Three distinct water experiences offer a practical guide when choosing a place to stay in Porto De Pedras: the guided manatee observation tour on the Rio Tatuamunha, the ferry across the Rio Manguaba and the tidal landscape of Praia da Croa do Tubarão. They represent an organized boat tour, a river crossing with a brief view of the scenery, and a beach where natural pools form at low tide. This can help you decide whether wildlife observation, a practical river crossing or a coastline shaped by the tides matters most for your trip.

Manatee Observation on the Rio Tatuamunha

The manatee observation tour takes place on the Rio Tatuamunha in non-motorized jangadas. It is mandatory to go with a guide; the boats stop near the enclosures at the ICMBio base in Porto De Pedras. The guide is therefore an integral part of the tour, not an optional extra.

A 2022 ICMBio report on visitor observations describes the tour as established and regulated as part of community-based tourism. It names the Associação Peixe-Boi, based in Porto De Pedras, as the operator. Confirm the tour’s current arrangements before your trip.

Ferry Crossing of the Rio Manguaba

The Balsa Porto de Pedras a Japaratinga crosses the Rio Manguaba and saves a long detour over land. During the crossing, passengers get a brief view of calm waters and banks lined with typical vegetation. Its practical benefit is the crossing; the scenery is a brief extra. If you plan to take the ferry as part of your onward journey, check its operation locally.

Unlike the manatee tour, the ferry is about making a crossing, not taking part in a guided observation. The view of the water and banks is a brief impression, but it should not be confused with the purpose of the river crossing.

Beach and Tides

Praia da Croa do Tubarão is a protected, largely deserted beach with extensive sandbanks. Natural swimming pools form at low tide. If these pools are what you’re looking for, take the tide level on your planned visit day into account: it determines when this coastal feature is visible. Planning a beach visit therefore depends on a different factor than the guided manatee tour, whose schedule is shaped by the required accompaniment.

The Passarela do Peixe-Boi

Another landmark on the Rio Tatuamunha is the Passarela do Peixe-Boi, a wooden footbridge over the river in Porto De Pedras. It was inaugurated in 2021 and was intended to give tourists access to the manatee sanctuary. Check the bridge’s current condition before visiting.

The bridge and the jangada tour offer two different points of reference if you’re interested in the manatee sanctuary: a wooden footbridge inaugurated in 2021 and intended to provide a tourist connection, and a guided observation tour. For the bridge, check its condition; for the tour, confirm the current arrangements.

Discover more destinations: Paripueira, Japaratinga, Maceió, Jequiàzinho, Pontal Do Peba, Piaçabuçu, Delmiro Gouveia, Olivença

For the broader travel overview: Alagoas.