Fernando de Noronha Marine National Park

Fernando de Noronha Marine National Park

Fernando de Noronha Marine National Park
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4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles1,183 reviews
Excellent
921
Very good
177
Average
58
Poor
16
Terrible
11

Steve Cornforth
Liverpool, UK47 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Couples
This small island I about a 2.5 hour flight from Recife. All i can ay is that it is an island paradise. We started our trip with an island tour. This was excellent and our guide took us to Sancho Beach - according to some it is the best in the world! We also took in the two Brothers, Bay of Pigs and others. Our house was right on Conceicao Beach which is stunning. I would say that the island is a bit more commercialized than I expected. We thought that we ight struggle to use cards and took too much cash with us. In fact everywhere accepted cards - even the beach bars. A must visit!!
Written October 29, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Thiago_Malagueta
Recife, PE162 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2022
One of the best places to be in the world!
If you love beaches and sea life you need to come and enjoy hours snorkleing at Noronha beaches. Experience you will enjoy for life! All kinds of colourfull fishes, turtles, sharks... just snorkeling!!
I really recomend 4 /5 nights at island, and remember to turn off cell! The internet is not good anyway!
Written January 21, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Gypsgris
Poughkeepsie, NY470 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2014 • Friends
Some of the views on this island are stunningly beautiful and the island definitely merits a visit even coming from Europe or North America. However helpful information on the island is difficult to come by and often misleading. So here are some tips: 1. Get your island documents before you arrive on the island or you will lose time at the airport. 2. When you have checked in to your pousada, go and get your IBAMA pass (BRL160 not 1500). It’s expensive but the IBAMA facilities are very well kept and worth it. There are no private beaches as some claim. 3. Book your visit to Atalaia beach as soon as you can. Your pousada may help you with making the reservation. We missed out on this because we didn't do it early enough. 4. You'll need transportation so rent a buggy. Do not rent on-line! It’s a rip-off. There are plenty of buggies on the island at 2/3 the price of the on-line choice. Test drive the buggy!!! Particularly check the breaks and the gear box. I rented from 2 different agencies. Gear box in both buggies was bad! 5. Buggies are delivered with very little gas. You need to drive to the gas station near the harbor and are supposed to fill it up. Don’t! People will tell you that you need 10 to 12 liter per day. Not true, except maybe if you do nothing but driving. I got 8 liter for 2 days and it was plenty including much driving. 6. The unpaved roads are horrible but the buggies can handle them. Just drive slowly. 7. Food is expensive but you can get sandwiches for lunch either at IBAMA park shops or markets. This allows you also to stay outside longer. 8. Some people will tell you that you need a guide for everything, e.g. to enter the park. Not true! You can drive in with your buggy. Just follow the rules. We had one guy tell us we couldn't enter and then he hung around to see what we were doing. He wasn't a ranger. We drove away and came back another time. No problem with entering then. Sometimes it's better not to ask questions. 9. The best beach is Praia do Sancho. Go there first but you must have the IBAMA pass. Don't forget to walk to the fort near this beach. The view is spectacular. Also walking to the dolphins bay along the outside path is well worth it for the views. 10. The other beaches all have their charm, too. So try all you can. The forts are also worth visiting. 11. Much on the island is on island time. Your waiter in particular. This seems to be true for tours as well. The dinner cruise was supposed to start at 3pm but just before the pick-up time our pousada informed us that it was moved to 4pm. Just relax - best with a caipirinha (we brought a good cachaca from the mainland). 12. Speaking of cruises: all will stop somewhere to allow you to go swimming. We didn't know and didn't have our bathing suits with us.
All the hassles and issues will be forgotten when you come back. The island is that beautiful!
Written September 6, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Fabiano M
Byron Bay, Australia48 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2013 • Couples
I´ve just come back from a trip to Fernando de Noronha in Brazil and I´m really disappointed for many reasons:

