40 km from Maceió and 90 km from Maragogi, the municipality of Barra de Santo Antônio in Alagoas has two tourist gems: the Island of Croa and, next to it, the beach of Carro Quebrado. To get there, just by speedboat, quadricycle, buggy, or four-wheel drive car.
The difficulty hints at the origin of the place’s name — local stories tell of couples with cars bogged down and then eroded by sea water, and what changes from version to version is just what driver and passenger would be doing there.
The clear and almost warm water of the sea, together with the colorful reefs, white sand and coconut trees, make the place one of the typical paradises of the Brazilian northeast. With an eye on the structure provided by nature, the Vila Galé group opened an exclusive passage there for the guests of one of its resorts opened in August.
The hotel’s structure has 513 rooms, 90 of which are family rooms and 24 chalets, seven restaurants, a nightclub, a convention center and a spa. From Maceió airport via rented car or app it takes about an hour.
Hotel Vila Galé Alagoas pays homage to great names of world literature in its decoration. Each room is named after a writer – however, there is a lack of a library at the resort, for a complete immersion in the world of books.
At Espaço Nep, for families with young children, there is recreation, babysitting, two children’s pools, sand court, children’s restaurant, TV room and monitors that promote games. Children up to 12 years old, staying in their parents’ room, do not pay for accommodation or meals.
For those who get tired of the warm sea water there is a 100 meter long swimming pool with a wet bar. Meals and non-alcoholic drinks are included in the daily rate.
A good option is to dive into typical dishes from Alagoas cuisine, such as sururu broth and its supposed aphrodisiac effect, in addition to oven cocada and umbu cajá ice cream.
At the end of the year, the resort plans a tribute to Brazilian soap operas with the theme “New Year’s Eve”. The idea is to stimulate the nostalgia of guests with references in decoration, costumes, soundtrack and even gastronomy.
In order not to be a recluse at the resort, there are tours available throughout the region. The beach of Tabuba, in the municipality of Barra de Santo Antônio, has a meeting between the river and the sea that results in warm water for bathing. In periods of low tide it has little current and resembles a calm lagoon.
10 km from the city, Praia de Paripuera has the second largest barrier reef in the world. On low tide days, you can dive in natural pools or snorkel among the corals. Those who want to visit a historic site can extend the tour to the largest quilombo in Latin America, Quilombo dos Palmares, 105 km away from Barra de Santo Antônio.
Service
Vila Gale Alagoas
Praia do Carro Quebrado, Barra de Santo Antônio, Alagoas. Rates for two people from R$ 1,500 (see special packages for Christmas and New Year).
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