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.
Costa Rica is a beacon for sustainability and environmentally friendly tourism. Sustainable tourism, eco-friendly travel, green hotels, responsible tourism – you can find it all in Costa Rica.
The country has become an example for the world with nearly 30% of its land protected. Visiting national parks is a great way to enjoy some of Costa Rica’s beauty while being sure your money is going to support something like the national park system.
Ecotourism in Costa Rica is one of the key activities of the tourism industry in the country. Ecotourism draws many tourists to visit the extensive national parks and protected areas around the country. Costa Rica was a pioneer in this type of tourism, and the country is recognized as one of the few with true ecotourism.
Almost half of all international visitors participate in ecotourism, according to The Costa Rican Tourism Institute. Ecotourism tours in Costa Rica usually are focus on great outdoors epic adventures and wildlife observation.
Here are the best vacation packages highlighting the prime locations in Costa Rica.
Arenas del Mar Beach & Nature Resort is bringing the two concepts closer together — Sustainability and Luxury. This a 38-room resort with a beachfront is located within an 11-acre private nature reserve overlooking Manuel Antonio National Park. This was the first luxury hotel to receive the Five Sustainability Leaf Award in Costa Rica. Arenas del Mar has led the way in the area of using sustainability and is a carbon-neutral practice.
Some of the sustainable practices at Arenas Del Mar include chlorine-free pool water, solar-heated water, underground electricity systems that do not affect nearby wildlife, use of electric cars, low-flow toilets, energy-efficient lighting, recycling and composting, and the use of recycled materials and soap produced at the hotel from leftover cooking oil from the kitchen. Other eco-friendly amenities include in the resort routine are the use of organic and biodegradable personal care products, complimentary reusable water bottles, and organic coffee.
At Arenas Del Mar get rid of all plastic water bottles from our resort. You’ll have access to two beautiful beaches, Playitas Beach and Espadilla Beach.
It’s within walking distance from the most renowned national reserve, Manuel Antonio National Reserve. You can check their Sustainability Tours at any one of their hotels and lodges and explore the wildlife and jungle that surrounds this ocean property will take you on an exotic tropical journey.
Costa Rica is world-renowned for its canopy tours, also known as zip-lines. Ziplining is one of the best ways to experience the country’s lush and thriving forests. these tours offer travelers a unique chance to experience the rainforest as never before.
Many of Costa Rica’s national parks offer canopy tours, among the most popular, are in Arenal, Monteverde and Manuel Antonio.
Imagine sailing through the treetops hundreds of meters in the air with a chance to spot some of the country’s diverse wildlife. Don’t worry, safety is a top priority. With nearly a quarter of the land covered with rainforests, there are dozens of family-friendly locations and companies to take you on this thrilling adventure.
Costa Rica nation’s environmental services payment program established in 1997 to support property owners who leave the forest untouched.
It isn’t hard to find a hotel or lodge with zip line activities available on-site!
Explore Local Farms
The National Program of Organic Agriculture (PNAO) promotes the development of organic agriculture in Costa Rica. In 2000, more than 3,500 organic producers were registered with certification agencies, and in 2003 that number increased 13% to nearly 4,000.
A tour around Costa Rica’s organic farms is one of the best ways to enjoy local fare and learn about how the nation produces its fresh ingredients and best practices from local farmers. These tours provide a chance to learn about organic farming and make visitors think twice about where their food comes from. There are many eco-lodges and resorts that have their own organic farms where guests can volunteer. This is a perfect opportunity for adventurers who want to learn more about local farming while enjoying their stay in Costa Rica
Take the El Trapiche Sugar Mill Day Tour and explore the plantations in Monteverde.
Visits the Volcanoes
Costa Rica has over 60 volcanoes but only six of them are active. The Arenal volcano has been considered as one of the best places to explore in Costa Rica. It is Costa Rica’s largest and most recognized volcano with its natural volcanic-fed thermal springs, waterfalls, Lake Arenal – Costa Rica’s largest lake, and a rich ecosystem of exotic wildlife.
Some tours combine several activities into one action-packed, fun-filled day like canopy tours, waterfall rappelling, mountain bike rides, rafting trips.
You can join an offer private luxury SUV with a private tour guide/driver and explore some of the areas around volcanoes.
Costa Rica volcano tours is an amazing destination for adventure vacations that include climbing, exploring and just marveling at the sight of volcanoes.
The resort offers plenty of activities, pools, spas and restaurants on-site and it is close to nature trails, beaches and the ocean.
It is spread on 12 acres of rainforest just minutes from the country’s best beaches and the little, lovely Manuel Antonio National Park. Parador Resort & Spa is an award-winning full-service resort that proudly is offering responsible luxury.
It takes big participation in reforestation and beach clean-up programs, composting and recycling, energy and water saver programs, use of rainwater and biodegradable soaps and detergents.
The Veragua Rainforest Research & Adventure Park is a worldwide model for tourist attractions in terms of conservation, research, and sustainability.
The province of Limón provides amazing national parks, whitewater rafting and pristine beaches with nice surf. The Research & Adventure Park is located only 40 minutes from the Caribbean town of Limón. The park includes among other attractions, the largest indoor nocturnal frog exhibit in the world, butterfly garden, reptile vivarium, hummingbird garden.
