Porto de Galinhas is a coastal town in the municipality of Ipojuca, in Pernambuco.

Porto de Galinhas is a small beach town, very popular as a weekend getaway for people from nearby Recife. The area is stunningly beautiful with amazing reefs. Hotels range from cozy "pousadas" to five-star resorts. Do not miss nearby Maracaípe.

Map of Porto de Galinhas

The town is small and easily navigable on foot. Uber and 99Taxi also work, as of December 2019, and a typical 10-minute trip costs about R$ 6.

There are very frequent vans between Porto de Galinhas and Maracaípe for R$3,50.

Buggys are available for rent with or without driver, which presents a great alternative to traditional car rental.

Bustling beach town in summer, lots of dining places, local "churrascarias" (barbecue) and good seafood. Lots of beach activities in the area. Amongst them, visits to the "piscinas naturais" in a jangada, a local raft tour to the nearby reefs, where sea water makes natural ponds, and lots of different fish can be seen.

If lucky enough you might attend a sea turtle birth at full moon in midsummer, plan for a full moon stay.

Note that the beautiful reefs are only available at very low tide, for about two hours a day. Ask for information at travel agency or tourism information center for the recommended days and hours to visit reefs.

• Visit the "Piscinas naturais" - gaps in the reef where small fish can be found. R$30 for 45 minutes, with tickets available at the booth near Giroskka Bar in Praça central. Snorkel gear is provided. The snorkeling is fun for beginners, but nothing to write home about if you've snorkeled in Hawaii, the Riviera Maya, or the like. Only one type of fish.
• Buggy tours (Assoc. Prop. e Condutores de Bugue), ☏ +55 81 3552-1930. 
• Take a trip on a little boat in the lagoon and swim with the fish (take some kind of footwear as the rocks are sharp!).
• Walk to nearby Maracaípe and watch the surfers.
• Find a spot on the beach, order shrimp and beer, sit back and relax.
• In the beach point Pontal do Maracaípe local kitesurfers can be seen. For the more adventurous, classes on this sport are available as well.
• Visit beautiful Praia dos Carneiros. White sandy, crystal clear water beach south of Porto de Galinhas, very near Tamandaré. Can be reached by boat trip.
• Catamarã Cavalo Marinho, ☏ +55 81 3552-2180, +55 81 8811-7393. Hire a boat and get to Ilha de Santo Aleixo. Caribbean-style Island front of Toquinho beach (south of Porto de Galinhas). Ideal for snorkelling and swimming. The excursion takes up to 6 hours. 
• Scuba diving (Mergulhão Scuba), at various hotels. Explore the natural reef by scuba diving while you're there. These guys will come pick you up at your hotel (which ever one in a 6 miles radius) and take you to explore the natural ponds. A great experience. 
• Project Hippocampus, Pontal de Maracaípe. 

The shops in the pedestrian zone in the center of town offer local crafts, clothing, and beach equipment.

There are ATMs from the banks 24Horas and Caixa, but none from Bradesco.

Don't leave Porto de Galinhas before trying traditional tapioca.

Many bars and restaurants serve the weekend party crowd. It isn't hard to find a place for a drink along the beach, on either of the two main roads, or from a number of stands set up at night where the two main roads connect near the beach. Sometimes it is possible to see and even participate in an impromptu drum circle at this intersection on weekend evenings.

On the very shore of the beach, you can find carts that sell pina colada out of the actual pineapple, for R$ 20.

Hotels range from cozy "pousadas" to top-quality five-star resorts (Nanai and Summerville). Especially at weekends the city center will be very loud. The streets around the Pracinha are full of party-goers and the bands play on the streets in front of the pousadas. Especially Pousada Benedita and Pousada Marakatu are only a few meters away from the street parties. Room prices in one of the posadas at the city center start at R$50. Avoid being led to a hotel by touts, as you will get an inflated price.

• Hotel Pontal de Ocaporã, Sitio costa tropicana - Lote 182, ☏ +55 81 3552-5000. The first hotel of Porto de Galinhas. Literally on the beach, which is also one of the region's safest ones for swimming. Great for kids, with a whole staff just for them. 
• Pousada Sky Beach Flat, s/n Rua Merepe III Quadra 5C, ☏ +55 (81) 3552-2846. Check-in: 14:00. Single and double-bed studios with A/C, balcony, fridge and microwave oven. Large pool and excellent breakfast. Some construction noise during the day (Dec 2019). Decent free Wi-Fi that may get disconnected during peak hours if many guests are using it. Only one member of the staff of 3 speaks any English. (updated Dec 2019)
• Pousada Beira Mar (in the town center right on the beach). Good service by the two Swiss owners. 
• Pousada Benedita, Rua da Esperança 85 (centre, 60 m from the main beach), ☏ +55 81 3552-1343. Check-in: 12:00, check-out: 12:00. Cheap and clean little hotel. Doubles R$ 80-150. 
• Pousada Doce Cabana (in a quiet residential area about 15 minutes walk from the city center). This pousada has a pool with a swim-in sauna and provides full breakfast and free Internet service to guests. They have English speaking staff and English speaking drivers on call for excursions. 
• ^{[formerly dead link]} Pousada da Preguiça. 
• Pousada Sonhos do Porto. Very cozy and amiable staff. Very nice service and hosting. Can host parties of up to 8 people per apartment. 
• Pousada Tabajuba. Ideal for honeymooners. This cozy little pousada is just the best when you want to spend a lovely honeymoon. When there, be sure to try the massage therapy. 
• Pousada Tabapitanga, Pontal da praia do Cupe. Great for couples with or without kids. Has a restaurant. Be sure to order the lobster. 
• Pousada Villa delle Rose, Rua Manuel Uchôa (20 steps from the beach). This pousada provides a friendly, quiet atmosphere. The rooms are sparsely furnished, but have a minibar. The proprietor, Rose, speaks English. 
• Che Lagarto Porto de Galinhas, Praça 11, 19 (4 blocks from the beach), ☏ +55 81 3552-1144. Not very clean or quiet. 
• Pousada Recanto do Lobo. Ideal for families. 
• Casa Amarela, Praça 18. 

Within walking distance on the beach to the south is the smaller town of Maracaípe. If you want to get away from the noise it is a quiet place. Further south, lies the "Recanto do Cavalo Marinho", a protected area for seahorse breeding. A local "jangada" can take you as well.

Beaches further south are also beautiful, but harder to access. Tamandaré can be accessed going south on the PE-60 road. There are signs on-route with directions to Carneiros. Toquinho and Serrambi are some of the other options.

You can also go to these places; all of them have dormitories:

• Recife
• Maragogi famous for the swimming pools inside the Atlantic Ocean. From Porto de Galinhas there are a few Blablacar rides.
  And there are Blablacar rides from Recife to Maragogi. For those you can ask the driver to pick you up in Porto de Galinhas.
• Maceió
• São Miguel dos Milagres The 'Caribbean of Brazil'. There is a hostel. See Get In