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Lisbon to Fernando de Noronha

Lisbon → Recife → Fernando de Noronha

Recife
"Antonio_Vaz_island_-_Recife,_Pernambuco,_Brazil_(cropped).jpg" by Portal da Copa/ME, CC BY 3.0 br, via Wikimedia Commons· licence
Antonio Vaz island - Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil (cropped) (Recife)
Photo: Portal da Copa/ME, CC BY 3.0 br, via Wikimedia Commons

Protected island, dolphins & beaches Best season (general guide): Aug–Jan

Fernando de Noronha is a small group of volcanic islands off north-east Brazil, protected as a marine park and listed by UNESCO. Visitor numbers are limited, which keeps it quiet and clean. This route spends one night in Recife and five on Noronha. From Lisbon there are flights to Recife, then a short flight to the island.

How to pace it: Spend day one in Recife: arrive and settle in. Then spend days two to six in Fernando de Noronha: day two, fly to Noronha, then the village; day three, Baía do Sancho; day four, dolphin viewpoint at dawn; day five, snorkel and dive; day six, boat around the island.

Recife, on the mainland, is a coastal city with a historic centre, and nearby Olinda is a colonial town on a hill. Noronha's beaches are among the most beautiful in Brazil. Baía do Sancho is reached by steps down a cliff. The twin peaks of Morro Dois Irmãos rise above the sea. The island is known for spinner dolphins, which gather in a bay in the early morning, seen from a viewpoint above. Diving and snorkelling reveal turtles, reef fish and rays.

Visitors pay an environmental fee for each day on the island, and the national park has its own access rules for some beaches and trails, so book ahead. August to January is the drier time. The rainy season usually runs from March to July. On Noronha, rise early for the dolphin viewpoint and the quieter beaches, and take the afternoon slowly. Many trails and beaches have limits on visitors, so book them through the park office as soon as you arrive.

Pack light clothes, sunscreen and a hat.

Good to know: Accommodation is limited and in demand, so book well ahead. Bring cash, a reef-safe sunscreen and a mask and snorkel.

Leave the main village for at least one sunset at a western beach, and take a torch for the walk back after dark. Reef shoes help on rocky entries.

Suggested outline

  1. Lisbon

    Start

  2. Recife

    By air · 1 night suggested

    A coastal city and the usual gateway to the islands.

  3. Fernando de Noronha

    By air · 5 nights suggested

    A protected island of beaches, clear water and spinner dolphins.

    Fernando de Noronha
    "EDUARDO_MURUCI_-_BAIA_DOS_PORCOS-(recorte).jpg" by Eduardo Muruci, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons· licence

Day by day

  1. Day 1 · Recife — Arrive in Recife· Lisbon → Recife (by air)
  2. Day 2 · Fernando de Noronha — Fly to Noronha; the village· Recife → Fernando de Noronha (by air)
  3. Day 3 · Fernando de Noronha — Baía do Sancho
  4. Day 4 · Fernando de Noronha — Dolphin viewpoint at dawn
  5. Day 5 · Fernando de Noronha — Snorkel and dive
  6. Day 6 · Fernando de Noronha — Boat around the island
  7. Day 7 · Fernando de Noronha — Travel home from Fernando de Noronha· Fernando de Noronha → Lisbon (by air)

A suggested pace only; expedition days are set by the operator.

Flights, leg by leg

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Recife

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Fernando de Noronha

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