Gunga Beach

Praia do Gunga sits on the spit where the Rio Sao Miguel runs parallel to the coast before reaching the sea, so a strip of sand and coconut palms has open Atlantic on one side and still lagoon water on the other. The standard image is taken from the Mirante do Gunga on the cliff above, where the two bodies of water and the palm line are visible together. Access to the beach is by buggy along the sand or by boat down the river from Barra de Sao Miguel, and much of the beachfront is private with club access and consumption minimums. The lagoon side is warm and shallow and is where families go; the ocean side has reef and surf.

What you actually see

• A spit between two waters - Atlantic on one side, lagoon on the other.
• The Mirante do Gunga - the cliff viewpoint the photographs come from.
• Buggy or boat access - along the sand or down the river.
• Two different swims - warm shallow lagoon and open ocean reef.

When to go

September to March. A day.

Honest expectations

Beach access largely runs through private clubs with minimum spends and paid parking. The viewpoint charges separately. Buggy and boat operators sell hard at Barra de Sao Miguel. Weekends bring heavy crowds from Maceio.

Nearby

Barra de Sao Miguel is at the top of the spit; Maceio is north.