Fernando de Noronha

Fernando de Noronha is a small volcanic archipelago some 350 kilometres off Brazil's northeast coast, and it is widely considered the country's most beautiful place in the sea, a World Heritage Site protected as a marine national park. Its beaches, above all Baía do Sancho, repeatedly rank among the best in the world: crescents of pale sand below cliffs, reached by ladders down the rock, with impossibly clear turquoise water. Beneath the surface the visibility is exceptional and the diving among the finest in the Atlantic, over reefs, wrecks and past turtles, rays and reef sharks. A bay of spinner dolphins gathers here in numbers seen almost nowhere else. To protect all this the island caps how many people can be present at once and charges conservation fees, which keeps it pristine and expensive.

What you actually see

• Baía do Sancho - the cliff-backed beach regularly rated among the world's best.
• Diving and snorkelling - exceptional visibility over reefs, wrecks and marine life.
• Baía dos Golfinhos - the bay where spinner dolphins gather in the mornings.
• The viewpoints and trails - Morro do Pico and coastal paths across the protected island.

When to go

The island is warm year-round; roughly August to December brings the calmest, clearest water for diving, while the first months of the year are wetter with bigger surf on some beaches. Access and numbers are capped, so flights and lodging must be booked well ahead.

Honest expectations

It is expensive and tightly controlled: conservation fees stack up, flights and accommodation are costly, and the daily visitor cap means booking far in advance. Some beaches and sites are closed or restricted to protect wildlife, and access to Sancho is via ladders down a cliff. This is deliberate, keeping the archipelago beautiful, but it is not a budget or spontaneous destination.

Nearby

The archipelago is self-contained; the mainland gateways are Recife and Natal by air.