Rio Grande do Norte

Rio Grande do Norte is a state in Northeast Brazil. It sits on the northeasternmost tip of the South American continent. Rio Grande do Norte is widely famed for its sand dunes and sunny beaches. The main attraction of Rio Grande do Norte is tourism (especially seaside), alongside fishing and local handicrafts. Since the mid-1990s, Rio Grande do Norte has had a significant increase in tourist activity, becoming one of the first destinations in northeastern Brazil because of its natural beauty and safer security than other Brazilian areas and cities.

Cities

• 1 Natal — has some great beaches, historical sites, and nature areas, and it is a frequently used base for exploring the nature of the state
• 2 Canguaretama — Barra de Cunhaú Beach has mangroves 
• 3 Tibau do Sul — Praia da Pipa and its surrounding beaches are among the most beautiful and probably the most famous of the state
• 4 Mossoró — second largest city in Rio Grande do Norte, a center of oil extraction, agriculture and shrimp farming on the western edge of the state, halfway between Natal and Fortaleza
• 5 Tibau — the main beach resort for the people of Mossoró
• 6 Baía Formosa — the "Beautiful Bay" has great beaches and lakes, unspoiled rainforest and mangroves
• 7 Nísia Floresta — known for Praia de Buzios Beach and other nearby beaches
• 8 Extremoz — its main attraction are its fields of sand dunes and its beaches, including Genipabu, one of the most famous of the state and easily accessible from Natal
• 9 Parnamirim — home to the Barreira do Inferno launch center, the Pirangi and Cotovelo beaches, and the largest cashew tree of the world

Other destinations

• 1 Genipabu — famed for shifting sand dunes right on the beach, and accompanying wild ride buggy tours and camel-rides

Understand

The state has 410 km (254 mi) of sandy beaches. The main economic activity is tourism, followed by the extraction of petroleum (the second largest producer in the country), agriculture, fruit growing and extraction of minerals, including considerable production of seasalt, among other economic activities.

The tourist entry point is always the state capital, Natal, especially the beach and the tourist district of Ponta Negra. Remarkable and easily accessible are also other places on the coast such as, on the southern coast of Natal, the beaches of Piranji, Búzios, Pipa, Barra de Cunhaú,Baía Formosa (with the nearby " lagoa da Coca-Cola "); in the north coast, those of Genipabu, Muriú, Maracajaú, Barra de Punaú, Zumbi and São Miguel do Gostoso.

The name literally translates as "Great Northern River", referring to the mouth of the Potengi River.

Get in

Augusto Severo International Airport in Parnamirim is 18 km from Natal. It receives flights from the main centers of the world. The airport is the only one in the Northeast Region to receive charter flights from Scandinavia.

See

Lighthouse ruins at Rocas Atoll

Tourist attractions in the state include the Cashew of Pirangi (the world's largest cashew tree); the dunes and the dromedaries of Genipabu; the beaches of Ponta Negra, Maracajaú and Pipa; the 16th-century Forte dos Reis Magos fortification; the hills and mountains of Martins; and the Natal Dunes State Park.

Do

• Carnatal, Natal. Natal's off season Carnaval. 
• Saint John's Day (Festa Junina). Festa Junina was introduced to Northeastern Brazil by the Portuguese for whom St John's day (also celebrated as Midsummer Day in several European countries), on 24 June, is one of the oldest and most popular celebrations of the year. The festivities in Brazil do not take place during the summer solstice but during the tropical winter solstice. The festivities traditionally begin after 12 June, on the eve of St Anthony's day, and last until the 29th, which is Saint Peter's day. Once exclusively a rural festival, today in Brazil it is largely an urban festival during which people joyfully and theatrically mimic peasant stereotypes and clichés in a spirit of jokes and good times. These festivities involve wearing peasant costumes, dancing, heavy drinking, fireworks displays, and folk dancing.