Where to look first Natal or Fortaleza?

[bcejeff]

My wife and I are beginning to plan a trip seeking property to build a small 2 story home with an ocean view. We would like to build a swimming pool with a negative edge towards the ocean. We would like to retire there. We are hoping to fly over from U.S. end of November or beginning of December to check out and see these beaches and deals for ourselves....

We would really appreciate advice as to what area to begin our search.

[JMBroad]

If you are looking for a place for yourselves, it all depends on what kind of place you are looking for;

Nature retreat - beautiful scenerey, small village, deserted beach in the middle of nowhere

or

Same as above but close to a trendy village with bars and restaurants and the occasional Forró party

or

Same as above but close to a large city

or

Nothing like the above, just a small house outside or within a large city.

Basically you can find all of the above anywhere in Brasil, but some places are more welcoming and possibly the most important question is do you speak Portuguese or are you looking for somewhere which is tourism-friendly?

Sir,

Have you checked out any Latin countries? Because flights from US to NE Brazil are horrible. But if your mind is made up, I like Belem and SL. Recife is also good, so is Maceio and Sergipe. Natal and Fort are the last places I'd ever dump $. Or you can try and make sense of Braod's advice.

Check out Belem! Home of Acai, first Portuguese settlers to Brazil and largest Port in Latin America!

[timatthebeach]

HI bcejeff ,
Belem is not really the place for ocean views (which you say you want) as its miles from the coast. I am not sure about the claims for belem as dont think it can claim to be the home to a fruit which grows across the the north of Brazil. The first portuguese settlers were, I believe, Cabral's mob who landed at porto seguro in modern day Bahia. I have no idea about the size of the port at Belem but would hazard a guess that Rio, Sao Paulo, Salvador, Porto Alegre and a few other cities in Latin America have ports to rival if not eclipse Belem, but maybe not in the transport of amazon timber both legal and illegal.

I would agree with raimundo that Salvador and around it is a good place but seems a little more expensive than the states to the north. Plenty of brazillians and foreigners buy in Bahia. I have friends who live in Fortaleza and love it, an english/brazillian couple with kids, and alot of people are buying there including alot of Brazillians. Natal seems like a good place but I have not been there and dont know anyone from there so couldnt really say.

[bcejeff]

Thank you for your information and questions that help us define our ambitions. First we do not speak portuguese. (We are trying Rosetta Stone!!) The place will be for us to live in and always also an investment.

I suppose we would be more comfortable in a tourist area, but this may put us out of our price range. We live in a rural area now, we are 15 miles from a grocery store, and 100 miles from a very large american city.

And it is important to be able to get the building materials to build the home.

We have many questions, and are planning to make a first trip max 2-3 weeks over just to look at property. But we will only be able to cover so much ground in our initial search.

We like snorkeling and fishing and swimming in the ocean.

We appreciate the advice and knowledge you share.

[JMBroad]

Hi Bcejeff

As you don't speak Portuguese you may not need to specifically search for a tourist driven location however it may be a good idea to look for a location which is not completely abstract from tourists.

Somewhere within comfortable driving distance of a village like Pipa or Sao Miguel do Gostoso in Rio Grande do Norte (Capital is Natal) for example. If you have the chance to look at both you can see two similar villages at totally different stages of "tourism development" - Pipa is a lot more advanced and therefore also a lot more expensive - but again you don't necessarily want to live in the tourist resort itself, just within driving distance. It may be worth considering buying within a gated resort for the added security - but if you do that, you do pay a premium. I'd suggest two to three days minimum to see both areas to get a feel for them, if possible stay in Pipa - there are some fab little hotels nearby. Robh here on the forums specialises in selling Pipa and can probably give some pointers. In Sao Miguel up north you can stay in any of the many little pousadas (even one run by Paolo, aka "Dr Wind", former Italian windsurfing champ who runs a windsurfing school and pousada up there with his lovely Brazilian wife) let me know if you want his contact. Again all depends on your budget and how much luxury you want and can afford.

