I enjoyed my “passeio” experience so much that two days later, I signed up for another popular tour to explore Natal’s southern coast.

It turned out to be very different from my first day trip to Pipa—this one was all about experiences.

Getting ready for the beach, Brazilian style

Another early morning start, waiting for a vehicle to pick me up—not a van, this time, but a 4WD. There were fewer passengers too, only six, instead of 14.

I shrugged.

I’ll go (pretty much) anywhere and I’ll do (almost) anything.

We started chatting. There was a young mum with her twentysomething daughter plus boyfriend, a woman from Rio de Janeiro and another one from São Paulo, both of them travelling alone. The driver was an experienced and enthusiastic guy from Natal who was speaking way too fast (it wasn’t just me, none of us really understood where we were going!)

He pulled up in front of a supermarket. “Let’s buy drinks now, cheaper here.” Good idea, we filled up the giant cooler he had brought with water and soft drinks. Lesson one, BYO to the beach.

I took a look at the other girls, the way they were dressed—swimsuit, Havaianas, free-flowing dresses with buttons. Smart. Perfect for a wet swimsuit and to cover up, while silly me is always hesitating between putting my shorts back on (and getting them wet) or just sitting on my sarong.

The rocket launch base

We stopped at the “Barreira do Inferno” rocket launch base of the Brazilian Space Agency since it was on the way. Nothing says “yay, beach day!” like posing in front of fake rockets.

Centro de Lançamento da Barreira do Inferno, Ponta Negra, Parnamirim - State of Rio Grande do Norte
Centro de Lançamento da Barreira do Inferno, Ponta Negra, Parnamirim – State of Rio Grande do Norte
Centro de Lançamento da Barreira do Inferno, Ponta Negra, Parnamirim - State of Rio Grande do Norte
Centro de Lançamento da Barreira do Inferno, Ponta Negra, Parnamirim – State of Rio Grande do Norte
Centro de Lançamento da Barreira do Inferno, Ponta Negra, Parnamirim - State of Rio Grande do Norte
Centro de Lançamento da Barreira do Inferno, Ponta Negra, Parnamirim – State of Rio Grande do Norte
Centro de Lançamento da Barreira do Inferno, Ponta Negra, Parnamirim - State of Rio Grande do Norte
Centro de Lançamento da Barreira do Inferno, Ponta Negra, Parnamirim – State of Rio Grande do Norte

The fruit market

Everything grows in the Nordeste and the region produces fruits I didn’t know existed. We stopped by the colourful market to buy mysterious fruits to be eaten later at the beach.

Feira de Frutas, Pium, Parnamirim
Feira de Frutas, Pium, Parnamirim
Feira de Frutas, Pium, Parnamirim
Feira de Frutas, Pium, Parnamirim
Feira de Frutas, Pium, Parnamirim
Feira de Frutas, Pium, Parnamirim

The world’s largest cashew nut tree

The next stop was the world’s largest cashew tree. It’s actually the world’s largest cashew tree, or at least I hope so because I can’t imagine a bigger tree. In fact, it doesn’t look like a tree, it looks like a forest—it spread over a hectare of land and you have to go inside to find the initial trunk. The “tree” is best admired from the mirador.

World's biggest cashew tree, Maior cajueiro do mundo - Pirangi do Norte, Parnamirim - State of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
World’s biggest cashew tree, Maior cajueiro do mundo – Pirangi do Norte, Parnamirim – State of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
World's biggest cashew tree, Maior cajueiro do mundo - Pirangi do Norte, Parnamirim - State of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
World’s biggest cashew tree, Maior cajueiro do mundo – Pirangi do Norte, Parnamirim – State of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
World's biggest cashew tree, Maior cajueiro do mundo - Pirangi do Norte, Parnamirim - State of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
World’s biggest cashew tree, Maior cajueiro do mundo – Pirangi do Norte, Parnamirim – State of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
World's biggest cashew tree, Maior cajueiro do mundo - Pirangi do Norte, Parnamirim - State of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
World’s biggest cashew tree, Maior cajueiro do mundo – Pirangi do Norte, Parnamirim – State of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
World's biggest cashew tree, Maior cajueiro do mundo - Pirangi do Norte, Parnamirim - State of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
World’s biggest cashew tree, Maior cajueiro do mundo – Pirangi do Norte, Parnamirim – State of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
World's biggest cashew tree, Maior cajueiro do mundo - Pirangi do Norte, Parnamirim - State of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
World’s biggest cashew tree, Maior cajueiro do mundo – Pirangi do Norte, Parnamirim – State of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
World's biggest cashew tree, Maior cajueiro do mundo - Pirangi do Norte, Parnamirim - State of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
World’s biggest cashew tree, Maior cajueiro do mundo – Pirangi do Norte, Parnamirim – State of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
World's biggest cashew tree, Maior cajueiro do mundo - Pirangi do Norte, Parnamirim - State of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
World’s biggest cashew tree, Maior cajueiro do mundo – Pirangi do Norte, Parnamirim – State of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil

