Mossoró

Mossoró is the second largest city of the state of Rio Grande do Norte in Brazil, economically centred on petrol extraction, agriculture, and salt panning, and lately also shrimp farming and renewable energy. It is on the western edge of the state, midway between Natal and Fortaleza. The nearest beach is Tibau, some 40 km to the north.

Get in

By plane

Azul Conecta organises flights to Fortaleza and Natal, and Azul Brazilian Airlines to Recife. Travellers to these locations can also use the car to reach these destinations.

By bus

• Buses almost every hour to Natal (4 hours), by Guanabara and Nordeste.
• Buses every two hours to Fortaleza (4 hours, R$ 40), by Guanabara and Nordeste.
• 5 buses a day to Aracati (1.5 hours), by Nordeste. From here you can easily connect to Canoa Quebrada.
• One night bus to João Pessoa, by Nordeste.

By taxi

Shared taxis to Tibau at R$10 per person.

Get around

Local buses are not a good option, since their routes, bus stops and schedules are not clear.

Taxis and moto-taxis (you go with the driver of a motorcycle) are very easy to find. Moto-taxis are a cheap alternative to taxi cabs, but they might be dangerous and the helmets are usually dirty.

See

• Resistance memorial (Memorial da resistência) with pictures of famous outlaw Lampião and his gang.
• Petrol museum
• Downtown churches, all within walking distance of one other.

Buy

The city centre is full of stores selling everything from clothes to electronics and shoes.

• Partage Shopping Mossoró, Av. João da Escóssia, 1515 - Nova Betânia, sac@psmossoro.br. A mall with many options for shopping and food. (updated Jul 2017)

Eat

• Praça de convivência, an open mall near the centre, with lots of bars, restaurants, snack bars and fast food joints, with live music on weekends and lots of options for local food and drinks. Quite safe area.
• Tratoria - Japanese, Italian, and other types of food in a nice place with reasonable prices. Live music on weekends.
• Sebosão (big greasy), a not so clean place with sandwiches and drinks.
• Kobal - regional food in a kind of street market

Drink

• Cândidos
• Tratoria
• Acapulcos

And lots of local pubs open all night long.

Sleep

Quite a few hotels along the highway near the bus station.

• Sabinos, near UFERSA.
• Ibis Mossoró, Rua Manoel Hemetério 10, ☏ +55-84-3422-6422, h6517-re@accor.com.br. (updated May 2023)
• Thermas Hotel Mossoró, Av. Lauro Monte 2001, ☏ +55 84 3422-1200. Hotel with thermal baths. Water playground for children. Conference facilities. Rooms somewhat outdated. (updated Jun 2023)