Praia dos Carneiros: A Northeastern Paradise

Praia dos Carneiros is one of the most beautiful beaches in Brazil, located on the coast of Pernambuco, in the municipality of Tamandaré — a fantastic beach for anyone who wants to soak in nature and relax.

With crystal-clear, warm green water, gorgeous beachfront hotels, and great food options, Carneiros completely won us over, and we were lucky to catch sunny weather every single day.

Carneiros sits about 110 km from Recife. Beyond Praia dos Carneiros itself, there are several other beaches nearby, like Praia de Tamandaré, Praia das Campas, Praia de Boca da Barra, and the well-known Porto de Galinhas.

For a bit more freedom and flexibility, we rented a car at the Recife airport and started out on Rodovia PE-060 toward Rio Formoso, then continued on PE-072 toward Praia dos Carneiros, where our inn was located — though you can also book transport through a travel agency instead.

Where to stay at Praia dos Carneiros

We stayed at Pousada Praia dos Carneiros — the room was decent, and we loved breakfast, which is ordered off a menu and made to order. There’s also a great heated pool, perfect for relaxing in the late afternoon after a day of touring or beach time.

When to visit Praia dos Carneiros

Some months bring rain, others don’t. Generally speaking, September through February sees less rain, so it’s a safer bet for sunny days. That said, in Brazil’s Northeast, you can usually find sunshine even during rainier months, even if it rains for part of the day.

Also, don’t forget to check the tide tables — this matters a lot because of the natural pools and sandbars. Low tide reveals the natural pools at their best, while high tide gives you a completely different look at the coastline. We visited in October and caught low tide, which let us fully enjoy the pools.

What to do at Praia dos Carneiros

Praia dos Carneiros

The beach forms where the ocean meets the Rio Formoso, and it’s beautiful. Near the shore, at low tide, the coral reefs create gorgeous natural pools that also break up the waves.

We spent a genuinely wonderful day here and would highly recommend it — even without a real town center to explore in the afternoon or evening, the beach itself is stunning, especially in front of the church.

The ocean water has a greenish tint, completely clear, warm, and wonderful to swim in. All along the shore, there are beautiful inns and restaurants.

The beach scenery with its coconut palms is gorgeous, and you’ll want to take photos constantly.

Capela de São Benedito

• Built in the late 17th century
• Sits right on the water
• Private property

This is where most people gather, which makes photos a bit crowded, but every shot is worth it, even with people wandering into the frame, because the setting is beautiful.

Boat Tour at Carneiros

Tours can be done by boat, speedboat, or catamaran. We went with a regular boat, and our captain was fantastic. His name is Elias, captain of the boat Gênesis.

Beyond captaining, Elias also acted as our photographer, and having grown up in the area, he knew all the local stories.

He showed us everything below.

Morro da Cruz in Carneiros

We took the classic photo at the church, then headed to a hill near the mangrove to see a cross that commemorates 80 Portuguese soldiers defeating 600 Dutch soldiers in 1633. From there, you get a perfect view of the “Jacaré” (alligator) rock formation.

Mangrove at Carneiros

Next, we headed to the mangrove, home to Bar do Mangue — though since it only opens on weekends, it was closed during our visit.

From there, we cruised through the mangrove channel, a genuinely beautiful stretch to enjoy from the boat. We saw people crab fishing along the way, which was fascinating to watch.

Clay Beach at Carneiros

A really interesting stop, with various jars of clay, each a different color with a different skin benefit, so you can pick based on what you need. Andrey went with the white clay, which is meant to help remove blemishes and hydrate skin.

The person applying the clay told us they harvest it at low tide. It’s genuinely fun.

Sandbar

We skipped this part of the tour since we were running late and needed to head to Alagoas.

Natural Pools at Praia dos Carneiros

A barrier of rocks divides part of the sea, and the erosion has carved out several pools, where we spotted all kinds of colorful fish while snorkeling.

We said our goodbyes to our guide and to Carneiros — if you’re interested, Elias’s number is +55 82 9443-7202, and we’d highly recommend him.

Price: we booked a private boat for a two-hour tour, which cost R$120 for the couple — absolutely worth it.

Where to eat at Praia dos Carneiros

Restaurante Bora Bora

We chose Restaurante Bora Bora, and it turned out to be a great pick.

Setting: genuinely pleasant and spacious, right on the beach, with music playing, plus bungalows, restrooms, and showers, so you can easily spend the whole day here.

Main course: Camarão Bora Bora, shrimp with four cheeses, served inside a green coconut, with rice and seasonal fruit on the side.

Drinks: Andrey tried the Bora Bora beer, served at the restaurant — actually an Ekaut beer with a custom label made for the restaurant.

Price: R$180 for two people.

Enjoyed this post? Read more about our trip to Pernambuco in Ilha de Santo Aleixo and Tamandaré.