Sao Miguel dos Milagres

The Rota Ecologica runs about twenty-five kilometres along this part of the Alagoas coast through Porto de Pedras, Sao Miguel dos Milagres and Passo de Camaragibe, and what distinguishes it from Maragogi north or Maceio south is scale: there are no high-rise resorts, the road is single-lane and lined with coconut palms, and the accommodation is small pousadas, some expensive, most low-rise by planning restriction. The reef sits close in, so the pools at Praia do Toque and Praia do Patacho are reached by a short raft ride or a wade. Manatees are the local conservation cause, with a rehabilitation project at Porto de Pedras. It is deliberately quiet and there is very little to do beyond the water.

What you actually see

• The Rota Ecologica - twenty-five kilometres of low-rise coconut coast.
• Close-in reef pools - reached by a short raft ride or on foot at low tide.
• Small pousadas only - no resort towers along the strip.
• A manatee project - rehabilitation work at Porto de Pedras.

When to go

September to March. Three days.

Honest expectations

There is essentially no nightlife and few restaurants outside the inns, several of which require booking. Prices at the better pousadas are high. A car or transfer is necessary. Pools need low tide. This is a place to do nothing, which does not suit everyone.

Nearby

Maragogi is north; Maceio and the Pajucara pools are south.