Natal's nightlife scene continues to center on the Ponta Negra neighborhood. Until recently there were two separate hot spots, each with its own distinct characteristics. The waterfront Avenida Erivan França, at the far end of Ponta Negra beach, was a busy and bustling area of restaurants and bars, though with a good 70% of the action consisting of Brazilian women looking to sell their services to male charter tourists from Europe. That said, the area was perfectly safe and not especially sleazy; regular tourists could and did pass a pleasant evening there as well.
Located up on the heights on the far side of the busy Avenida Roberto Freire, the other nightlife area, called Alto de Ponta Negra (located around corner of Av. Roberto Freire with Rua Dr. Manoel. A.B. de Araújo) was almost wholly free of prostitution of any kind. It was instead a pleasant and easily strollable enclave of cafes and creperies, knickknack shops, bars, and discos.
However, beginning in late 2006, local authorities began a concerted crackdown on the sex-for-sale scene on Ponta Negra Beach. These efforts had some local success -- the Avenida França is now largely deserted in the evening. Predictably, however, the trade merely moved elsewhere, in this case up the hill to Alto de Ponta Negra. The result is that Natal's now has but one nightlife area -- Alto de Ponta Negra -- with a decidedly sleazier character than in years past. As of press time, things in Natal were still in flux. Authorities may move their campaign up to Alto de Ponta Negra, or may relax their enforcement efforts, in which case the situation may revert to what it was before.
Alto de Ponta Negra -- If you're in the mood for a snack before or instead of partying, Casa de Taipa (Rua Dr. Manoel A.P. de Araújo 130A; tel. 084/3219-5798) offers tapioca pancakes with over 40 different types of filling, not to mention coffee and homemade ice cream. The Casa recently won the Veja Magazine Best of the City award. Open daily 5pm to midnight.
