This guide is for you if you are staying in Natal and want a day on the coast without hours in the car. The south coast is close: everything on this day sits within about 40 km of the city. The decisions are about the month, the tide, how much time to give the cashew tree, and what to pack for a swim in a freshwater lagoon.
When to go
The coast around Natal is warm all year. Rain is the variable. On long-term averages it is wettest from March to July, with April the peak, and driest from August to January, with September to November the most reliable months for a dry day. A wet morning makes the clifftop lookout at Tabatinga less pleasant, but the lagoon is still a lagoon.
The cashew tree has its own calendar. The fruit comes mainly from November to January. In season, visitors can pick cashews under the canopy and try the juice on site. The tree flowers through to November, so the end of the year is the time to see it in fruit.
December and the June and July festival season are Natal's busiest times. A weekday outside those weeks is the quietest choice.
The cashew tree: what it is, and a caution
The Cajueiro de Pirangi stands in Pirangi do Norte, in the municipality of Parnamirim, just south of Natal. Local oral history says a fisherman, Luiz Inácio de Oliveira, planted it in 1888. It entered the Guinness records in 1994. The state environment agency puts it at about 9,000 square metres, with a perimeter of around 500 metres.
It is one tree, not a grove. A genetic quirk makes its branches grow sideways rather than up. Their weight bends them to the ground, where they put down roots and carry on spreading. Walking under it feels more like a small wood than a garden. It draws more than 300,000 visitors a year, so arrive early, as the tour does.
The caution is pruning. A court decision ordered a managed pruning of the tree, work the state agency said could take up to six months, and the plan has been disputed by residents and specialists. Work of that kind may limit parts of the visit, so check the current situation before you go. We look into it before your day too, and if the tree is not worth the stop, we give the time to the lagoon.
Dolphins, the tide and the lagoon
Barra de Tabatinga is in the municipality of Nísia Floresta, about 40 km south of Natal. The Mirante dos Golfinhos sits on top of the cliff. From there you may see dolphins and sea turtles in the water below. They show most often at low tide, which is why we check the tide table the day before and set the time of this stop around it. They are wild animals, so nothing is promised. The coloured cliffs along this stretch also draw paragliders when the wind allows.
The Lagoa de Arituba is a few kilometres from Tabatinga. The water is clear and good for swimming, there are stalls and restaurants on the shore, and it suits families. This is where you have lunch and the longest stop of the day. If anyone in your group does not swim in the sea, the lagoon is the answer: fresh water and no surf.
How the day fits together
The drives are short. Pick-up is at 07:00, and you are on the road south past Ponta Negra within the first half hour. From then on, no leg of the day is long. You are back at your hotel in the afternoon, around 15:00, which leaves the evening free.
Most of the time goes on the lagoon, about three hours with lunch. Because the car is yours alone, the balance can move. Skip the tree if you would rather swim. Stay longer at the lookout if the tide is right and the dolphins are about. Tell your driver in the morning.
The price covers the vehicle, the driver, fuel, tolls and parking, and depends on how many of you travel; see it on the tour page. The cashew tree's entrance, buggy or 4x4 rides on the dunes, lunch and drinks are paid on the day.
On your own, or with a driver
The three stops are on different roads, and the lagoon lies inland from the coast. Without a car you would need taxis between each one, and the timing at Tabatinga depends on the tide, not on when a taxi arrives. If you are confident driving in Brazil, a hire car does the job, but you will plan around the tide and park at each stop yourself.
With a driver, the order of the day is planned around the tide, and you do not need to think about parking at the lagoon at lunchtime.
What to bring
- Swimwear and a towel for the lagoon.
- Sun cream, a hat and water. The lookout is on an open clifftop.
- Binoculars, if you have them, for the dolphins and turtles below the cliff.
- Local cash or a card for the cashew tree's entrance, lunch and drinks.
- Sandals or shoes that can get wet.
Who it suits, and who should think twice
It suits families with children, travellers who do not enjoy long drives, and anyone who wants a swim without waves. It is also a gentle first day out of Natal before a longer one.
- You want Pipa. Pipa is further down the same coast and does not fit comfortably into these eight hours. Our Pipa day trip is the longer day for it.
- Dolphins are the whole point. They come and go with the tide and are not guaranteed from the lookout. Pipa's bay gives you a closer chance.
- You are short of time. If you only have half a day, our Natal city tour fits in four hours.
For all five of our days from the city side by side, read our guide to day trips from Natal.
Questions people ask
Can we pick cashews at the tree?
In the harvest season, mainly November to January, yes. Outside it, there is no fruit to pick.
Is the lagoon safe for children?
It is calm fresh water, and families swim there. Watch them in the water as you would anywhere.
Can we cancel?
Yes. Cancel up to 24 hours before pick-up and you are refunded in full. See our cancellation page.
Booking the day
Choose a dry month if you can, pack for a swim, and ask us whether pruning work is under way at the cashew tree. The stops and the booking form are on the Natal south coast private tour page.
