Coconut palms
Dense belt.
Raphael Le Lay — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Elvis Boaventura — CC BY 3.0 · Nana Morena — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Elvis Boaventura — CC BY 3.0 · thld — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Nana Morena — CC BY-SA 4.0 · UserLeonardo — CC BY-SA 4.0
Praia do Paiva lies in the municipality of Cabo de Santo Agostinho, about twenty-eight kilometres south of Recife, and is known for its dense belt of coconut palms, blue sea and pale sand, close to the capital but without the crowds of its city beaches. Swimming is best at low tide, when the reefs near the shore form small natural pools of calm water. A modern district of resorts and homes has grown along part of the beach, while other stretches remain quieter and more natural. The beach is also known for the Festa da Lavadeira, a popular festival begun in 1987 that draws more visitors every year with its music and local traditions. From Recife it is under an hour by car via the Paiva bridge road; check the tide table before you go.
Dense belt.
At low tide.
Festival since 1987.
Cabo de Santo Agostinho, about 28 km south of Recife, Pernambuco
At low tide, when natural pools form between the reefs.