Fernando de Noronha is a volcanic archipelago about 350 kilometers off Brazil’s northeast coast. It’s named after its largest island, a protected national marine park and ecological sanctuary with a jagged coastline and diverse ecosystems.
The Fernando de Noronha islands are the peaks of an underwater volcanic mountain range. It rises 4,000 feet from the ocean floor, about 300 miles off the state of Pernambuco and the northeast coast of Brazil.
The Fernando de Noronha archipelago is divided into two conservation units, the National Marine Reserve and the Environmental Protected Area, with its own preservation rules for environmental preservation with sustainable development.
Because the reefs of the South Atlantic are isolated from the Caribbean by the outflow of the Orinoco and Amazon rivers, the reef communities are very different from many endemic species.
Why Visit Fernando de Noronha?
The archipelago of Fernando de Noronha contains 21 islands and it is a paradise and was declared a Natural World Heritage Site by Unesco. In order for the nature of the islands to be preserved, the number of visitors is limited. There is a maximum number of 460 visitors allowed on the island. Visitors also pay an Environmental Preservation Tax that increases progressively with the length of the visit.
Travelers can enjoy golden sands, crystal clear waters, and marine life. Some of the most beautiful beaches of Brazil and the world, such as the beaches Praia dos Porcos, Praia dos Leões, and Baía do Sancho. Baía do Sancho has been selected twice as the best beach of the planet by the Traveller’s Choice Awards of TripAdvisor.
Photo credit: Paulo Henrique / Wikipedia
If you are looking for the best place for diving, you can find it at Noronha – you can observe its splendid marine life of corals, dolphins, turtles, and sharks. You may practice scuba diving with certified local instructors. For those you like surfing, the best months are between December and enjoy waves reaching up to 5 meters.
Some of the migrating birds include the black noddy, sooty tern, red-footed booby, and frigatebird.
Here you’ll find the highest concentration of dolphins in the world. More than 99.99% of the dolphins found around the Archipelago of Fernando de Noronha belong to the spinner dolphin species, Stenella longirostris, from the Delphinidae Family.
Photo credit: Rosanetur / Flickr
The sunsets on Noronha are magnificent due to the lack of air pollution. One of the best places you can enjoy and relax watching the sunset is Boldro beach.
There are plenty of activities on the island including options of ecological trails, boat tours for observing dolphins, visits to Museu do Tubarão and Parque Nacional Marinho or the Tamar project, which helps to preserve endangered sea turtles.
The number of inhabitants is restricted to around 2000. Most of the population works in the hospitality industry, catering to the visitors of the island, which includes food and accommodation, diving, snorkeling, and other water sports instruction and equipment rental and private transportation.
Don’t forget insect repellent, high protection sunscreen, first aid kit, basic medicines, and a plug adapter.
Want to learn more about other sustainable destination? Check out section sustainable travel destinations.