If you are considering other states, I'd suggest you visit the Porto Seguro, Itacaré, Belmonte region of Bahia - very chilled out atmosphere, prices are lower than most European driven developments in the north and a very different feel - Porto Seguro is a UNESCO world heritage as the first place the Portuguese landed when they arrived in Brazil - so I guess you could say they have 500 years of tradition in welcoming foreigners - albeit that statement might be a bit cheeky.

If you are trying to learn Portuguese, know that the attempts to learn Portuguese are just as valuable to the Brazilians as speaking it fluently - it's when you have no interest in trying to learn that you can find yourselves mixing in the wrong crowds.

Swimming in the ocean you can do just anywhere of course - snorkeling there are some nice places both in Bahia and Rio Grande do Norte - note that mostly they say "fantastic diving spot" and show the SCUBA flag - they actually mean snorkeling unless you want to SCUBA in 4 metres of water.

When you say fishing - do you mean canoe or beach - relaxing - eating the fish you catch or do you mean Marlin et al big game fishing? If Marlin, Porto Seguro has 170 world records for Big game - well worth a visit... I didn't get to do any last time I was there but then again I'm a jinx with Marlin - boat I was on this summer didn't get a single nibble yet after I left they have been catching granders right left and centre.

[PAUL-brasil]

Talking of other states, I am flying into Salvador on the 24th July, I will spend a week there before flying upto the Fortaleza. I have not yet booked myself an hotel/apartment in Salvador so my question here is for any good recommendations for places to stay from people who have been lately, looking for somewhere in the city itself, near best beach areas, best nightlife in the city? any other tips would be great?

John, what was your thoughts in general of Salvador?

Regards
Paul

Oh and the question in the tittled thread, definately Ceara above Rio Grande do Norte for me!

[JMBroad]

Salvador itself I didn't really have a chance to see, just Porto Seguro, Belmonte and that area.

I had a chance to chat with some friends of friends who gave me lots of good tips on where to go and what to do while in Salvador but they were going to show me around so I didn't take notes. Unfortunately my flight to Panama was screwed up and I ended up only spending some hours in Salvador so didn't get to meet them or even see Salvador at all.

As for Ceará, Fortaleza East near Praia do Futuro, and around that area is nice, a bit reminiscent of Natal South but a lot more developed - Fortaleza West is still very much like Natal North - not much going on but potential for good investments lurking on the horizon.

[PAUL-brasil]

Originally Posted by JMBroad

As for Ceará, Fortaleza East near Praia do Futuro, and around that area is nice, a bit reminiscent of Natal South but a lot more developed - Fortaleza West is still very much like Natal North - not much going on but potential for good investments lurking on the horizon.

Praia do Futuro beach is very nice and popular but the surrounding area of that tourist section is NOT a nice area and not good investment! Past Futuro though and out of the city to the East then yes the area s are very nice and good infrastructure well in place. West of Fortaleza but past Cumbuco, like you said much of it is undeveloped, although Taiba is coming on now.

[RalphJ]

Originally Posted by PAUL-brasil

Talking of other states, I am flying into Salvador on the 24th July, I will spend a week there before flying upto the Fortaleza. I have not yet booked myself an hotel/apartment in Salvador so my question here is for any good recommendations for places to stay from people who have been lately, looking for somewhere in the city itself, near best beach areas, best nightlife in the city? any other tips would be great?

John, what was your thoughts in general of Salvador?

Regards
Paul

Oh and the question in the tittled thread, definately Ceara above Rio Grande do Norte for me!

You can stay at Pestana (Pestana Bahia - Hotel de luxo em Salvador da Bahia Brasil ideal para lazer ou negócios) which is in Rio Vermhelho and in the middle of everything (for Salvador). Every room has an incredible ocean view. You can be nearly anywhere in 20-25 mins. by taxi from there (which is saying a lot for Salvador....it's huge). It will cost you around 220-240 reais per night at this time of the year and although old, a very nice hotel and accomodations.

Salvador is a city in which someone needs at least a week to get to know just "a little" and get the "feel".

I think you will enjoy!