A Lagoon coast had its entire region listed by the municipality as a Cultural Preservation Area.
The place is considered one of the last strongholds of Azorean culture, with a nucleus of fishermen and lacemakers who still live like their ancestors.
This is made possible mainly by the difficult access. To get to the coast there are four options. The first is to catch a whaleboat in the Transport Services warehouse (waterway public transport), next to the bridge in the center of Conceição Lagoon. From there, it's a 40-minute walk along the left bank.
The second option is to take a whaling boat at the pier inside the Ecological Park of Red River. Access to this warehouse is via a dirt road across the main road. From the pier it is only a 10-minute walk, this time crossing the Lagoon.
Third and fourth option are for sportsmen. There are two trail options where you can reach Costa da Lagoa walking through the Atlantic Forest. From the end of Estrada Geral do Canto dos Araçás, there are two kilometers of trail, mostly flat, passing through the preserved forest.
Another possible way to get there is from Canto do Moreira, in Ratones, going up the hill in a journey of approximately 90 minutes. These last two options are also the most cultural, as they pass through several villages and the old flour mills, preserved to be a tourist attraction. For more information about the trail, visit the Trails Guide.
Whichever way you go, the final destination is the center of Costa da Lagoa and the main attraction is the many homemade restaurants. With dishes based on seafood, most of them are village women cooking what the men caught. With no luxury infrastructure, with ingredients that have not been commercialized and family labor, the price of meals is quite affordable.
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Another attraction of Costa da Lagoa is the waterfall, which is close to the village. The icy water refreshes visitors on warmer days. But don't be surprised if, in the season of little rain, it has little water.
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