1- Paved and dirt roads are in very poor conditions with many holes
2- Rubbish everywhere on the island, including the marine national park where there are horses roaming, grazing and destroying the terrestrial vegetation
3- Boipeba Island is the best and cheapest. Fernando de Noronha is far from being the best diving spot in Brazil.
4- People hardly speak English and are obsessed with money. As soon as they realize you are a foreigner you may be deceived if you trust too much.
5- Bad condition of historical monuments. They are nearly destroyed.
6- The administration of the park does not seem to be concerned about sustainability since water comes mostly from desalinization and energy comes fossil fuels
I´ve got pictures of everything I said and I can show you in case you´re interested. Therefore if you want to visit beautiful islands and beaches in Brazil the places I would strongly suggest are: Boipeba, Morro de São Paulo, Praia do Espelho and São Miguel dos Milagres. Stay away from Fernando de Noronha. You might get frustrated otherwise.
Written December 21, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

veroa1401
Montevideo, Uruguay17 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2017 • Family
First, you have to pay to enter the island, then to enter the national park within the island, and we are talking hundreds of dollars per head. Accommodations are not too expensive but the rest is: food, diving, car rentals....
It might be the best diving spot. In Brazil, but it is still a poor one, with not much at all to see despite the good visibility.
Not worth a visit and the money in my view.
Written September 30, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

planettracey
Tweed Heads, Australia66 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2016 • Friends
We are 2 Australians traveling around Brazil over the last 2 months. We would often ask our Brazilian friends where they recommend us to visit in this large awesome country.
They all suggested Fernando & said that most Brazilians want to visit but unfortunately most won't get a chance. The number 1 Brazilian beach is here, so of course they want to see it!

We shopped around for flights & got a reasonable deal with Azul. A quick hour flight from Natal & we had arrived!

Our accommodation option was Airbnb-Casa Guedes, which was a shared house in the most central part of the island "walking distance" to markets, bars, restaurants, bus stop, some beaches & we highly recommend it. Our host Isaac supplied airport transfers, orientation if the island tour & a friendly catch-up every evening to make sure we were all good.

Transport options are:
1. island circle local bus R$5 from 0700-2300 hours.
2.You can walk & follow the signs/map.
3. hire dune buggies (we didn't take this option).

What are the other costs??
1. Environmental protection R$31.11 per person per night payable on arrival (credit or cash)
- Don't loose the forms as you need to present them to the office at the airport on departure.

2. National park fees for foreigners were R$198pp if you want to be able to access all areas of the island.
-office hours:the one in the main "downtown " kiosk is only open from 1600-2100 hours the others are from 0800 hours.

As we had a self contained house we prepared most meals. The markets are around the same price for items which are limited due to freight requirements from the mainland. Of course the prices are elevated but not ridiculously overpriced. The restaurants we visited were:
-the Tapioca Ria bar opposite the main church ran by Alexander & his wife "the best in Brazil".
-The upmarket Varanda Restaurant had lovely food & service (priced accordingly)
-Gemais at Praia do Boldo had a great relaxed feel & we loved the fish wrapped in banana leaves.

Treks require a guide & preplanning if you want to trek/swim at Atalaia (book on the website). Be aware when swimming as the swells are strong & the sun is extremely hot so suggesting that you would need factor 50 sunscreen wouldn't be an exaggeration.

We had 5 days that we're easily filled with activities & we highly recommend you plan a visit to this island.

Something to note is the flights from Natal are cheaper but the airport is so far out of the city it costs approximately R$110 from the bridge. We recommend looking at another airport or factoring in the extra cost.

Enjoy yet another part of Brilliant Brazil.
Written November 30, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Poleinahole
Switzerland2,439 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2015 • Couples
I have set the world record for scuba diving in the most countries (140 to date) and was disappointed by the diving here. Viz was not great. I dove with Atlantis which had great boats but the guides needed a vacation (surly) and they only allowed 30 minutes between dives so it was very rushed. We enjoyed the experience so little, we actually cut some diving days. Yes, you see one or two sharks, some lobster, sting rays, a turtle and schools of barracuda but there is no reef or color. It's either volcanic or sand interspersed by sea weed. I must say the sea weed is the nicest I've seen anywhere with gorgeous greens, yellow and red. I kept thinking that a fashion designer would win prizes if s/he could make clothes with material that looked like that. I spent more time looking at the seaweed than anything else.

