Porto de Galinhas beach, Beach destination in Ipojuca, Brazil.
Porto de Galinhas is a beach on the Atlantic coast of Pernambuco, south of Recife, known for its natural tidal pools formed among coral reefs. The sand is light and fine, the water shifts from green to turquoise, and at low tide shallow protected areas form where visitors can safely stand and swim.
The beach was first called Porto Rico for its Brazilwood. In the 1800s it became the main landing point for enslaved Africans smuggled into northeastern Brazil after the traffic was banned; they arrived hidden under crates of guinea fowl, and the signal "tem galinha nova no porto" gave the beach its name. Ipojuca municipality was created on 12 November 1895. Tourism took over from the early 1990s, and since 2014 access to the reef pools has been regulated.
Fishermen take travelers out to the reef pools on traditional jangadas, flat wooden rafts balanced on bamboo logs, used for swimming and snorkeling trips. The craft have changed little over generations and remain part of everyday coastal life, as locals continue to rely on them for work and subsistence.
The pools are best accessed at low tide, so checking tide times in advance helps visitors experience the water at its calmest. Water shoes are helpful, as some areas can be uneven or rocky, especially when wading to deeper pools.
The reef is registered by Brazil's Geological Service as the geosite "Arrecifes de arenisca y corales de Porto de Galinhas", of national relevance. It covers about 260,000 square metres with an average thickness of five metres. At low tide a narrow sandstone strip runs parallel to the coast, while most of the reef stays submerged and colonised by corals and algae.
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