Coming into the trip, I didn’t have a next stop after Chapada Diamantina, I just knew I was going to start heading north up the coast. My Bolivian friend Dani, who I met at my hostel in Salvador, was volunteering in a beach town outside of Maceió. She was about to have two days off and wanted to spend them in Maceió so I thought it’d be nice to see her again. Plus it was already a 20+ hour commute from Chapada Diamantina so that would get me far enough up the coast for now.

Maceió is the capital of the state of Alagoas and a population of just over one million people. It is nicknamed the “Caribbean of Brazil” with its white sand beaches, coconut palms, and calm turquoise waters. The city has a beautiful promenade that connects several beaches and natural pools in the ocean when the tide is low. The city felt safe, or at least along the beach promenade and in the neighborhood I was staying. I wasn’t worried about taking my phone out in public and had no concerns walking 15 minutes at night to a restaurant. 

Getting In

It was an all day and all night type of travel day. First I took the 9am bus from Lençóis back to Salvador. I was in the front seat on the upper level of the bus. It was nice to look out the window and have additional leg room, but also I could feel the wobbliness of the bus with every gust of wind. The girl next to me, Carini, spoke good Spanish and we started speaking porteño chatting about the excursions we did in Chapada. Halfway through the trip, we stopped at the same restaurant buffet as on the way there so I was a pro this time at how the system worked. The bus was running behind schedule and poor Carini had a tight window to catch her flight out of Salvador. I could tell she was really nervous. When we were about an hour outside the city, she got off the bus and decided to take an Uber. Hopefully she made her flight.

There was an Italian guy in the seat across the aisle who struck up a conversation with me. He looked and talked like a young Keanu Reeves. He was studying to be a yogi and had this very slow intonation in the way he spoke. “My name is Neo.” Not really, but he reminded me of  Keanu from The Matrix. He would ask me these deep and profound questions as we discussed travel, work, meditation, things like that. Whenever we would finish talking about the topic, he would be like “Thank you for the conversation. It was very enlightening.” He was a very grateful guy. 

The bus ended up taking 7.5 hours to arrive in Salvador, but I still had a few hours to kill before my night bus. I caught up with my parents and ate dinner in the terminal. Then I was onto the next one leaving Salvador at 7:45pm and arrive in Maceió around 7:30am. I was able to sleep for a good chunk of the ride. 

Lodging 

I had spent the last 10 nights in a hostel, on a trek, or sleeping on the night bus so I was ready for my own space. I booked a pousada (inn) for two nights and even ended up extending an extra night. The beginning of Brazil was go, go, go; it was time to slow things down a bit. My pousada had a comfy bed, big TV, desk, and it was a five minute walk to the beach. Plus they offered delivery breakfast to the room. On the first day they gave me a piece of paper with a checklist of food and drink options that they would deliver to my door in the morning. I selected way too many things and that became my daily breakfast. I would have actually done less the following days but I never filled out the checklist again. I ordered: sausage, eggs, ham and cheese tapioca, cassava, couscous, assorted fruit, coffee, and fruit juice. It was more than enough food. The pousada “reception” was a laundromat in the front so that was convenient for cleaning my clothes. There was side door back to the rooms with a separate key so it felt private and secure.

Food

The food in Maceió was one of the highlights. Aside from my daily breakfast delivery service, I ate many good meals during my stay. My first lunch was fried shrimp and fried macaxeira (cassava) at a restaurant on the water. It was a bit pricey for the quality but you were paying extra for the view. 

The first evening I was tired after my early arrival from the night bus and spending a day at the beach, so I just wanted to eat nearby my pousada. I looked up restaurants and found called Bodega do Sertão with over 20,000 reviews and 4.6 stars that was a two minute walk from my pousada. Perfect! It turned out to best buffet yet! There was an incredible spread of traditional Brazilian dishes and the food was high quality. I took a small portion of many different things and didn’t even know what half the things were. There were four different kinds of couscous and the ones I selected were delicious. I didn’t realize couscous was such a big thing in Brazil but it’s really popular. My friend Gabriel from Chapada had even thought that couscous was from Brazil. I also had a great cheesy rice, some very tasty slices of meat, and a fully loaded salad. I wasn’t a huge fan of the popular dish carne do sol (salt-cured beef dish that was originally dried in the sun although not as common in modern times). My massive plate was paired with a refreshing sugar cane juice. The desert table also had over twenty different options and I loaded up on sweets. My favorite was the cocado de forno – a baked coconut pudding. I could have eaten a plate of just that. I walked out so full I could barely breathe and waddled the two minute back to my pousada. 

