Maragogi

Halfway between Maceió and Recife, you will find Maragogi. It is 128 kilometres from the Capital, and you can only get to it via land. The town stands out for its crystalline waters, fine sand, mangroves and reefs, not to mention the excellent infrastructure and hospitality.

The scenery is made all the better by Galés, vast natural pools 6 kilometres from the coast. They are a brilliant place to see fish, and you can get to them by taking a catamaran from the central beach.

Today, the natural pools have a visitor limit: 720 people per day, but there are other pools open to the public to make up for it, such as Taocas, Barra Grande and Barreira de Peroba. These are smaller but often better preserved than Galés.

Penedo

In the opposite direction, 150 kilometres in distance, you reach Penedo, a beautiful, historic city on the edge of the River São Francisco. It was Alagoas’ first town and, today, is one of the prettiest small towns in the State. Founded in the 16th century, Penedo has a historic centre with museums and churches from the 17th and 18th centuries.

However, the region’s main attraction is the boat journey that goes from the river’s mouth at Velho Chico to the neighbouring town of Piaçabuçu.

The journey takes almost 45 minutes and passes by little riverside houses and many colourful traditional fishing boats called jangadas. When the river meets the sea, the scenery transforms into golden sand dunes speckled with mangroves and large blue lakes. The boats anchor down for an hour, a fixed period set by the IBAMA (The Brazilian Institute of the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources), giving you just enough time to explore the dunes and soak in the lakes.

On the second weekend of January, Penedo holds the Festival of Popular Traditions, with whistling parades down the streets. There is also a beautiful river procession at this time to commemorate the day of Bom Jesus dos Navegantes.

As well as history and culture, Penedo also has beaches. The most sought-after beach is called Peba. Almost 30 kilometres in length and located at the mouth of the river São Francisco with dunes and mangroves, the only way to reach it is by taking a buggy across the sand. An excellent place to enjoy the sunset is the old Fort da Rocheira, which is on Velho Chico’s edge.