South Coast of Alagoas Beaches

The south coast of Alagoas begins just past Maceió and includes some of the beaches most visited by people staying in the capital. The three main ones for a day trip are Praia do Francês, Barra de São Miguel and Praia do Gunga. All lie along the AL-101 Sul highway and can be combined with the historic center of Marechal Deodoro and the food scene at Massagueira.

Overview

The distances are for reference. Actual travel time depends on where you leave from in Maceió and on traffic, which gets worse at weekends and in high season.

Praia do Francês

Praia do Francês is the best known and best equipped beach on the south coast. It has two sides: a stretch sheltered by reefs, with calmer water at low tide, and an open stretch with waves popular with surfers. According to Marechal Deodoro City Hall, the name recalls the illegal brazilwood trade between the French and the Caeté Indigenous people in colonial times.

It works well if you want a beach with beach shacks, boat trips to the reefs and accommodation options in the village. Combine it with the historic center of Marechal Deodoro and lunch at Massagueira.

Barra de São Miguel

Barra de São Miguel is a small municipality with a beach facing a line of reefs. According to Visite Alagoas, the reefs form natural pools at low tide. The sea is usually calm along much of the beach, which families appreciate. It’s also the starting point for speedboat, boat and buggy trips to Gunga.

Praia do Gunga

Gunga sits on a spit of sand between the sea and Roteiro Lagoon, already in the municipality of Roteiro. The scenery includes an extensive coconut grove and colorful cliffs. On the side of the AL-101 Sul there’s a lookout with the classic view of the beach. Access is by road or by boat from Barra de São Miguel. There may be a charge for access, parking or the lookout; check locally.

Tides: what changes

Reefs and natural pools appear at low tide. At high tide, the water rises, the pools disappear and some strips of sand become narrow. Before choosing the day, check the Maceió tide table. A practical rule: arrive at the beach one or two hours before low tide.

How to plan the itinerary

Day 1: Barra and Gunga. Leave Maceió early, stop at the Gunga lookout, spend the low-tide hours on the beach and return via Barra de São Miguel in the late afternoon.

Day 2: Francês and Marechal Deodoro. Morning at Praia do Francês, afternoon in the historic center of Marechal Deodoro and late afternoon at Massagueira, on the shore of Manguaba Lagoon.

If you only have one day, choose: Gunga and Barra for scenery, Francês and Marechal Deodoro for facilities and history. The Maceió tours hub compares these outings with those to the north coast and the lagoons.

How to get there

Farther south

Continuing along the AL-101 Sul, the coast runs on to the mouth of the São Francisco River, in Piaçabuçu, about 135 km from Maceió according to Visite Alagoas. That trip is a full day in itself. See São Francisco river mouth and canyons.

To compare with the beaches on the other side of the capital, read beaches of the Alagoas north coast and the Maceió beaches hub.