-minute stop at a gas station where you can buy some delicious lunch meals. The bus does not stop at Pipa but rather passes by the closest city, which is Goianinha, approximately 24km to Pipa. From there we took a taxi to Pipa that cost R$80 ($25).
Where Did We Stay?
We stayed a week at Pousada Bicho Preguiça. We chose this hotel for its location and great reviews. It is also one of the very few hotels in Pipa that can accommodate up to 4 people comfortably within a reasonable price range. We chose a duplex unit with a king size bed upstairs and two regular twin size beds downstairs. The hotel has free WiFi and great breakfast that comes with the booking along with a hammock in the front porch. If you fancy something else that they don't have out for breakfast in the morning, you can ask the kitchen to cook something else for you.
Disclosure: The link to the hotel above is an affiliate link that will take you directly to the hotel at booking.com. This is how I booked my stay at this particular hotel. There is no extra cost to you but I'll receive a commission if you book your stay. This will help me to continue maintaining my website. Thank you very much in advance!
Disclosure: The link to the hotel above is an affiliate link that will take you directly to the hotel at booking.com. This is how I booked my stay at this particular hotel. There is no extra cost to you but I'll receive a commission if you book your stay. This will help me to continue maintaining my website. Thank you very much in advance!
Quick video showing the inside of the bus:
Here are some of the activities we enjoyed at Pipa:
- Praia do Amor: This is a popular beach in Pipa. It is 5 minutes walking distance from the Pousada Bicho Preguiça hotel. After a short 5 minute walk, you'll arrive standing atop the red cliffs looking down over the beach; you can see the shoreline that shapes like a heart. It is a beautiful hike from the top of the red cliffs to the beach. At the beach, there are surf schools and restaurants, with lounge chairs and umbrellas, with friendly and attentive waiters.
- Sightseeing Tours (Rusty Jeep): This is definitely a must do activity in Pipa! Fun adventures for couples and families with an affordable price. We paid R$100 ($32) per person for the whole day. We booked this tour with a tour group just around the corner from our hotel near the Praia do Amor. Our driver and guide was really friendly and fun, providing good information about Pipa throughout the trip. The adventure took us along the coast north of Pipa with stops at various beaches, restaurants, and included sand boarding, a boat ride to an island, and watching a beautiful sunset at Tibau do Sul.
- Sightseeing Tours (Dune Buggy Ride): This is another must do activity in Pipa! My wife and I had done this fun tour two other times in the past. We had a really great time with our kids. We booked this tour with the same tour group as the Rusty Jeep tour. We paid R$120 ($37) per person. The friendly buggy driver came to the hotel at around 9:30am and the tour lasted until after 5pm when he dropped us off at the hotel. The tour guide was very knowledgeable of the local areas and the history of Natal and Pipa areas. He took us along the coast south of Pipa towards Natal with stops at several lakes, a clear water lagoon, and a cashew farm (known for the world's largest cashew trees). We also rode along the sand dunes and stopped at a little town for lunch, where we obtained souvenirs. My son was interested in seeing and visiting Ponta Negra in Natal and he took us there as well.
- Santuário Ecológico de Pipa: This is a preserved area protecting the region's trees, plants, and wildlife. We took the local bus at the Avenida Baia dos Golfinhos, the main street just around the corner from the hotel for R$3 (<$1) per person. It was a short 30 minute ride as the bus made frequent stops. The bus can get pretty crowded at times. The entrance fee to the Ecological Sanctuary of Pipa is R$15 ($4.50) per person. The park is very clean and peaceful. The hiking trails are easy and well maintained with signs and information throughout the park. We hiked toward the coast to Prainha Outlook where you get an awesome view of the Dolphin Bay. We made our way to the Turtle Outlook and the Dolphin Outlook and eventually made our way down to the Madeiro Beach. We had lunch and relaxed at the beach for the rest of the day and took the bus back to the hotel.
You can get a feel of Pipa and the activities we really enjoy along with a video of my daily morning run from the hotel, along the beaches, to Praia do Amor and through the town city back to the hotel.