A dream route along the coast
Brazil's Northeast strings together one of the most spectacular coastal routes on the planet, linking historic cities, giant sand dunes, freshwater lagoons and villages where streets simply don't exist, replaced instead by sand. A full trip typically starts in either Recife or Fortaleza and heads west, or the reverse way round, weaving through landscapes that range from colonial cityscapes to tropical desert, all under warm weather year-round.
Recife and Olinda: Brazil's Venice and its historic hilltop twin
Recife earned its nickname, the Venice of Brazil, thanks to the rivers, bridges and canals that cut through its centre, particularly in the Recife Antigo district, where colonial-era townhouses share the streets with bars, museums and a lively seafront nightlife. A short drive away, Olinda, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, charms visitors with cobbled hills, baroque churches and rows of brightly painted houses; the Alto da Se viewpoint offers one of the finest vistas on the entire northeastern coast, with Recife's skyline rising in the distance.
Natal: the dunes of Genipabu and the beaches of Pipa
In Natal, a trip to the Genipabu dunes is close to mandatory: dune buggies carry visitors down the sandy slopes with as much or as little thrill as each group prefers, and camel rides along the lagoon round out the experience. About ninety minutes south lies Pipa, one of the most charming spots on the Rio Grande do Norte coast, with reddish cliffs, natural pools and the famous Dolphin Bay, where spinner dolphins can often be spotted swimming close to shore in the early morning.
Jericoacoara: the village with no streets, buried in the dunes
Fortaleza serves as the main gateway to Jericoacoara, a village that has become legendary among travellers precisely because it has no paved streets: sand takes over everything, and getting around means walking, riding a buggy or hopping on a horse-drawn cart. Freshwater lagoons tucked between the dunes, such as Lagoa do Paraiso, invite lazy afternoons in hammocks strung between coconut palms, while the Sunset Dune draws locals and tourists alike every evening to applaud the sunset, a ritual as reliable as the kitesurfing shows that colour the sky by day.
Lencois Maranhenses: a sea of white dunes dotted with emerald lagoons
Further along, between the towns of Barreirinhas and Atins, the Lencois Maranhenses form a landscape unlike anywhere else on Earth: thousands of wind-sculpted white sand dunes speckled with rainwater lagoons in shades of turquoise and emerald. The fullest lagoons appear between June and September, when pools like Lagoa Azul and Lagoa Bonita reach their maximum depth; 4x4 tours and guided hikes carry visitors into the heart of the park, where swimming among the dunes becomes possible.
Sao Luis and Alcantara: azulejo tiles, reggae and colonial history
The journey can wind down in Sao Luis, the capital of Maranhao and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, known for facades covered in Portuguese azulejo tiles and for a reggae scene so intense it earned the city the nickname Brazil's Jamaica. A short boat crossing over the Bay of Sao Marcos leads to Alcantara, a colonial village that feels frozen in time, its ruined churches and grand old townhouses telling the story of the region's former cotton boom.
When to go and how to plan
The Northeast stays warm year-round, with temperatures typically between 26°C and 32°C, though the rainy season varies by state and usually falls somewhere between March and July. A complete route takes ten to fourteen days, combining flights between the main cities with 4x4 or buggy transfers for the more remote stretches, such as the five- to six-hour ride from Fortaleza to Jericoacoara. It's worth booking accommodation well in advance during the high season, from December to February, when demand surges at the most popular stops.