Car Hire Maceio

Maceió is the capital of Alagoas, in Northeast Brazil.

Understand

Maceió has a great coastal ambiance and stands out for its beauty - embedded in palm trees, mangroves and the bright green sea. It also has a remarkable culture, reflected in its arts and crafts, cuisine and customs. Like many places in Northeast Brazil, the city has initially thrived on the sugar industry. Nowadays, it has a very good tourist infrastructure with excellent hotels, and has become an important destination for national and international tourists.

Climate

Maceió's climate is tropical - hot and humid during most of the year. The best time to go depends on your weather preferences. Summer extends from December through March, when temperatures are very hot. May through September is mildly warm, but it rains a lot.

Language

Portuguese is the official language. If addressed in Spanish or Italian locals may be able to understand. English is not always spoken by those in contact with tourists, especially those in simple jobs. There is a Portuguese language school called Fast Forward 300 meters away from the beach.

Get in

By air

Maceió's airport is named Zumbi dos Palmares International (MCZ) receives flights from every large Brazilian city as well as some international flights. There are plenty of taxis at the airport's arrivals area. Some travelers on a tight budget prefer to take the bus to the downtown area, then a cheaper taxi ride to their final destination. A taxi from the airport to Ponta Verde runs around R$80. Only approved airport taxi's can operate from the airport.

By Bus

If arriving from the north (Recife/Porto de Galinhas/etc), you will arrive in Terminal Rodoviário de Maceió, located on Avenida Governador Afrânio Lages.
Get around

Taxi

Taxis are everywhere and you'll have no problem finding them. The initial fee is R$3,35, then it depends how far you go.

Bus

The bus system is widely used. The current price is R$2.75 for a single trip. There are no transfers though so each bus you take will require you to pay again.

What to see

Natural Beauty

Approximately 140Km south from Maceió there is a verysmall town called Piaçabuçu, where you can get on a boat and sail through the São Francisco River and see where it meets the Atlantic Ocean. There are vans that can take you there or you can rent a car. The boat ride costs R$30,00 and is absolutely amazing.

Beaches

Maceió is surrounded by beaches. There is no problem finding a nice beach to relax. You can choose between those with a lot of people or the empty ones.

Urban beaches

Cruz das Almas
Jatiúca
Pajuçara
Ponta Verde
Pontal da Barra
Sobral

To Do

Surfing and bodyboarding are popular in Maceió. The waves are safe and there are no sharks to worry about. There are also no dangerous reefs to worry about. The best place to go surfing near Maceió is at Frances beach. The waves are the best and are good all year long. It has a good surf vibe. There are also many low priced resorts you can stay at for the weekend or for months at a time.
Watch the sunset from Avenida da Paz.

The main tourist attraction in Maceio are the natural pools in Pajuçara. This is a good place to snorkel and there is every a restaurant boat selling food and drinks.
Concerts are very common.

Eat

There are many, many restaurants to choose from. The restaurants on the beaches alone will be more than enough for your stay. There are many different types of food to choose from. Fish and other seafood, a wide selection of fruits, and authentic Brazilian cuisine are very common. Make sure to try a Tapioca, a pancake made of tapioca flour that can be filled with anything from ham and cheese to chocolate. They are sold all along the beach at lunchtime.

Typical Food

In Maceió there are a lot of places where you can eat authentic Brazilian food.

Bodega do Sertão: really expensive, but great food. It's next to Jatiúca's beach. "Carne do sol com nata" is a famous dish.
Cuscuzeria: typical cuscuz with carne do sol, pepperoni, cheese and more.
Sá Menina: all-you-can-eat.