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Where it is and how long it takes
Barra do Cunhaú is the beach village of Canguaretama, on the south coast of Rio Grande do Norte, about 125 km from the João Pessoa seafront. It is just under two hours by car on the BR-101, and you reach it before Pipa.
It is the opposite of Pipa: a small village, sandy streets, few people. The Cunhaú river meets the sea here, and that meeting shapes the beaches and the trips.
The village beaches
- Barrinha: calm, shallow water, coconut palms and fine sand. The family beach.
- Boca da Barra: where the river flows out, with strong wind. The kitesurfing spot.
- Pontal: a mix of river and sea, good for kite and windsurfing.
- Braço do Mar: the quietest stretch, for long walks at low tide.
The wind blows hard from July to January, and kiting happens both on the sea and on the river. There are schools in the village for lessons.
Mangroves, boats and crabs
The most popular trip goes by boat or catamaran up the Cunhaú river, into the mangroves and on to where other rivers join, with a stop at Ilha da Restinga. Along the way you see fish, crabs and mangrove birds.
Some trips include crab catching: barefoot, mud up to your ankles and someone from the community showing you how to find them. Kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding round off the day on the calm river.
The Engenho Cunhaú and its martyrs
A few kilometres from the village stands the Chapel of Nossa Senhora das Candeias, from the old Engenho Cunhaú sugar mill. On 16 July 1645, during the Dutch occupation, worshippers were killed there during Mass. They and the martyrs of Uruaçu were canonised by Pope Francis in 2017, and the chapel became a place of pilgrimage.
Day trip or overnight?
A day trip works: leave early, take the boat trip in the morning, have fish for lunch in the village and head back in the late afternoon. Check the tide table first — the trip and the beaches change a lot between high and low tide.
If you want to see Pipa and Cunhaú on the same trip, spend a night in RN and drive back to João Pessoa the next day, with no rush on the road.
When you get back, your base is on the João Pessoa seafront. Book directly with MAREVI on WhatsApp and you skip the platforms' fee and deal with the people who look after the apartment.
