Natural pools
Clear water in the reef.
Thiagocavalcantifotografia — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Gustavocrocha — CC BY-SA 3.0 · dronepicr — CC BY 2.0 · Marinelson Almeida - Traveling through Brazil from Niteroi, Brasil — CC BY 2.0 · Ronaldo Guillen — CC BY-SA 4.0
Porto de Galinhas is a beach in the municipality of Ipojuca south of Recife, voted Brazil's best beach ten times in a row by the Brazilian magazine Viagem e Turismo. Its best-known sight is the natural pools: basins of warm, clear water trapped by the coral reef in front of the beach when the tide goes out, where small colourful fish swim. The pools are reached by jangada, the traditional fishermen's sailing raft, from the beach in front of the village, and visitors stay about 40 minutes. They only appear at low tide, best when the tide is 0.5 or lower, and the raftsmen announce the trip times each day according to the tide. Visits have been regulated since 2014 to protect the reef, so do not stand on the coral. The name, Port of Chickens, goes back to the days of the illegal slave trade, when enslaved people were smuggled in hidden under crates of fowl. The best season is September to February; April to July are the rainiest months.
Clear water in the reef.
Fishermen's sails.
Around you in the water.
Porto de Galinhas beach, Ipojuca, south of Recife
Only at low tide, best at 0.5 or lower; the raftsmen announce the jangada times each day according to the tide.