On the third day, Dani and I shared caldo de quenga from a food vendor on the beach. Neither of us had heard of quenga, but the guy was slanging bowls left and right so we figured we had to try it. Soup on the beach sounds like a weird combo but it actually slapped. The temperature was just right to where it wasn’t boiling hot, but it wasn’t cold either. Well done sir. The soup base is made of shredded chicken and blended puree made from cassava root and topped with bacon, fried chicharron, onions, cilantro, and sautéed greens. 

For dinner that night I walked 15 minutes to a highly rated seafood restaurant called Massaguierinha that did not disappoint. I had read reviews to order the casquinha de Siri (creamy crab meat stew topped with breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese that is broiled until golden and bubbly) and was closing my eyes with satisfactory approval of every bite. I also ordered the white fish in Belle Meunière sauce (brown butter, fresh lemon juice, parsley, shrimp, and capers) which came with a hearty helping on sides. Everything was cooked to perfection. Once again I ate way too much food and left uncomfortably full. Worth it!

On my final day, I got my first (of many) Açaí bowl of the trip. I ordered off a vendor on the beach and she had me choose three toppings. I didn’t know what half of them were so I just pointed to random ones and went with it. It was good, but my future açaí bowls were build your own adventures where you served yourself as many toppings as you wanted. I much preferred that style.

That evening I tried acaraje the first time. It was decent but not my favorite. I prefer the meat skewers. Acaraje is an iconic street food originally from Salvador so maybe it was better there, but I didn’t leave this experience feeling like I need to order it again. It is made from deep-fried black eyed pea fritter and split open like a sandwich then stuffed with shrimp, onions, tomatoes, and cilantro topped with hot sauce. 

For my final meal during the Brazil match, I ordered caldo du sururu. I had read that it’s a speciality of Maceió and I was a big fan. It tasted like a coconut curry. The soup is made from shucked sururu (small mollusk), coconut milk, palm oil, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and cilantro. It is known to be a great hangover cure. 

Wandering Around Town

The city of Maceió itself isn’t that pretty but it’s lined with beautiful beaches and a promenade that goes along the water for miles. Sometimes referred to as the “Brazilian Caribbean”, the water had crystal clear visibility and was turquoise colored when it was sunny. Unfortunately the weather was all over the place – mixture of sunshine, cloudy, and rainy. The beaches were paradise, but the weather was not. Late June is the end of the rainy season in northern Brazil so there was still lingering rain. 

Praia da Pajuçara

This beach was a five minute walk from my pousada so it became home base for the next few days. My bus from Salvador arrived at 7:30am and the streets were a ghost town on a Sunday morning. I couldn’t check in to my pousada until 2pm so I went straight to the beach; there’s worse places to be stuck. I got to watch it go from empty to crowded while I soaked in the sun. 

After a few hours of chilling, I walked along the beach and everyone was trying to sell me their umbrella spot. They weren’t too pushy though. I went up to the promenade along the waterfront that had vendors and live music; it was filled with people walking, biking, scootering, roller blading. Everyone was out enjoying a beautiful Sunday in Maceio. After eating at a waterfront restaurant, I continued up to Ponta Verde, which had beautiful views looking back on Praia da Pajuçara and in the other direction toward Praia de Ponto Verde. I sat on the Ponta Verde beach for a bit before heading to the pousada and having a chill, early night. The highlight of the evening was the incredible buffet meal at Bodega do Sertão.

The next day Dani arrived at 9am and we spent the rest of the day and evening together. I was proud of my Spanish; there was rarely a shortage of conversation. She has a very bubbly energy and is easy to talk to. Her hotel happened to be two blocks from my pousada; how convenient! After my one day in Maceió, I acted as the tour guide. We walked along the Pajuçara beach this time heading south toward Nova Orla do Porto de Maceió. It was a sunny morning so the water looked extra turquoise and beautiful. At the end of the port was a giant hand sculpture that was great for taking photos. 

