Tamandaré Beach

Tamandaré Beach is the central shoreline of the town of Tamandaré, on the southern coast of Pernambuco, outside Ipojuca (the municipality Porto de Galinhas belongs to). It is the same town as Carneiros Beach, which is why it often features in day trips from Porto de Galinhas. The highlights are the reef-sheltered bay and the Santo Inácio Fort on the seafront.

What it is

According to English Wikipedia, Tamandaré Beach is a developed town beach, with about 2 km of fine sand and small waves. The same source lists other beaches in the municipality: Boca da Barra, where natural pools form at low tide near the estuary mangrove; Campas, about 3 km long and good for swimming; and Carneiros, about 5 km long between reefs and coconut palms.

Santo Inácio Fort

The Forte de Santo Inácio de Tamandaré stands on the seafront and is among the five tourist sights highlighted by Tamandaré City Hall. According to an article in Revista Clio, from the Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE), the fortification was built in stages between 1668 and 1814. From 2015 it was redeveloped with the participation of Prodetur, Iphan (the national heritage institute), Fundarpe and the World Bank, and reopened on July 27, 2017. The same article notes that the work divided opinion among residents, who had hoped for a restoration more faithful to the original architecture. Visiting hours were not found in an official source.

Where it is and how to get there

Wikipedia places Tamandaré just over 100 km south of Recife (the Portuguese version gives 109 km). The distance from Porto de Galinhas has not been confirmed by an official source; the route follows the south coast. ICMBio’s visitor guide mentions access to the area via the PE-060 and PE-076 highways.

Agencies in Porto de Galinhas sell tours to the Tamandaré and Carneiros area. Compare options in Porto de Galinhas tours and get the overview in beaches near Porto de Galinhas.

When to go

Tamandaré Bay is sheltered by reefs, but the tide still shapes the outing: at low tide the pools appear, such as those mentioned at Boca da Barra. Use the Porto de Galinhas tide table as a reference for the south coast. ICMBio points to the summer, with less rain, as the best time for the Costa dos Corais protected area.

Who it suits

• People heading to Carneiros who also want to see the town and the fort.
• History lovers: the fort dates from the colonial period and was redeveloped between 2015 and 2017.
• Families: Wikipedia describes small waves on the town beach; check shade and facilities on your chosen stretch.

Environmental and safety tips

Tamandaré sits at the northern edge of the Costa dos Corais Environmental Protection Area (APA Costa dos Corais), the federal reserve managed by ICMBio (Brazil’s federal conservation agency), which runs from the mouth of the Formoso River to Alagoas and had its boundaries expanded in 2025.

Part of the bay’s reefs was made a closed area by ICMBio Normative Instruction No. 06/2008: the reefs known as Ilha da Barra, Corubas, Ilha do Meio, Cabeços Submarinos, Baixo de Cima, Baixo de Baixo and Tacis were closed to fishing, visits and nautical and tourist activities, except for research and passage through the navigation channel. The rule set a four-year term; check with ICMBio which rules are in force before any boat trip in the bay.

• Do not step on the coral and do not feed the fish.
• Only take sea trips with authorized operators.
• On the boat, wear a life jacket.

How to fit it into your itinerary

The simplest approach is to add Tamandaré to your Carneiros day: low tide at Carneiros in the morning, the fort and Tamandaré seafront in the afternoon. It works from the fourth day of your trip, as in the 4-day itinerary. Further south are São José da Coroa Grande and Maragogi.