Crossing the Manguaba
The road turns south, reaching the Rio Manguaba ferry around midday. The crossing marks a real threshold: north of the river is the tourist corridor around Maragogi; south of it, in Porto de Pedras (its own municipality since 1921), the coast turns markedly quieter, a small lighthouse marking the river mouth as the ferry arrives.
Lunch follows at Restaurante da Marinete, a straightforward, locally run seafood spot. Afterward, the drive passes through a short stretch of road arched over by trees, locally called the Túnel Verde — a quick scenic interruption rather than a stop worth lingering at.