No visa required

Sojourn fee: USD 20 per day – payable at the airport upon arrival

Fernando de Noronha is a Brazilian archipelago of volcanic origin in the Atlantic Ocean, about 350 kilometers east of mainland Brazil.

The archipelago consists of a total of 13 islands, with an area of around 26 square kilometers. The main island, which bears the name of the archipelago, is also the largest and only inhabited island. Other uninhabited islands include Ilha Rata, Ilha Cabaluda, Ilha da Conceicao, Ilha de Sao Jose, Ilha do Chapeu do Nordeste, Ilha Trinta-Reis, Ilha Rasa, Ilha Chapeu do Sueste, Ilho dos Ovos, Ilha do Meio, Ilha do Lucena and Ilha do Cuscuz.

The various islands are also world-famous for their enormous populations of dolphins and sea turtles, with the Baia dos Golfinhos having the largest collection of dolphins in the world.

Because of the great biodiversity and this unique underwater world, the waters around Fernando de Noronha are considered one of the best diving areas in Brazil.

The climate of Fernando de Noronhas is tropically hot all year round, the average temperature is 28 degrees Celsius. The largest elevation in the archipelago is the Morro do Pico, at 323 meters high.

The important main island has been inhabited for around 400 years and currently has around 3,200 inhabitants, the majority of whom live in the main town of Vila dos Remedos. Fernando de Noronha is the smallest municipality in Pernambuco and at the same time the one with the highest standard of living.

Only about twenty years ago, the population lived almost exclusively from abundant fishing and large-scale agriculture. Today, however, these areas employ fewer than 100 people.

The majority of the island's population now works in the tourism sector. The island is promoted as one of the world's best places for diving. There are daily flights from the main island to the Brazilian cities of Recife and Natal.

In January 2018 I visited the beautiful island of Fernando de Noronha for the only time so far. For me it is without a doubt one of the most beautiful islands in the world. The Baia do Sancho beach and the Morro do Pico, the highest point similar to Sugar Loaf, alone are breathtaking and unique in the world.

It was actually relatively easy and inexpensive for me to get from Recife to Fernando de Noronha with the Brazilian airline “Azul”. Please note, however, that after arriving on the island, you will be charged US$20 per day for a tourist stay. In addition, all the accommodation there, such as hotels, holiday apartments or even smaller hostels, are not exactly cheap.

But in any case, Fernando de Noronha is highly recommended for a short stay or a longer vacation. The paradisiacal island is not yet flooded by so-called mass tourism, offers an impressive landscape and several postcard-like white sandy beaches that are simply amazing.