When the first tourists started to discover the beauties of the potiguar coast, in the 1970's , a detached beach started to attract the attention and preference of the visitors for its beautiful appearance and an extra attraction: the dolphins. It was Tabatinga or Barra de Tabatinga, a community that, although it was situated well next to the sea, lived more by subsistence agriculture. Its location, on top of falésias, made it difficult for contact with the sea. But, in compensation, all enjoyed a fabulous natural view envied by those to who faced the scarps and difficult roads, from the beach of Pirangi do Sul.

A small chapel, dedicated to Nossa Senhora de Fátima, the padroeira of the place, surrounded by houses and small farms and for some tourist attractions, is the central panorama of the village. Imagine a place with heights of 30 - 50 meters and where to the left you see a great cove, and to the right a point with falésias covered by native trees. And in front a sea that is between green and blue and where occurs a show of dolphins. Nobody knows when they had chosen the tranquillity and the peace of the beach of Tabatinga to live. The oldest disclose that their parents and grandmothers state that they always had been there.

The first commitment of those who arrive at Tabatinga is if to go direct to the Mirante dos Golfinhos (Dolphins). There are installed bars and restaurants, where one can enjoy a coconut water, refrigerant or beer, having as an aperitif the sea. In the start of the 1970's it was only an abandoned area and where the natives saw the beach from above, a landscape that was common for them and that only started to be valued with the presence of tourists.

The mirante is a permanent invitation for contemplation. It has a protective railing and seats for who desire a better contact with nature. The show of the dolphins does not have a certain hour to start nor to finish. They are the true owners of the cove and play in a calm sea, where the presence of boats, of fishermen or swimmers is rare.

The origin of the name, Tabatinga, is explained by the type of land integrated to the falésia and that it is very common on the potiguar coast. Now, the reason of the inclusion of the word "bar (or barra)" is not known the, since that describes a place where a river empties in the sea. No river exists here. Barra de Tabatinga belongs to the municipality of Nísia Forest and its access is by the Rota do Sol, asphalted, from Natal, or by a state highway that binds the coast to the city of Nísia Forest.