Lagoa do Carcará and learning how to pose like a Brazilian

Brazilians take a lot of pictures and they actually pose like models. Among the favourite are full-length shots standing back to the camera, draped with a canga (sarong), with arms opened (inspired from the Christ the Redeemer statue??)…

My travel buddies were frustrated with me because I usually just, you know, stand there and try to smile.

“Move your leg!” “Turn your head!” “Show me your butt!”

I have… ahem, pretty unique pictures from this day trip. And we also took pictures with each other’s cellphones and cameras just in case the million pictures taken with our own devices weren’t enough. Now I automatically pose like a Brazilian, although I suspect it won’t last long because I’m not sure I’m supposed to try to look like a model.

The lagoon was nice, though, like a giant swimming pool. Fruits were served and enjoyed… but for one seemingly mysterious fruit I was the only one to know.

“What is it?”

Melão.

Just cantaloupe, a boring cantaloupe, a French-summer classic among tropical fruits. Nobody liked it. It made me laugh—what’s exotic or not is just a matter of perspective.

Meanwhile, I tried standup paddleboarding and found it really fun. Years of windsurfing helped me for balance… it’s actually harder than it seems!

Praia de Búzios, State of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
Praia de Búzios, State of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
Praia de Búzios, State of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
Praia de Búzios, State of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
Praia de Búzios, State of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
Praia de Búzios, State of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
Mirante dos Golfinhos - Praia de Tabatinga
Mirante dos Golfinhos – Praia de Tabatinga
Mirante dos Golfinhos - Praia de Tabatinga
Mirante dos Golfinhos – Praia de Tabatinga
Mirante dos Golfinhos - Praia de Tabatinga
Mirante dos Golfinhos – Praia de Tabatinga
Mirante dos Golfinhos - Praia de Tabatinga
Mirante dos Golfinhos – Praia de Tabatinga
Lagoa de Arituba, Nísia Floresta - State of Rio Grande do Norte
Lagoa do Carcará, Nísia Floresta – State of Rio Grande do Norte
Lagoa de Arituba, Nísia Floresta - State of Rio Grande do Norte
Lagoa do Carcará, Nísia Floresta – State of Rio Grande do Norte
Lagoa de Arituba, Nísia Floresta - State of Rio Grande do Norte
Lagoa do Carcará, Nísia Floresta – State of Rio Grande do Norte
Lagoa de Arituba, Nísia Floresta - State of Rio Grande do Norte
Lagoa do Carcará, Nísia Floresta – State of Rio Grande do Norte
(When you travel with Brazilians, you're coached to pose like this...!) Lagoa de Arituba, Nísia Floresta - State of Rio Grande do Norte
(When you travel with Brazilians, you’re coached to pose like this…!) Lagoa do Carcará, Nísia Floresta – State of Rio Grande do Norte
Lagoa de Arituba, Nísia Floresta - State of Rio Grande do Norte
Lagoa do Carcará, Nísia Floresta – State of Rio Grande do Norte

Off-road, one more lagoon and a beach

Another lagoon, a perfect place to relax in a hammock or eat a few kilos of shrimps. Then a beach, a perfect place to digest a kilo of shrimps. Both weren’t particularly noteworthy—nice scenery but not as stunning as the beaches I discovered on the way to Pipa.

However, culturally speaking, it was interesting to chat with my two new friends and discover what Brazilian women talk about (exactly the same kind of discussions I have with my friends).

Lagoa de Arituba, Nísia Floresta - State of Rio Grande do Norte
Lagoa do Carcará, Nísia Floresta – State of Rio Grande do Norte
Lagoa de Arituba, Nísia Floresta - State of Rio Grande do Norte
Lagoa do Carcará, Nísia Floresta – State of Rio Grande do Norte
Praia de Camurupim, Nísia Floresta - State of Rio Grande do Norte
Praia de Camurupim, Nísia Floresta – State of Rio Grande do Norte
Praia de Camurupim, Nísia Floresta - State of Rio Grande do Norte
Praia de Camurupim, Nísia Floresta – State of Rio Grande do Norte
Praia de Camurupim, Nísia Floresta - State of Rio Grande do Norte
Praia de Camurupim, Nísia Floresta – State of Rio Grande do Norte

Rollercoaster 4WD ride on sand dunes

We headed to the Dunas de Malembá for sunset. This is when I discovered the car was a 4WD—yeah, I’m a bit slow sometimes…

Holy shit, what a ride! Now I’m not exactly into speed and “dune bashing” but I have to admit it was very fun. Music at full blast, seven of us packed in the car going full speed up and down the dune…

“Com ou sem emoção?”

