Post on 10-Mar-2018
Why Go?Overshadowed by big Bahia to the south, the tiny states of Sergipe and Alagoas have long been overlooked by travelers. But it’s a tendency that’s changing – in the past few years, the thoroughly likable coastal city of Maceió has emerged as a buzzing vacation destination for Brazilian tourists. Still, despite the influx of ecofriendly pousadas and styl-ish restaurants, there remain plenty of isolated, paradise- like stretches of white sand, emerald waters, swaying palms and quaint villages along Alagoas’ coast. Inland travel ap-peals to history-minded travelers: Penedo is a charming riverfront town with picturesque colonial churches and hilly cobblestone streets. Further south, Sergipe’s provincial capital has fewer attractions of its own, but Aracaju serves as a gateway to more sleepy colonial towns. In these off-the-beaten-path hamlets, historic 17th-century churches attest to the region’s prominence in the early days of European settlement in Brazil.
Best Places to Sleep¨¨ Pousada Colonial (p476)
¨¨ Pousada da Amendoeira (p477)
¨¨ Pousada Aquarela do Brasil (p469)
¨¨ Pousada Canto de Yemanjá (p474)
¨¨ Pousada Olho D’água (p478)
Best Off the Beaten Track¨¨ São Miguel Dos Milagres
(p477)
¨¨ Laranjeiras (p467)
¨¨ Praia Do Francês (p474)
¨¨ Japaratinga (p477)
¨¨ Pontal de Coruripe (p474)
When to Go
Dec–Feb high season brings crowds of do-mestic tourists to maceió and Aracaju.
Mar–Aug Tem-peratures remain high and rain is possible; hotel prices drop.
Sep–Nov Near-perfect weather and few tourists.
F DNOSAJJMAMJ
Maceio°C/°F Temp
0/32
10/50
20/68
30/86
40/104
Rainfall inches/mm
0
4/100
8/200
12/300
16/400
20/500
Sergipe ......................463Aracaju ......................463Laranjeiras................. 467Alagoas ......................468maceió .......................468penedo....................... 475maragogi ................... 478
Sergipe & AlagoasPOP 5 MILLION
©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd
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HistoryDuring the invasion by the Dutch in 1630, many slaves took advantage of the confusion and escaped to the mountains behind the coasts of northern Alagoas and southern Per-nambuco. Where the Alagoan towns of Ata-laia, Capela, Viçosa, União dos Palmares and Porto Calvo stand today, virgin forests with
fruit and wildlife once provided for colonies of runaway slaves. Palmares, the mightiest republic of escaped slaves, led by the former African king Zumbi, covered present-day Alagoas and Pernambuco. In the 18th and 19th centuries, sugarcane and cotton brought the region prominence; today, sugarcane is still an important crop in the area, alongside
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O C E A NA T L A N T I C
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Alagoas
Sergipe
Pernambuco
Bahia
LargoRio
São FranciscoCandidá de
PalmaresCatrnde
Japaratinga
Cajueiro
União dosPalmares
Murici Flexeiras
Pilaro
Barra de São Miguel
Fernão Velho
Capela CamaragibeBarra do
Barreiros
Pontal de Coruripe
Viçosa
Bom Conselho
Águas Belas
Palmeira
Arapiraca
dos Indios
Carié
Santana doIpanemaPaulo Alfonso
Pão de Açúcar
Floresta
Propriá
Maruim
Capela
CarrapichoNeópolis
Brejo Grande
Carira
Itabaiana
Fei Paulo
Lagarto
Estância
PontalUmbaúba
Tobias Barreto
NS da Glória
Ponta do Mato
Jandaíra
Mangue SecoIndiaroba
Camaçari
Garanhuns
Lajedo
Atalaia
Marechal Deodoro
São Miguel dos Campos
Coruripe
Roteiro
Feliz Deserto
Piaçabuçu
Xingó
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36ºW
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11ºS
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37ºW38ºW
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Barragemde PauloAlfonso
Barragem
Praia do Prataji
Praia do SacoPraia do Abaís
Pontal do Peba
São FranciscoFoz do
ReserveGalés Marine
Parque dos Falcões
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BRBR
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101
104423
101
110
423
424
316
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101
PedrasPorto de
Praia do Gunga
Praia do FrancêsMaceió
Maragogi
Penedo
São Cristóvão
Aracaju
Laranjeiras
0 100 km0 60 miles
1 pedaling a rental bike along the friendly beach paths of happening Maceió (p468).
2 Boarding a dune buggy for a joyride along the smooth white sands of Praia do Gunga (p474).
3 Snorkeling the colorful coral reefs miles off the shore of Maragogi (p478).
4 Exploring the colonial churches and cobblestone streets of historic Penedo (p475).
5 Feasting on fresh crabs and listening to traditional forró music in the open-air eateries of Aracaju (p463).
6 riding the slow local bus to Porto de Pedras (p477)
and the laid-back beach villages north of maceió.
7 Sunbathing and playing in the surf in the up-and-coming hot spot of Praia Do Francês (p474).
8 Stepping back in time in Sergipe’s colonial gems of Laranjeiras (p467) and São Cristóvão (p467).
Sergipe & Alagoas Highlights