It was pretty easy to get back from Porto de Galinhas to the airport of Recife. We actually took a cab which was only 1€ more expensive than the local bus and it was much more comfortable to travel by. With another couple of Argentinians in 1 h, we reached the airport of Recife. We had to wait for 5h for our flight connection to Natal. However, I wouldn't recommend this flight to anybody. If you are planning on going further up north east then it is much cheaper and easier to go by local transport to Pipa. Not sure if there is a direct bus from Recife. Maybe still you need to get to Natal (5h drive) in order to change for Pipa (2h). We arrived at Natal too late to be able to pick up the last local bus (omnibus) to Pipa. We ended up by taking an Uber taxi. Our fortunes did not improve because we ended up changing the Uber driver twice to get finally to Pipa. The first one wasn't happy about driving 5h in both directions, so he dropped us off at the Center of Natal and looked for another one. Another driver kept looking for the gas station four times to fill up his gas tank and in the end, he got lost. To get to Pipa from Natal cost us double comparing to what it was supposed to cost (instead of 40€ we paid 80€). Not recommended. There were some transfers from the airport of Natal to Pipa for 20€ if you end up there at the night. Alternatively, it is much cheaper travelling during the day from Rodoviara of Natal to Pipa for only 4€.
Where to stay in Pipa Beach?
Finally, we ended up in Pipa. We found Pousada Cachara, near the beach. The free camping by the beach wasn't available due to the high tide. ;) The breakfast was impressive, the room not too bad, clean with a bathroom and a window for 150B$\45€.
https://www.tripadvisor.com.br/Hotel_Review-g609134-d4738151-Reviews-Cachara_Hotel_Pousada-Tibau_do_Sul_State_of_Rio_Grande_do_Norte.html
However the next day we changed for a nice little hostel 37.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4z_pPPhYHPU
http://www.booking.com/Share-Rt2v8j
It was new and in very good condition for a hotel and with the sea view. You could fall asleep with the sound of the waves and the ocean breeze. The managers were the Uruguayan brothers. They look after their guests and they are very helpful with lots of suggestions and information. We learned even how to make the tapioca (the typical Brazilian pancake).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zsoZ9L_6zs&feature=share
They made a barbeque especially for us to grill the fish we bought (17B$/5€). Usual price in a restaurant for two is 70-150B$ (20-40€). Thanks to them we ended up having a nice dinner. Four of us ate 5€ worth fish dinner. This is how much more the restaurants charge tourists and how much the locals pay.
About the Brazilian prices and tourism.
Brazil became so expensive for tourists because locals make up their own prices. Government prices are ten times lower than those created for tourists. Because of that, the number of European travellers has dropped down significantly compared to the past. Now in Brazil, tourism is national and from other Latin American countries such as Argentina. Argentinians love Brazil because of the sea and the beaches which they don't have in Argentina. They settle down in Brazil and run the guest houses (pousadas). They seem to replace Italians who used to travel a lot in Brazil a few years ago. Now it is the time for Argentinians who are setting up the hospitality businesses. All the Brazilians love Italians and some Argentinians too. There is a big competition between Brazilians and Argentinians, while it doesn't exist between Brazilians and Italians. My travel buddy is Italian so we are very welcomed all over the country. Brazilians are not that impressed by the Poles. I think this is simply because there are few Polish travellers in Brazil. I haven't met one Pole during the whole three months trip across the North East Brasil except Rio. The only Polish I met was living in Belgium.
www.seba.website
The best beach in Pipa.
The most beautiful beach half an hour away from the Central beach of Pipa to the left is Dolphins beach.
Dolphins Beach - Pipa
Somebody wrote on the Dolphins beach the initial on my nickname (Asia)
A. is indulging a view of Dolphins beach
BQ - owners of Hostel 37 in Pipa are grilling our fish
Dinner ready
We are eating our fish dinner with the owners of Hostel 37 - Pipa
Overview from the Hostel 37
Dolphins beach by sunset
The best time to go there is along the beach at low tide at sunrise or sunset. You could still manage to get there even with the high tide but it would take more afford to climb up the rocks. Make sure you've got some good shoes. I did it all with flip flops, though it's quite slippery. Once we arrived at Dolphins beach and passed the crowd we ended up on the paradise side of the beach completely devoid of tourists. That part was my favourite one. Just in the middle of Dolphins Beach. At sunrise or sunset look to the right and watch the dolphins. You'll see them playing and jumping in the water. It's not the same experience like watching them from a boat where you see them really closely. It is still a very enriching and pleasant experience even watching them from the distance. You can carry on walking to the left coming across other beaches. Returning Central beach you can turn right towards romantic Praia do Amor (Love Beach) and keep on walking toward the rocks.
Actually, the cliffs and rocks are all over the coast of Pipa. The rocks colours change depending on the time of the day and direction of the sun. The strongest colours are at Sunrise and Sunset. Those two beaches are recommended. If you are a swimmer then I definitely recommend Dolphins beach which is located in a peaceful bay. Praia do Amor of Pipa is more exposed therefore there are some waves.
Praia do Amor - Pipa
Downtow - Pipa
How to get to Sao Miguel do Gostoso from Pipa Beach?
Three days in Pipa were enough to get ready to hit the road again and go by the local bus to Natal (10am/2h/16B$/4€). From Rodoviaria the bus station of Natal we waited for a couple of hours and get a bus at 14.30 to Sao Miguel do Gostoso. It took us 4h to get there (15B$/4€) and it was worth to do it.
6 am Yoga on the beach next to Max's Pousada "Vivenda la Terra"- Sao Miguel do Gostoso - kite surf and yoga paradise
Sao Miguel is a tiny fish village with the huge, almost never ending dunes. A paradise for kite surfers and the nature lovers. A few bars/restaurants/pousadas by the open ocean front with strong wind and waves. We pitched our tent by the sea on the dunes, under the palms near the village. The spot was great as we could get up in the morning with a sea view in front of us. The only disadvantage was a night security guard who would pass by the tent every half an hour with the torch directed on to us while whistling. I was terrified every time he was passing by as I thought he was carrying a machete and our lives could come to an end. I couldn't sleep for three consecutive nights while we were there. The advantage was that we met some wonderful people. Max https://www.facebook.com/maxwel.marcolino?pnref=friends.search was just staying nearby and managing with his parent's pousada 'Vivenda la Terra'.
https://www.facebook.com/joanna.puchala3/posts/10155338598036840
It is a paradise on earth. They used sustainable resources in order to build the infrastructure and ten bungalows in the rain forest with a sea view. We were lucky as in return for my yoga morning classes at 6 am we were offered a rich breakfast by parents of Max at his pousada. I taught only twice as the last morning we left very early. I started with two people and ended up having six students. It was a nice community made of Brazilians and Italians. During some long walks with the sea on one side and dunes on the other, we reached Tourinhos beach. It was a paradise bay with cheap and delicious sea food served by local restaurants. Really recommended if you want to have a nice sea food dish for 10€ (2people). We had a sea food soup (5B$/1.5€).
The next destination is Fortaleza.
