Maceió, Brazil: beaches, reef pools and the Alagoas coast

At a glance

What Maceió is like

The city follows the shoreline for about 40 km, and most of that is beach. The city’s tourism portal describes the water as calm and warm, with coconut palms along the seafront. Zumbi dos Palmares International Airport is about 25 km out of town, so a stay usually starts with a short drive along the coast.

Beyond the beaches, Embratur points to three places in town:

• Jaraguá, the old port district, with preserved buildings and the Théo Brandão Museum.
• Pontal da Barra on Lagoa Mundaú, with colourful houses, lagoon-side workshops and filé embroidery, which Alagoas recognises as intangible heritage. The sunset over the lagoon is one of the best known in the city.
• The handicraft market, with more than 250 stalls of leather, wood, clay, straw, lace and ceramics.

For food, Embratur suggests sururu (a local shellfish), local fish, corn couscous and tapioca. More on regional dishes in our guide to Brazilian food.

Maceió beaches, south to north

Before you swim, the UK Foreign Office advises asking locals about currents, watching the warning flags and checking where lifeguards are posted.

Reef pools and low tide

The reef pools off Pajuçara are one of the classic Maceió outings: wooden rafts called jangadas head out from the beach to the reefs, and you swim in clear, shallow water among fish. Everything depends on the tide. Low tide comes at a different time each day, so we do not print hours here. We check the tide table for the port of Maceió, published by the Brazilian Navy’s hydrography centre, for your exact dates.

The Costa dos Corais protected area

The APA Costa dos Corais was created by decree on 23 October 1997 and enlarged by about 89,441 hectares in June 2025. The 2025 decree lists nine municipalities in Alagoas (Maceió, Paripueira, Barra de Santo Antônio, Passo de Camaragibe, São Miguel dos Milagres, Porto de Pedras, Porto Calvo, Japaratinga and Maragogi) and three in Pernambuco, down to Tamandaré.

It protects coral and sandstone reefs, reef fish spawning sites, the marine manatee and the mangroves at river mouths. Coral extraction is prohibited unless ICMBio authorises it for research. ICMBio, the federal agency that manages the area, publishes a dashboard of operators and boats authorised to take visitors, and we check it before booking any boat outing.

North of the city: Milagres, Patacho and Maragogi

The coast north of Maceió is quieter, with small towns and pousadas. Praia do Patacho in Porto de Pedras has Blue Flag certification, light sand, clear water and wooden rafts on the beach, with natural pools at low tide. Embratur notes there are no beach bars or restaurants, so bring water and food. Patacho is about 13 km from São Miguel dos Milagres and 25 km from Maragogi.

Maragogi, at the northern end of Alagoas, is also part of the protected area. Its reef pools follow the same rule: outings depend on the tide and go only with authorised operators. We confirm the tide and the operator for your dates.

South of the city: Francês and Gunga

Praia do Francês is known for natural pools, reefs and waves that suit surfing. Gunga is famous for its coconut groves and a spot where the sea meets Lagoa do Roteiro, so you can choose salt or fresh water. Buggy rides and boat trips run from there. Both work as a day out from a Maceió hotel.

Weather in Maceió by month

INMET normals, published through the World Meteorological Organization:

November is the driest month and May the wettest. If beaches and reef pools are the point of the trip, aim for October to January. For other regions, see the best time to visit Brazil.

Combining Maceió with other places

Maceió pairs well with Recife and Olinda further up the coast, with Maragogi on the way. Travellers coming from Rio often add it to a longer route: our two-week Brazil itinerary shows how we join regions. For more coast options, see beach holidays in Brazil.

Check entry requirements on official websites before you travel.

What to tell us in your request

• Your dates, or the month you have in mind
• How many people, and the ages of any children
• Whether you want to stay in Maceió, on the quieter north coast, or both
• Reef pools, Maragogi, Gunga or other outings you want
• Hotel or pousada style
• The language you want for your guide
• Where you are flying from

How we help

We build the plan around the tides, book the hotel or pousada, arrange the airport transfer and a driver for day trips, and find a guide who speaks your language. We stay your single contact before and during the trip; see help during your trip and how we work. Tours, transfers and boat outings can be cancelled at no cost up to 48 hours before; terms and payment are set out in the proposal, and you pay nothing before you confirm.