How to get from Maceió to Porto de Galinhas: van, private transfer, car and how long it takes
Day trip by van, private transfer, car or bus? Travel time, price and which one makes sense for your kind of trip.
Porto de Galinhas is about 180 km north of Maceió: up the coast on the AL-101 Norte to the Pernambuco border, then the BR-101 and the PE-060. By car, without stopping, it's 3 to 3.5 hours. With hotel pickups and a stop along the way, count on 3.5 to 4 hours by van.
Can you go and come back the same day? Yes, and that's what most people do. But the right way to go depends on one question: do you want to see Porto de Galinhas in a day, or are you continuing your trip there?
The four ways to go, in one table
| How | Price | Time | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day trip by van with a guide | R$ 150 per person (children R$ 120) | Leaves at 5 am, back in the late afternoon | Staying in Maceió and want to see Porto in a day |
| Private transfer (one way) | R$ 900 for up to 4 · R$ 1,100 for up to 6 | 3h30, at the time you choose | Moving to a hotel in Porto de Galinhas |
| Private day tour (there and back in a day) | R$ 1,000 for up to 6 | Full day, car just for your group | Family or group that wants the day at its own pace |
| Rental car or bus | Rental + fuel · bus with a change in Recife | 3 to 3.5 h by car · 6 h or more by bus | Already have a car, or have plenty of time |
Prices are from November 2026 and come from our booking system. The cards below update automatically when a price changes.
| Tour | Adult | Child | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Porto de Galinhas from Maceió | R$ 150 | R$ 120 | Sun, ter, qui, sab |
| Private transfer Maceió to Porto de Galinhas (one way) | R$ 900 /grupo | — | every day |
| Private tour from Maceió to Porto de Galinhas | R$ 1.000 /grupo | — | every day |
Prices come from our records and update automatically.
Day trip by van: Porto de Galinhas in a day
The simplest and cheapest way to see Porto de Galinhas while staying in Maceió. The van picks you up at your beachfront hotel around 5 am, a guide travels with you the whole way, and you arrive in Porto mid-morning with the day ahead of you. The return is in the late afternoon, dropping you back at the hotel.
The tour runs Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. It costs R$ 150 per adult, R$ 120 per child aged 6 to 11, and a couple pays R$ 280. That includes round-trip transport, hotel pickup and drop-off and the guide for the whole day.
What it does not include, and you choose on the spot: day use at the partner beach club (R$ 80 per person, credited back as food and drink), the "ponta a ponta" buggy ride, the raft out to the natural pools, and meals. If all you want is beach and the village, you'll spend little beyond the tour.
Porto de Galinhas from Maceió
- Air-conditioned van from your hotel
- A guide for the whole trip
- Free time in Porto de Galinhas
- R$ 150 per person
Is it worth it? If you have a week in Maceió and want to "see Porto", yes: it's a long day (out at 5 am, back after dark), but it pays off. If you only have three or four days in Maceió, think twice: Maragogi and São Miguel dos Milagres are closer and their natural pools are just as good.
Private transfer: for those staying in Porto
If your trip continues in Porto de Galinhas, the day trip is no use to you. What you need is a car that takes you and your luggage to your guesthouse. The private transfer does exactly that: it picks you up at your hotel in Maceió (or at the airport, if you're arriving) and drops you at your hotel in Porto de Galinhas, at the time you choose, any day of the week.
It costs R$ 900 for up to 4 people and R$ 1,100 for up to 6, priced per car, not per person. For a couple it's expensive. For a family of four or five, split up, it comes out close to a per-person price on shared transport, with the advantage of not depending on anyone's schedule and stopping wherever you like on the way.
The same transfer works the other way round: from Porto de Galinhas to Maceió or to Maceió airport.
Private transfer Maceió to Porto de Galinhas (one way)
- Car just for your group
- Pickup at the hotel or the airport
- Up to 4 or 6 people with luggage
- Price per car
Private day tour: Porto at your own pace
It's the day trip without the full van and without a fixed timetable. Car and driver just for your group, leaving when you want, stopping wherever you feel like (Praia dos Carneiros is on the way) and heading back when the group decides. R$ 1,000 for up to 6 people, any day of the week.
It makes sense for a family with small children, for a group of friends who want to linger at the beach club, and for anyone who simply doesn't want to get up at 4:30 am.
Private tour from Maceió to Porto de Galinhas
- Car and driver just for your group
- Leave whenever you choose
- Stop along the way if you like
- Up to 6 people
On your own: rental car and bus
By rental car, the road is good and well signposted: AL-101 Norte to Maragogi and Japaratinga, BR-101 around Barreiros, and PE-060 to Porto de Galinhas. Count on 3 to 3.5 hours without stops. The upside is stopping at Maragogi, São Miguel dos Milagres or Praia dos Carneiros on the way. The downside is that the car just sits in Porto, where almost everything is done on foot or by buggy.
By bus, there is no practical direct line from Maceió to Porto de Galinhas. The route is Maceió → Recife by intercity bus (4 to 5 hours), then another bus or a transfer to Porto (1.5 to 2 hours). With the change, the whole day is gone. It only makes sense if you have time and a very tight budget.
And from Porto de Galinhas to Maragogi?
Plenty of people do it the other way round: they stay in Porto and want to see Maragogi. That stretch is 90 km, and we run the Maragogi catamaran tour departing from Porto de Galinhas, as well as a private transfer between the two towns.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take from Maceió to Porto de Galinhas?
By car, 3 to 3.5 hours on the AL-101 Norte, BR-101 and PE-060. By van with hotel pickups, 3.5 to 4 hours. By bus, with a change in Recife, 6 hours or more.
Can I go and come back the same day?
Yes. The day trip by van leaves Maceió at 5 am and returns in the late afternoon, with about six free hours in Porto de Galinhas. It's a long day, but it's worth it.
Is there a van from Maceió to Porto de Galinhas every day?
The day trip runs Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. The private transfer and the private day tour run every day, at whatever time you choose.
Does the tour include the natural pools in Porto?
No. The raft out to the natural pools is booked on the beach, directly with the raft operators, and depends on the day's tide. The tour includes transport, hotel pickup and the guide.
Do children pay?
On the day trip, children aged 6 to 11 pay R$ 120 and babies up to 5 ride free on a lap. On the private transfer and the private tour the price is per car, so age doesn't change it.
What's the best day to go?
For the beach, any sunny day works. If the plan is the raft out to the natural pools, check the tide table: a morning low tide is best, and our tide calendar shows the good days.
What about the other days of your trip?
In Build your itinerary you pick the tours and the dates, the tide table helps you choose the right day for each one, and you pay once, with a discount for combining.
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