Ponte Negra Beach, Brazil

Ponta Negra Beach is another of the many beaches that can be considered one of the best Brazil beaches. It's located in the little town of Ponta Negra Brazil, a suburb south of the bustling city of Natal, capital of the state of Rio Grande do Norte. This beach in Natal is one of the most popular with international tourists, who come all year long, including for events and holidays. You may think that Carnival in Brazil is located only in Rio de Janeiro, but it's celebrated throughout the country. Natal has an especially festive one, called "Carnatal," that occurs for the same four-week period before Lent in February or March.

Like many other Brazil beaches up and down the country's long coastline, Ponta Negra began its life as a sleepy little fishing village. Fishing is still important to the local fisherman and this beach in Natal is still home to traditional jaganda fishing boats. You'll see their catches in local markets, and taste it while dining in most any Ponta Negra restaurant.

The beach, resort, and town area that makes up Ponta Negra Brazil is quite compact, making it easy to get yourself oriented and find your way around. Most of the Brazil hotels and resorts in town and on the beach have easy access to Alto Negra where most of the nightlife occurs. Most of the hotels are small and medium sized, which allows Ponta Negra Beach to retain a more pristine and isolated feel, even though it's part of the urban area of Natal. But the tourism infrastructure is nonetheless quite sophisticated, and you still do have good lodging options, from little family run pousadas to more deluxe full-service resorts.

Ponta Negra Beach is a little more than two miles long, with the Natal landmark hill, Morro do Careca, on its southern end. This hill is one of the main attractions of Natal. It was once covered in green vegetation, but today has a large, sandy, and noticeable bald spot. It used to be that one of things to do in Ponta Negra Brazil was climb this landmark. Today, the hill is off limits for its protection, and other more beach-like activities are popular.

Ponta Negra Brazil boasts a temperate year-round climate, and its warm water is great both for swimming and surfing. The beach is dotted with the Brazil beaches trademark barracas-little thatched bars that serve drinks and snacks pretty much 24 hours a day. Even if you're not near one of these beach bars, you'll be able to order a drink, rent an umbrella, or purchase a snack from one of the many strolling "barraqueiros" who peddle their wares up and down the beach.

If you're staying longer than a few days, you might want to venture away from the this beach in Natal to visit the incredible sand dunes that make this region famous-rent a dune buggy or hop on a camel to explore them. And, you can also visit the many sights in the city of Natal. There are wonderful museums, dozens of other Brazil beaches, each with its own unique attractions, and the largest urban park outside of Rio de Janeiro.