Beach buggy ride

The buggy driver usually picks the group up at the accommodation. The vehicle generally carries up to four passengers: one beside the driver and the rest on the high rear bench, which offers a wider view.

The route alternates between firm sand at the water’s edge, dirt roads and village stretches. Stops are agreed beforehand: a calm-sea beach, a freshwater lagoon, a lookout point, a place for lunch. Some itineraries include a river crossing by ferry.

The tide determines part of the route. At low tide, the buggy follows the beach; at high tide, some sections are taken inland. That’s why departure times change from day to day.

The buggy is an open vehicle, and the rear bench sits above the body. Passengers hold onto the grab bar. For that reason the ride is not recommended for pregnant people, for those with back problems or for infants who sit on a caregiver’s lap. For children, each operator sets a minimum age: ask before booking.

Check whether the vehicle has a protective bar and a firm handhold, and request a calm pace when there are children or older passengers on board. During the ride, no one stands up.

Drivers may only operate in permitted areas. Protected areas, conserved dunes and beaches crowded with bathers have restrictions, and an accredited driver knows those limits.

In Rio Grande do Norte, Natal is the best-known departure point, with coastal tours north to Genipabu, in the neighboring municipality of Extremoz, passing beaches and lagoons.

In Ceará, Caucaia has the route through the dunes and lagoons of Cumbuco, near Fortaleza. In Beberibe, buggies go along Morro Branco and Praia das Fontes, among colorful cliffs. In Jijoca de Jericoacoara, rides depart the village toward the lagoons.

In Pernambuco, Ipojuca offers the so-called punta a punta ride, from Muro Alto to Maracaípe, passing Porto de Galinhas. In the South, Bombinhas, in Santa Catarina, has tours between the peninsula’s beaches.