It is part of the beautiful scenery that impresses those who are arriving in Pipa, on the coast south of Natal. From the height of its cliffs, it is the first postcard of the famous destination, with a beach very blue, full of coconut palms and nearly wild. From high on the chapadão, the road that connects Tibau do Sul with Pipa, hotels, inns and restaurants. On the beach, only the intimacy of the sea, which is enjoyed after descending 30 meters, by the staircases accessed from the hotels.

It is the beach of Madeiro, limited by two rock formations advanced into the ocean, known as the tips (pontas) of Madeiro and Madeirinho, between the beaches of Cacimbinhas and Enseada dos Golfinhos. Because of the cliffs and the small space that separates them from the sea, there are no fishermen or summer houses. Only small structures of the hotels, with 'barzinho' and chairs to serve their guests.

The beach of Madeiro must have been one of the first places the potiguar coast to receive foreigners. Unlike what happens today, they were not tourists, but French and Dutch pirates and adventurers in search of 'pau brasil'. Between the XVI and XVII centuries, when Brazil began to exist and had a large reserve of native forest, known today as the Atlantic Forest, the foreign boats anchored in the great inlet in search of riches.

The movement was so intense, with business between the French and indigenous, that the beach became known as the beach of Madeira. Unfortunately, the 'pau brasil', giving rise to the name, is no longer found on this coast. In contrast, it has a large reserve of tertiary forest, inhabited by wild animals, small reptiles and birds, which was designed by Charles Cappeli, before the Pipa become a major tourist destination in the seventies.

Today this reservation, which occupies 80 hectares, is known as the Santuário Ecológico da Pipa. There are several trails, including the Jibóia, the Sagûi and the Peroba and the lookout points of the Old Castle (Velho Castelo), Prainha, Tartarugas and Cipó.

Access to the Santuário is allowed for tourists, upon payment of an ecological conservation fee, with the right to the consumption of mineral water. It has no service bar or restaurant. So if someone wants spend the day in touch with nature at the Santuário of Pipa, should take snacks and anything that does not require the use of fire. In the end, you have to bring back the packaging and unused food.

Also turtles can be seen during the 'preamar', in the calm water of the cove, even when not in spawning period. The best place to see them is from high points, from any viewpoint of the Santuário.

For those who enjoy the tranquility of the day and 'agitos' of the night, but without their vertiginous, the hotels on the beach Ponta do Madeiro are sought by many. They are beautiful, modern, spacious and with chalets, with balconies that are contemplates with the sea between the trees of the gardens. As they are close to Pipa, their guests can go to town for dinner, walking, dancing in nightclubs or simply walk through its night trade for shopping, and return to an environment where nothing reminds one of the 'agitos' of neighboring Pipa.