Fernando de Noronha is located 545 km off the coast of Recife in the Atlantic Ocean; this beautiful
and peaceful island is part of a volcanic archipelago of 21 islands which lie 345km off the northeast
coast of Brazil, only two of them are inhabited; its area is 18.4 km² and its largest island has an
area of 16,2 km2.
Fernando de Noronha, a piece of paradise on Earth, is administered by the State of Pernambuco. The
islands are surrounded by breath taking beaches. Altogether, there are 16 beaches in the archipelago,
with crystalline waters and an exuberance of corals, dolphins, lobsters, sponges, tuna, shark, turtle,
marine mammals, marine plants and colorful tropical fish, as well as wonderfully preserved beaches and
virtually no pollution.
Also the islands are home to the largest concentration of tropical seabirds in the Western Atlantic.
Baia de Golfinhos has an exceptional population of resident dolphin and at low tide the Rocas Atoll
provides a spectacular seascape of lagoons and tidal pools crowded with fish.
Brazilian surfers come to ride the 2 meter waves (sometimes 5 meters) on the sandy beaches facing
Brazil´s Atlantic coast. The best surf beaches are Cacimba do Padre, Bode, Boldró, Conceição, and Meio.
Riding, mountain biking and walking to some of the remoter beaches are also popular.
Fernando de Noronha, Pernambuco State
The climate is tropical, with two well defined seasons: the rainy season from January to August, and
the dry season for the rest of the year. The average temperature is 28°C, with a refreshing rainy season
from February to July. The best time for diving is from April to November, when the waters are crystal
clear and the surfing season runs from December to March.
There are interesting natural rock sculptures at the Baía dos Porcos beach, a waterfall at Praia do
Sancho during the rainy season and a heavenly natural swimming pool among the rocks at Praia do Atalaia.
The Morro do Pico is the highest point on the island at 321 meters and offers a splendid view of the
archipelago, especially at sunset.
The archipelago offer good infrastructure to service tourists: bank agency, police station, post office,
tourism information office, hospital, Internet access, military police forces, a port, weather information,
hotels and inns.
The tourism is developed in a sustainable manner, offering the opportunity for a balanced encounter
between men and nature in one of the most important ecological sanctuaries, a paradise for divers, surfers
and all nature lovers of the world.
History
There are a few versions about the discovering of the island; the most accepted version is that Italian
navigator Américo Vespúcio came across Noronha in 1503, when, at service of the Portuguese King, he commanded
a fleet which explored the Brazilian coast.
Fernando de Noronha Sunset
The Portuguese took control of the islands and built a fort (Forte dos Remedios) and church which remains
of can still be seen. The island was temporarily occupied by the Dutch in the 17th century and by the French
in the 18th century.
In the 19th century, during the Military Period, the island was used to isolate political prisoners (the most
famous of which was Miguel Arraes, ex-governor of the State of Pernambuco); during this period, the forests
were cut down, to prevent prisoners from using the trees to build boats and escape.
In 1942, Noronha became Federal Territory (an area administered by the Federal Government). After the Federal
Constitution of 1988, Noronha was turned into a Distric of the State of Pernambuco; the Governor of Pernambuco
appoints a manager to Noronha.
Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001, the islands are considered key to the protection of biodiversity
and endangered species in the Southern Atlantic. They are home to the largest concentration of tropical seabirds
in the Western Atlantic and its Baia dos Golfinhos has more resident dolphins than anywhere else in the world.
This unspoiled island was declared a Marine National Park in 1988 and is now protected by IBAMA (the Brazilian
Institute for the Environment). To preserve the unspoiled environment, only 420 tourists are allowed on the
island at any one time, guaranteeing empty beaches and tranquility for the visitor at all times. All buildings
are rigorously controlled by IBAMA, fishing is also illegal, so it is difficult to find fresh seafood.