The best way to access the terrain north and south of Natal is by buggy, but if you're allergic to the loud little machines or want to leave the organizational details to someone else, contact Tropical Tur (tel. 084/3219-6377; www.tropicaltour.com.br). The company offers non-buggy day trips south to Praia da Pipa and north to Maracajaú. A day trip south to Barra de Cunhú includes a boat ride through the mangroves on the Cunhú river. The 3-hour trip starts at R$50 (US$21) per person, including pickup from your hotel.
For nature buffs, Cariri Ecotours (tel. 084/3234-4068; www.caririecotours.com.br) offers a one-day "eco-trip" to Praia de Pipa, which includes a guided walk through the Atlantic rainforest and dolphin spotting at Enseada do Madeiro.
Buggy Expeditions -- Untouched dunes, beaches, and lagoons stretch away north and south of Natal for hundreds of kilometers. The best and only way to see them in all their glory is to rent a dune buggy with a driver, and head out to explore. Prices are slightly negotiable but average around R$150 (US$63) for a full day for up to four people. If you're less than four, you can pay R$38 (US$16) per person and the tour operator will make up a full group, but you may want to consider paying the full rental; if you have the buggy to yourself, it stops and goes at your command.
The classic north-coast day trip crosses the Potengi river by ferry and proceeds up to Genipabu, where you have the chance to ride camels or slide down the dunes on a sand board (see "Outdoor Activities," below). From there you float your buggy across another small stream on a tiny raft and carry on up the beach to Jucumã, where you can try your bum at aerobunda.
From there, it's another 35km (22 miles) of wide flat sand until you get to Maracajaú, a magic spot where at low tide you can snorkel in the natural pools in the offshore coral reef. (Buggy tours normally time the tour so that you arrive at low tide.)
At one or two points on the trip back, you'll have to float your buggy over estuaries on little wooden rafts. At the end of the day, the driver will take you to Genipabu to see the sun set over the dunes. (The tour used to end with a wild ride through the extreme Dune Park, but the park has been closed recently due to a legal dispute between the buggy drivers and a supposed Dune Park owner. The government has since expropriated the park, but it will not reopen it to buggy drivers until an environmental assessment has been completed.)
The classic south-coast trip heads for Praia da Pipa. There's less to see along the way, but Pipa beach itself is truly lovely. You can do this in a half-day for about R$80 (US$33), but it's better to rent the buggy for the day and take time to enjoy one of Brazil's more beautiful beaches.
There are lots of buggy drivers in Natal. An excellent longtime bugreiro who speaks English is Kadmo Donato of Buggy & Cia (tel. 084/9982-3162 or 084/9416-2222; www.buggyecia.com.br). There are also Buggy Tour (tel. 084/3086-2258) and in Genipabu, Villa do Sol (tel. 084/3225-2132).
