Maceio

Midway between the better-known coastal towns of Salvador and Natal, Maceio juts its way out into the Atlantic Ocean from the lowland lagoons and coastal plains of Alagoas province. It's got everything you'd expect of a Brazilian seaside retreat. Shimmering sands of ochre and golden hues fringe its salt-washed shores; the surf-touched strips at Frances Beach and the beautiful urban sands of Cruz das Almas and Pajuçara are just some of the favorites of most Maceio tour guides. Pedestrianized promenades weave around the headlands of the Atlantic, passing bustling beach bars, stilted Caipirinha stands and football games on the go. Boat trips often leave for the so-called Natural Pools that dot the sandbanks, or to shallow reefs and see-through waters that make for perfect snorkeling. Then there are Maceio’s throbbing nightlife spots that fail to sleep even on Sundays; they erupt in the surfer shacks of Jatiuca and carry on in the cantinas of Ponta Verde until the early hours.