Brazil travel blog by Mark Berman -
March 2017
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The dolphins that swim along the crystal-clear waters of Pipa Beach are a huge attraction for everyone visiting this seaside village. The waves
attract the surfers while the draw for backpackers is to spend time relaxing and chilling between hectic travel destinations! Pipa is the kind of
place you could easily spend a few days, a few weeks or even a few months. Some people come and never leave, like the man who sold me a delicious
sandwich on the beach who told me he was from Recife but wouldn't change his new life in Pipa for anything! Of the 4 beaches I visited on this
trip up the Brazilian coast - Maceio, Maragogi, Pipa and Ponta Negra, Pipa is definitely the place you could make home for a while. It's not in a
city nor is remote and therefore expensive. It's a place for everyone - artists, hippies, backpackers and families! Getting to Pipa
To get to Pipa Beach you need
firstly to go to Goianinha which is inland. From Goianinha a bus to Pipa takes 30-40mins. I arrived in Goianinha from
Joao Pessoa 90mins south.
From Natal it is less than an hour to Goianinha.
Accommodation and Pipa Beach
There is a ton of accommodation to choose from in Pipa! Villas, boutique hotels, bungalows,
resorts, pousadas, hostels and cottages. Available in all price ranges. Pipa is a beautiful beach with white sands and cool clear waters and like
all Brazilian beaches, food and drink is readily available without having to walk far. Cliffs, palms and bush create the backdrop.
Dolphin Bay Beach
The next beach
on the northern side is just around the rocks and takes just 15mins to walk to. This is Dolphin Bay Beach (Praia Baia dos Golfinhos) and this
beach is a major tourist attraction! As I always say, 'you can't beat nature'. Dolphin Bay is where you can see many dolphins swimming across the
bay quite consistently. People rent kayaks to paddle amongst them and boats with glass bottoms take people out also! I sat in a comfortable chair
under an umbrella at a coconut juice stand for about an hour with my 250mm zoom lens fixed on the water. I did manage to get a couple of reasonable
shots but I was just not quick enough when a dolphin jumped high in the air and then dived back down under a wave. I must have been sipping my
icey-cold coconut juice, which by the way you drink straight from the coconut!
Activities and Fun
People can enjoy the many activities including
kitesurfing, stand up
paddle boards, kayaking, biking, sandboarding, beach tennis and hiking. The main street in Pipa at the top of the cliff boasts some very nice
boutique shops, restaurants, bars and cafes. There is also cheaper eating options available around town as well as a bakery!
A Great Place
Pipa is the perfect
place for a quick getaway, a relaxing week or a long slow month! From Pipa I headed back to Goianinha (30-40mins) on a local bus and then north for less than an hour to Natal where I stayed at another beach at
Ponta Negra.
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Man skates along the water on a wooden board at Dolphin Beach, Pipa.
Colorful lights shaped like balloons at a restaurant in Pipa.
A light made out of colored bottle-tops in the main street in Pipa.
3 famous men, mural in Pipa, please advise as to who they are!
