Snorkelling
Turtles and reef fish.
Alexandre Costa — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Tadeu Pereira from São Paulo, Brazil — CC BY 2.0 · Alexandre Costa — CC BY-SA 4.0
Fernando de Noronha is a volcanic archipelago of 21 islands and rocks far out in the Atlantic, reached by air from Recife or Natal. Most of it was declared a national marine park on 14 October 1988, covering some 70 percent of the archipelago, and in 2001 UNESCO listed it with Atol das Rocas as a World Heritage Site, the Brazilian Atlantic Islands, for the wealth of turtles, dolphins and fish in its waters. The sea life here is among the richest in Brazil: sea turtles, reef fish, small sharks and dolphins, seen by snorkelling at beaches such as Sancho, Baía dos Porcos and Atalaia. To protect the islands, strict rules apply: fishing and collecting shells, coral or stones are forbidden, and visitor numbers are limited. Visiting Noronha is expensive: every visitor pays an environmental preservation fee for each day of the stay, rising progressively with its length, with children under 5 exempt. The park's beaches and trails need a separate ticket bought online. Plan ahead and book accommodation early.
Turtles and reef fish.
21 islands and rocks.
Limited visitors.
Fernando de Noronha archipelago, Pernambuco
The environmental fee is R$105.79 a day, rising with length of stay, and the marine park ticket is R$384 for foreigners, valid for ten days (2026).