Summer News in Natal, Brazil

My favorite Northeast city in Brazil is Natal. It has a safe atmosphere, stunning beaches -- and 300 days of sunshine a year. This wind-swept gem on the easternmost corner of continental South America has some exciting news for travelers, just in time for the Brazilian summer. Ponte de Todos, the largest cable-stayed bridge in the country, officially opened to traffic last month, greatly facilitating access over the Potengi River to one of the area’s top attractions: the Genipabu sand dunes, which formerly could only be reached by a much smaller bridge.

Also new: the Ponta Negra Beach Hotel, which opened this year. Besides offering great suites for families, the hotel is the perfect choice for travelers who would rather pass up the many resorts on the beautiful Coastal Highway to the south just so they can be a stone's throw from the restaurants, bars, and nightlife of Alto de Ponta Negra, Natal’s liveliest neighborhood.

Photo of Genipabu Sand Dunes ©2007 by F. H. Molina - flickr.com