Maceió Tide Table: How to Read It and Plan the Natural Pools

In Maceió, the tide sets the itinerary. The Pajuçara and Paripueira natural pools only exist as shallow areas at low tide, and the scenery at beaches such as Ponta Verde changes a lot throughout the day. The planning tool is the tide table, and the official source in Brazil is the Brazilian Navy.

Where to check the official source

The Navy Hydrography Center (CHM), part of the Directorate of Hydrography and Navigation, publishes tide forecasts for Brazilian ports. For Maceió, use the port of Maceió station. Access is through the Navy tide tables page.

Tide websites and apps often reproduce this data, sometimes with easier-to-read charts. They’re useful, but if there’s a difference, the Navy table prevails.

How to read the table

The table is organized by day. For each date, a few times are shown with a height in meters next to them.

On the Alagoas coast, the tide is semidiurnal: there are generally two high tides and two low tides a day, about six hours apart. So a day’s low tides might fall before dawn and in the afternoon, for example.

Reading it in three steps

1. Find your travel date in the port of Maceió table.
2. Identify the low tides, the lowest values of the day, and note the time of each.
3. Compare the height with other days. The lower the number, the more exposed the reefs.

Negative heights

Heights are measured from a reference level used on nautical charts. When the tide falls below it, the table shows a negative value. It’s not a mistake. These are usually the lowest tides of the month.

Full moon, new moon and tides

The strength of the tide follows the phases of the moon:

• Full moon and new moon (spring tides): stronger tides. High tide rises higher and low tide falls lower. These are the best periods for natural pools.
• First and last quarter (neap tides): weaker tides. Low tide doesn’t fall as much, and the pools may be too deep or not form at all.

The effect shows up a few days after the exact moon phase. So look at the numbers in the table, not just the lunar calendar.

Why low tide matters for the pools

Pajuçara

The Pajuçara natural pools sit on the reefs off the waterfront. At low tide, the water over the sand between the reefs becomes shallow and calm. At high tide, the reef is covered and the trip loses its point. The jangadas leave from the beach itself, and the jangada operators follow the table to decide on departures. Maceió City Hall hasn’t published a height limit; check with the operators whether the day is good.

Paripueira

At Paripueira, inside the Costa dos Corais APA, visits to the pools are regulated by ICMBio, which ties trips to the tide times. The guidance published by Paripueira City Hall is that on tides with a low of 0.7 m or higher, trips are restricted. The APA also limits the number of visitors per day.

How to build your itinerary around the tide

1. Open the table before settling your travel dates, if you can.
2. Mark the good days for pools: a low low tide in daylight hours.
3. Fit the pools in first. Other outings, such as Mundaú Lagoon, the historic center and the south coast beaches, depend less on the tide.
4. Have a plan B. Strong wind and rain can cloud the water even with a good tide.

The ready-made itineraries already follow this logic. See the Maceió itinerary and, to choose when to go, the when to visit Maceió guide.

Safety

• River mouths: on the north coast, as at Ipioca, river mouths become dangerous as the tide rises.
• Sunscreen: the ideal low tide often coincides with strong sun. Apply it before you go.
• Coral: don’t step on it, don’t take pieces and don’t feed the fish.

To compare all the beaches and areas, read the Maceió beaches guide. For general planning, start with plan your trip.