MARAGOGI

What brings people all the way to Maragogi is not the town itself. Despite the low-priced cafés and Internet connections in the village or the beach bars and boutique shops along the boardwalk, Maragogi is not a town that calls attention to itself. The highlight here is the popular Galés, a sandbar surrounded by rock formations that present themselves at low tide about six kilometers off the coast and which make an excellent playground for swimming and snorkeling. In the morning, at the first low tide of the day, boats will take you out to the pools to visit the fish for around R$15 for two hours, including equipment. You can get information about tides at any of the hotels or just ask one of the guides. If you have time after a trip out to Galés, visit one of the beaches in Maragogi, such as São Bento, with a small village and sandbar about two kilometers offshore.

There are several hotels along the boardwalk. If you decide to stay the night here, check out Solar da Praia (Av. Senador Rui Palmeira, tel. 82/3296-2025, solardapraia.com.br, R$35 s and R$50 d), which has clean facilities and rooms.

You can catch the Atlântica bus from the Maceió bus terminal to Maragogi at 7 a.m., 9 a.m., and 2:45 p.m. daily. The return bus leaves at 5 a.m., 10 a.m., and 4 p.m. daily. The trip takes three hours and costs R$12.