We continued our walk by going to the historic Jaraguá neighborhood. There was only one beautiful street with lots of colorful flags on it, but otherwise not a whole lot to see. There was also a big stage being setup that we were wondering about; which we would learn more later.

From there we Ubered to Ponta Verde and walked back toward her hotel so she could get her beach clothes. We stopped all the different tourist signs and gimmicky spots for taking photos. South Americans eat that type of shit up. They love doing their 20 different poses at each spot. It started drizzling on us during the walk, but luckily it didn’t last very long. 

We went to the beach and drank a very strong caipirinha. I felt like I was already buzzing. People were coming up to us every 5-10 minutes trying to sell something – boat tours, jet skis, food, bracelets, you name it. We wanted to do the sunset boat cruise to the Natural Pools so we booked a tour with this guy who really liked our energy. Dani had been in Brazil for a few months so she spoke decent Portuguese. I was just nodding along and smiling. We put down a small deposit and he said we could pay the rest later (which we never ended up paying). His business partner sold us on a jet ski tour and we signed up for that as well. This we paid in full so I didn’t feel as bad that we didn’t fully pay for the Natural Pools. 

Jet Skis

We sat under an umbrella for about an hour going back and forth between the shade and the water before it was our turn to jet ski. We just drove around not too far from the shore, but it was fun to cruise around and look back at the beach with the city skyline in the backdrop. It was probably 20-25 minutes total and we took turns driving. Afterwards the guy who sold us the tour said he couldn’t get any drone footage because it was too cloudy and that we could come back and do it again the next day free (which never actually came to fruition. Oh well; we didn’t fully pay for the Natural Pools tour).

Natural Pools Boat Tour

We sat on the beach for another 20 minutes before the 4pm boat tour. Of course in typical South American fashion we didn’t actually depart until about 4:45. The tour was very local, I was the only gringo. As a matter of fact I didn’t see any other gringos during my four days in Maceió. Granted I stayed at a pousada and not a hostel, but I don’t think it’s as popular on the backpacker trail. It was more of a Brazilian tourist destination. I was totally okay with that as I quite enjoyed my experience. It also helped that I spent two days with Dani and was with someone who spoke some Portuguese. The natural pools party boat wouldn’t have been nearly as fun otherwise. 

There wasn’t a great sunset that day, but it was still nice to be on a boat and look back at the city skyline. We arrived at the natural pools (shallow water pools out in the ocean) just as it was becoming dark and this is when the party turned up. We all got a free caipirinha (very small cup) and swam/danced in the pools while a DJ blasted Brazilian tunes from the boat. We made friends with a couple from São Paulo and a guy from Argentina. Everyone was drinking beers in the water and starting to turn up. It ended up being a great time! The couple from São Paulo told us that the stage being setup in Jaraguá was for six days of free concerts to celebrate São Joao. The main artist playing on this night was Gustavva Lima. Funny enough Dani was showing me some of his music earlier in the day. What are the odds! She got super excited. Looks like our evening plans are set. 

We went back to our respective hotels to shower and change for the night. While I was waiting for her I went to the food vendors outside my pousada and ordered a few espetinhos (meat skewers). I was enjoying my dinner when this Brazilian guy at the table across from me started to chat with me; because of course that’s what Brazilians love to do. He spoke perfect English and when I told him I’m from the United States, he goes I’ve actually been living there the past few years. I live in Sarasota, Florida. No freaking way!! This is the first time I’ve even spoken English in Maceió and the guy lives in Sarasota. What are the odds of that?! Of course I geeked out and told him that’s where I grew up. We chatted the next 15 minutes until Dani showed up. He was from Maceió and back home for a few months. His friend owns a Brazilian restaurant on 41. I will definitely have to go there and name drop this guy. Small world! 

Gustavvo Lima Concert

Dani and I ubered to Jaraguá for the concert and the place looked completely different than in the morning – it was all lit up with lights and decorations, crowds of people were walking toward the stage for the concert, and there were countless street vendors.

We got there just before Gustavvo Lima started and found a spot in the crowd. It was packed! This was a big deal. People lost it when he came on stage. The entire 1.5 hour set, everyone knew every word to every song. 

