Catamaran combo trips along the northern coast: Areia Vermelha, the fort and sunset

Tour operators bring together a single boat itinerary covering Areia Vermelha Island, the Fortaleza de Santa Catarina and the Jacaré sunset.

In addition to a standalone visit to the Areia Vermelha natural pools, it has become common among tour operators in João Pessoa and Cabedelo to offer combined trips that bring together several northern coast attractions in a single day. The itineraries usually depart from Camboinha beach or Ponta de Campina, in Cabedelo, including transportation, a licensed guide and the catamaran leg to the sandbar, about 1.5 km from the coast.

One of the most popular formats combines Areia Vermelha Island with a visit to the Fortaleza de Santa Catarina and closes with the sunset at Praia do Jacaré, when saxophonist Jurandy do Sax gives his traditional performance aboard a canoe. This type of combo allows visitors to experience, in a single outing, both Cabedelo's historical heritage and the coast's natural attractions, making the most of time for those with only a few days to travel.

The trips are sold by inbound tourism agencies based in João Pessoa and Cabedelo, and transportation generally includes pickup and drop-off at the visitor's hotel. As with the Areia Vermelha trip, combo schedules depend on the tide table and sunset time, which varies throughout the year, so the departure is usually confirmed by the operator the day before the trip.

Before booking, it is worth confirming which items are included — transportation, catamaran ticket, environmental preservation fee — and whether there are age or mobility restrictions for boarding at the natural pools, since access to the island requires getting off the boat in shallow water over the sandbar.