How to travel eco-sustainably
Avoid bottled water Travel with sustainable, eco-friendly or fairtrade travel agencies Reduce consumption of meat Use eco-friendly products Book eco-friendly accommodations Support local economies
Questions to ask when booking ecotourism tours
One of the first things you can check to be sure you are supporting local community is if the majority of employees are local?
Ask the tour guides and operators what sort of training or licenses do they have?
How does the tour operator reduce its impact of plastic waste?
Do they guarantee animal sightings? This should never be done as we can’t promise when wild animals will come out and say hello.
What kind of accommodations are you staying in? Are you staying at eco-friendly hotels and going on true ecotours?
Featured image photo credit: Mario André Cordero Alfaro / Flickr
Costa Rica is a small Central American country bordered to the north by Nicaragua and to the south by Panama. The country is known for its beaches, volcanoes, and biodiversity and almost a quarter of its area is made up of protected jungle.
The geography of Costa Rica makes it an ideal tourist destination. Make sure if you are using insect repellent that it does not contain citronella or other harmful pesticides that could hurt the local wildlife as well as if you are using sunscreen make sure it is eco-friendly.
Here are nine important things to know about transportation in Costa Rica.
Costa Rica transportation options
There are plenty of options for getting around Costa Rica – from domestic flights, private transfers, rental cars, shuttles, public buses to taxis, and trains. Each option offers varies in flexibility, budget and comfort.
Domestic Flights
For those who can afford a faster and more comfortable type of transport, there are local airlines that offer domestic flights to several Costa Rica destinations.
Costa Rica has several domestic airlines AeroBell, Nature Air, Paradise Air and Sansa, offering daily flights to many major tourist destinations.
There are 48 main airports, only 4 being international. Airline costs in Costa Rica are pretty reasonable.
If you plan to fly domestically in Costa Rica, keep in mind that you’ll be flying on small planes and luggage weight limits are strictly enforced, expect bumpy flights and schedule change.
Renting a Car
Many of these cars are 4×4 and used throughout the country.
Most of the tourists are using public transportation while exploring the Metropolitan Area and then rent a car when heading out to the countryside.
Car rentals are good for couples and families who want to see a lot of the country and don’t mind driving
Renting a car it is a great way if you want the flexibility of exploring the natural beauty of the country in-depth, stopping to take pictures and settling down at any roadside restaurant you come across. Rent a car only if you feel comfortable driving in a foreign country.
Renting a car in Costa Rica can be a bit expensive. Rentals cost between $41 and $160 a day.
Costa Rica has a well established public bus system and it is often compared to the best in Central America with routes throughout the entire country.
Taking the public bus is incredibly cheap, but it is not always the most comfortable.
A bus service is a good option for budget travelers, backpackers, couples and small groups traveling on a tight budget and want to meet locals, however, they can get very crowded. Luggage space is also limited in most public buses.
Taxis & Uber
Uber is legal in Costa Rica, but the government doesn’t like it so use the service with caution. Uber tends to be about half the price of taxis.
Costa Rica’s official taxi services are red and orange if they are airport taxis. All authorized taxis must have a meter and make sure it is turned on when entering the vehicle. You can find plenty of taxis in towns and cities city, with the exception of car-free communities like Tortuguero. Unfortunately, you can still find unlicensed taxi services. You can easily distinguish the official taxis by looking for a yellow triangle with a code in black on the vehicle’s side door.
Taxis are cost-efficient and reliable, but you should understand how they work before using one. If a pirate taxi gets caught carrying a passenger, he or she could get fined. You do not have to tip the driver.
Accessible taxis or an SUV or a van are available upon request.
Trains are a great option for adventurous. They are fast and cheap. A private company – AmericaTravel – organizes occasional weekend tourist trains from San José to Caldera.
There are currently two major railways in Costa Rica: The San Jose Light Railway and the Tico Train Tour.
Unfortunately, much of the railway system requires major repairs.
The railways are very cost-effective especially for traveling within the Central part of the country but may not be a good choice for other parts of the country. You can always take a train to a major city and then take a taxi to your final destination.
Shuttle Services
Shuttle service is a shared transport alternative on a minibus or coaster. This is a good option for people traveling in small groups.
They operate daily between popular destinations across the country. Shuttles must be booked in advance.
Private Transfers
Private transportation is the safest and most convenient way to get around Costa Rica. It is flexible and it can be planned to and from anywhere in the country. This service can be customized to fit your travel needs.
Private transfer rates are often cheaper than those of a taxi.
Boats / Ferries
Costa Rica has destinations that can be reached only by water using a ferry or boat.
The other time you will need to take a boat is if you are going to Tortuguero.
If you are exploring beach towns or other coastal places bikes, ATVs or scooters are available to rent.
Horseback Riding is a Good Option
Horses have always been a part of Costa Rican culture. It can be a very pleasant way to get around Costa Rica. Going on a horseback riding tour will offer you a cultural experience as well as an enjoyable one. You can ride through an untouched rainforest trail and spot howler monkeys, sloths and scarlet macaws, or you can trot along the sandy shorelines while enjoying a stunning sunset view.
When riding, make sure to wear eco-friendly sun protection, closed shoes and long pants.