It turned out that I even knew one of his songs that had come out in the early 2010s and was popular in the U.S. At one point Gustavvo jumped onto a crane that rotated him above the crowd with people holding their arms out trying to touch him. He then threw a sweaty towel into the audience. Dani and I were dying laughing about how badly everyone wanted this sweat rag. They could forever have the stench of Gustavvo Lima in their home. It was a really fun show and I was glad to be there to soak it all in. I now have a much greater appreciation for him as an artist and plan to dive further into his collection. This was a very local experience and not something I would have done by myself so I was glad to be with Dani. 

After his show, we got out of the crowd and sat on a curb people watching. There were still two more artists to perform that night. Then it started pouring rain and we ran underneath a canopy on the outskirts. Lo and behold, who is standing next to us, the guy who sold us the natural pools boat tour that loved our energy. He was jazzed to see us and started giving us sips of his caipirinha. This had been a day full of coincidences. The rain slowed down and we watched a few songs of the next artist before calling it a night. It was almost midnight at this point and we had been going nonstop since 9am. It was a great day! 

I was quite hungover the next morning. They delivered my continental breakfast at 7:45 and then I went right back to sleep until 9:30. There was no way I was going to finish my entire cold breakfast. Dani and I met up around 11 to go to the beach, but it started pouring rain upon our arrival. We walked to the Pajuçara artesanal market to take cover. The rain slowed down after 45 minutes so we headed back to the beach. We ran into our Argentinian friend from the natural pools boat tour and he worked as a vendor for umbrella spots. Okay we’ll go with his! I was nursing a hangover so my Spanish was much worse this day. I already feel like day two of speaking Spanish can be tough because I’ve started to run out of things to say. Add in a hangover and I become a mime. Needless to say we would either sit in silence or Dani did most of the talking.

Once again, we were constantly being approached by the ever present vendors selling this and that. The good thing is they aren’t very pushy. Some walk away immediately when you say obrigado and put up your hand and others try to strike a conversation. You just have to be clear with them you’re not interested. It is very convenient when you’re actually hungry and they come right to you. This is when we ate the delicious caldo de quenga.

It didn’t rain again but the afternoon was cloudy the entire time. We just rotated between sitting in our umbrella spot and swimming in the ocean. No alcohol was had this day; just good old agua de coco. We stayed on the beach until 4pm and then it was time to say our goodbyes since Dani’s transportation was at 5. It was a fun couple days together and certainly made Maceió more entertaining. That night I had my nice dinner at Massaguierinha then went back to the pousada and chatted on the phone with some friends back home.

Praia de Ipioca 

My bus wasn’t until 10pm so I decided to spend my last day in Maceió at a beach a little further outside the city. It was less than $10 for a 30 minute uber ride to Ipioca Beach. It was the first day in Maceió with sun in the forecast for the entire day. This beach is much less crowded and chiller than the ones in the city so I was very happy with my decision to come here. 

I walked past the one resort selling umbrella spots and then had the entire beach to myself. No people, no vendors; just pure relaxation. I set up my conga (beach cloth), popped on my earbuds, closed my eyes, and soaked in the sun. It was very nice! I would occasionally go into the water to cool off. 

I spent 3.5 hours on in Ipioca before Ubering back to Maceió. I walked along the promenade and found a good spot to enjoy waterfront views and catch up with Paul and Nichole on the phone. 

Brazil Futbol Match

I had finally bought a Brazil jersey that morning that I could sport during the game. The Brazil – Scotland match started at 7pm and my bus wasn’t until 10 so I had just enough time to watch the game before grabbing my bag and making it to the bus station. The first few beach bars I walked by were packed. I was by myself and didn’t feel like dealing with that type of crowd for ordering drinks. Also I wanted to be somewhere I could make a quick exit after the game to not stress about timing for the bus. I ended up going to a beach bar that was less than a 10 minute walk from the pousada and wasn’t too overly crowded. I ordered a sururu for dinner since I hadn’t tried it yet and had been wanting to since day one. I also kicked back a few beers. Brazil dominated the game getting up 3-0 early and never looking back. 

Since it wasn’t a close match I even left a little early to ensure plenty of time to catch my bus. During the Uber ride to the bus terminal, we drove by all these different small bars, restaurants, food stands, laundromats, you name it; every single one had a TV with a crowd of people in front watching the game.