“COM EMOÇÃO!”

Okay, it feels like being in a car commercial but whatever.

Check out the video!

Dunas de Malembá, Senador Georgino Avelino - State of Rio Grande do Norte
Dunas de Malembá, Senador Georgino Avelino – State of Rio Grande do Norte
Dunas de Malembá, Senador Georgino Avelino - State of Rio Grande do Norte
Dunas de Malembá, Senador Georgino Avelino – State of Rio Grande do Norte
Dunas de Malembá, Senador Georgino Avelino - State of Rio Grande do Norte
Dunas de Malembá, Senador Georgino Avelino – State of Rio Grande do Norte
Dunas de Malembá, Senador Georgino Avelino - State of Rio Grande do Norte
Dunas de Malembá, Senador Georgino Avelino – State of Rio Grande do Norte
Dunas de Malembá, Senador Georgino Avelino - State of Rio Grande do Norte
Dunas de Malembá, Senador Georgino Avelino – State of Rio Grande do Norte
Dunas de Malembá, Senador Georgino Avelino - State of Rio Grande do Norte
Dunas de Malembá, Senador Georgino Avelino – State of Rio Grande do Norte
Dunas de Malembá, Senador Georgino Avelino - State of Rio Grande do Norte
Dunas de Malembá, Senador Georgino Avelino – State of Rio Grande do Norte
Dunas de Malembá, Senador Georgino Avelino - State of Rio Grande do Norte
Dunas de Malembá, Senador Georgino Avelino – State of Rio Grande do Norte
Dunas de Malembá, Senador Georgino Avelino - State of Rio Grande do Norte
Dunas de Malembá, Senador Georgino Avelino – State of Rio Grande do Norte
Dunas de Malembá, Senador Georgino Avelino - State of Rio Grande do Norte
Dunas de Malembá, Senador Georgino Avelino – State of Rio Grande do Norte
Dunas de Malembá, Senador Georgino Avelino - State of Rio Grande do Norte
Dunas de Malembá, Senador Georgino Avelino – State of Rio Grande do Norte
Dunas de Malembá, Senador Georgino Avelino - State of Rio Grande do Norte
Dunas de Malembá, Senador Georgino Avelino – State of Rio Grande do Norte
Dunas de Malembá, Senador Georgino Avelino - State of Rio Grande do Norte
Dunas de Malembá, Senador Georgino Avelino – State of Rio Grande do Norte

Sand surfing

We finally parked at the top of a dune—time for sand surfing, apparently. Like I said, I’d tried anything, so…

And then I watched the sunset, getting mentally ready for another thrilling ride on sand dunes.

Amazing day.

Dunas de Malembá, Senador Georgino Avelino - State of Rio Grande do Norte
Dunas de Malembá, Senador Georgino Avelino – State of Rio Grande do Norte
Dunas de Malembá, Senador Georgino Avelino - State of Rio Grande do Norte
Dunas de Malembá, Senador Georgino Avelino – State of Rio Grande do Norte
Dunas de Malembá, Senador Georgino Avelino - State of Rio Grande do Norte
Dunas de Malembá, Senador Georgino Avelino – State of Rio Grande do Norte
Dunas de Malembá, Senador Georgino Avelino - State of Rio Grande do Norte
Dunas de Malembá, Senador Georgino Avelino – State of Rio Grande do Norte
Dunas de Malembá, Senador Georgino Avelino - State of Rio Grande do Norte
Dunas de Malembá, Senador Georgino Avelino – State of Rio Grande do Norte

Get the latest story, cultural shock and travel pictures right in your inbox

I don't spam, promise.

I literally don't have the time to write ten stories a day.

Visited 23 times, 1 visit(s) today

3 Comments

  1. Josee February 2, 2022 at 12:19 pm

    Well, they sure know how to strike a pose ’cause yours pics are wow!

    Reply
    1. Zhu February 4, 2022 at 12:39 am

      😆 I find them funny, I don’t think I *actually* look like that…

      Reply
  2. Pingback: Far Out at Sea, on a Stand-Up Paddle Board

Leave A Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *