Galés natural pools boat trip

Maragogi built its name on the galés: coral reef pools about 6 km out to sea that appear only at low tide, full of small fish in shallow, clear water. The main galés sit right off the Salinas Maragogi resort; boats also go to the Taocas pools in front of Maragogi beach and to Barra Grande further along, and private boats reach smaller, emptier pools. Visits are tightly controlled to protect the reef.

The usual way is a shared catamaran trip of about three hours that combines one set of pools with other tide-dependent stops such as the Caminho de Moisés sandbar or Antunes beach; a private speedboat is quicker and costs much more. Everything depends on the tide: it is worth going only when it drops below about 0.5 m, and the closer to zero the better, so check the tide table and pick your day. Wind clouds the water even on a good tide. Snorkels can be rented, and photographers with waterproof cameras work the pools and send pictures the same day.