Ponta Negra - Past and Present
PONTA NEGRA
This is certainly the most famous tourist spot in Natal.The village of Ponta Negra is a few square kilometers large. It used to be home for fishers and other working people; around early 1990's, the tourism businesses began to take over the area; a few years ago, foreigner investors (notably Italians, Portuguese and other Europeans) started to pour money into the area, and tourism oriented businesses flourished.
Ponta Negra beach is about 4 km long. In the south end is Morro do Careca, the most famous landmark of Natal. Walking northwards, one first sees about 2km of av. Erivan Franca, crowded with bars, restaurants, hotels, party houses, small shopping galleries, clubs, etc; then, the avenue ends, and the next 2km have just a walk way, lined with hotels and some kioskes
Morro do Careca is a combination of sea, mountain, dunes and green. Climbing the hill is forbidden, but many people don't care; the guides repeatedly mention the lateral trails of the hill as a good meeting point. Above, a few pictures of Morro do Careca, taken from several distances.
The avenue sideways is where most fun happens. That stretch is always crowded with tourists, both Brazilian and foreigners. It's not luxurious or posh, but it's cosy and clean. The sun is almost always shining, but it's always accompanied by a refresing wind. It's busy with people of all walks of life, but everybody respects each other
