Praia do Engenho

At the end of the 19th century, Praia do Engenho had a cachaça (pinga) mill, built and run by enslaved people on the orders of the farm owners. The remains have disappeared, but the story is still told by local residents. Better sheltered from the wind, the Baía do Engenho is used to moor the caiçara boats and, during storms, serves as a refuge for boats coming from elsewhere. The well-sheltered left corner is where the community's fishing boats are kept, and sailboats also anchor there often. In the late afternoon it is common to see the fishermen head out in their canoes to work, coming back after nightfall.

The recommended stretch to explore is the coastline along the left corner, since the formation between Almada and Engenho has little marine activity. In the morning this stretch is in the shade; as the day goes on, the sun starts to light it up and the light for exploring the route improves. Following it you reach Praia Lanço da Cavala, and experienced divers can go as far as Praia do Estaleiro and return by a trail to the Almada road. From the beach you can see, right in front and very close to the coast, Ilha dos Porcos with its own beach, and in the background, to the right, Ilha do Prumirim.

In the region, the Almada fishermen work with Projeto TAMAR: sea turtles accidentally caught in the nets are brought to the beach, weighed, measured and tagged by the technicians, and returned to the sea. Every July, the neighboring Praia da Almada hosts the Festival do Camarão, with traditional groups, music, local crafts and turtle releases by Projeto TAMAR.