IL Postcard

New Bridge Links North Beaches To Natal Brazil

Date: 12/18/2008

Natal is one of the hottest destinations on the Brazilian coast for Europeans these days, and it’s easy to see why…especially in the upscale Ponta Negra district. The long, gently curving, sandy beach stretches for miles into the distance, sheltered by the natural geography so that bathers enjoy calm warm waters and gentle ocean breezes. This popular stretch of beach is one of my favorites in Brazil.

Ponta Negra’s beachfront lane is lined with open-air restaurants, shops, and a number of small hotels. And Natal--population 790,000--is known far and wide for its nightlife, which is the main draw for many a foreigner and Brazilian alike. Its commercial center--located a few blocks back from the beach--hosts one of the northeast coast’s best selection of convenient shopping venues, with modern malls, fine dining, huge car dealerships, large 24-hour supermarkets, and building supply stores reminiscent of Home Depot.

But as nice as it is, the big news in Natal this year is not Ponta Negra, its restaurants, or its beaches. In fact, local experts feel that Ponta Negra is currently a bit overpriced, with sluggish sales and high residential inventory.

The big news is the new bridge.

Getting To Natal Brazil Now Only Takes 10 Minutes

After 12 years and almost $100 million, the newly-completed bridge known as Ponte Newton Nevarro is now a major factor in the economic development of the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Norte. Spanning the mouth of the river Rio Potengi, the bridge connects the formerly-isolated northern beaches to Natal, Brazil.

North beach areas--that formerly required more than an hour to reach--are now only 10 minutes from downtown Natal. From a property-buyer’s perspective this is good news, since the prices on these northern beaches are still at levels notably below similar beaches to the south of Natal.

The first town you’ll come to on the north side of the bridge is called Redinha. It’s mostly a poor-looking area that’s been developed for years. My advice is to keep going, as Redinha is not likely to change… “undeveloping” a poorly developed area is hard to do.

But moving up the coast, things were different.

I found all types of properties…from hotels to ocean views lots to beachfront houses…all priced at "pre-bridge" levels. I'll share my five favorite picks with you tomorrow.

Lee Harrison
Roving Latin America Editor, International Living

P.S. In March, I'll debrief a small group of IL readers on my recent trip along Brazil's northeast coast. I covered thousands of miles of white-sand beach…and have just a handful of recommendations I want to share in person. The good news is you can still "get in the room" at IL's Ultimate Event (where I'll be speaking about everything I found on my trip to Natal Brazil) at a discount.

To read more IL articles about Brazil, see:

Brazil Beachfront: A Beach House For $30,000

Brazil Islands For Sale--From $217,000

Beachfront Property in Brazil for Under $35,000