There are far, far better places to dive (Indonesia, Solomon Islands). If you want a quiet beach vacation swimming with turtles and with lemurs knocking on your beach side bungalow go to Mayotte. The extreme cost of getting here and prices on the island and all the taxes and fees they extort without putting back into the infrastructure on the island (like the roads) is obscene.

In Brazil, we preferred our dives in Bonito even though they were in rivers and underwater abysses.
Written January 25, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jana A
Vienna, Austria110 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2014 • Friends
As far as I planned a trip to Brazil and have read that Fernando do Noronha has the most beautiful beaches in the world, I included the island in my travel plans. And I was disapointed as far as there are nice beaches but it is not realistic to stay on them longer than half an hour (there is no civilisation and the sun is going to fry you brain out of your head, you cannot swimm as far as the waves are too high, the sea is too rough). Is it better than Hawaii? No way!!!! The accomodation on Fernando do Noronha is basic for a price of a five star hotel, everything is 3 times more expensive than on mainland. You must be an absolute nature enthusiast and a little masochistic to be fond of this island. For me the worst was the brutal heat and sun - remember you are almost on equator.
Written October 23, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sommerstar
Bath, UK99 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2017 • Couples
Firstly it is expensive, double what you pay in mainland Brazil for everything and accommodation and eating out are no great shakes so not great value.
Secondly be organized. It matters when you go. Tides, swell and visibility can make or break your trip. Some beaches are only accessible at low tide and snorkelling can be better at low or high tide depending on the beach. You need to book in advance for Atalaia beach for your 30min (low tide) snorkelling spot- up to 5 days in advance.
When we were there we saw a few turtles and some tropical fish at Sueste Beach but the swell was high and waves were strong, visibility about one metre so it was hard work. Sueste Beach was our favourite and you can hire all the gear when you get there.
Thirdly it matters where you stay. We had a nicely located Pousada at Boldro Beach but nowhere to eat out within walking distance.We hired a buggy (expensive) but it was in such bad repair it was difficult to drive and frankly dangerous esp at night. If you stay in the heart of the town there are plenty of (overpriced) restaurants to choose from (and walk to).
To see the dolphins we got to the cliff above the bay at 6am and saw 100's but they are a long way away. We went on a boat trip and we were told there was a 99.9 % chance of seeing them. Well, we were the 00.01% and saw none.
Oh, and you need to pay for everything in cash. Brazil doesn't make tourism easy for foreigners
Don't get your hopes up.
Written December 5, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

cd6662015
London, UK12 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2015 • Couples
Firstly let me tell you Fernando is beautiful. We wanted to end our 3 week honeymoon trip in Argentina/Brazil with a few days on a beach and were recommended here. It really is lovely. Im sure you will see many many review on here that tell you such and I would agree with all of them.

However, I do have a couple of words of caution. If you are looking for one of those perfectly manicured, immaculate islands then you may be disappointed. The island is mostly a reserve and so is much more rugged than I expected. It basically looks as though they have said “OK we have this island in the middle of the ocean with some lovely coastline. Let’s just leave it to its own devices and see how it grows and changes.” As a result it feels very natural and does not feel as though you are on a massive resort as I can image many other places can. Just be aware though that the most beautiful time of year will not be in peak season. We travelled in January and found the island to be very dry with much of the plant life in transition and the scenery looking pretty brown. Though it is still gorgeous.

Also it is pretty expensive. You must pay a tax when you arrive the amount of which is dependant on your length of stay. Then you have to buy a national park pass to allow you into certain sections of the island. The taxis arrive in only 2-3 mins when ordered but are expensive for the distance they will take you. Food is a little expensive too but is to be expected on such a remote island. However, I am focussing on relatively small things here. We were very very happy to have been to Fernando and to have chosen it to spend our final few relaxing days here before we returned to Blightly

You may wish to consider taking your driving licence and renting one of the island buggies as well. Just trust yourself navigation skills. You will often think “It can’t be this way. This is just a bumpy old track that is likely leading nowhere”. In all likelihood it IS almost certainly the right way, so keep at it! I would suggest renting one for a day and just travelling around and visiting all the beaches. Then on your other days just take a taxi to wherever you want to go. When you arrive at a beach you can usually arrange for the driver to come back and pick you up at a certain time again to take you somewhere else. This means you don’t have to worry about finding someone locally with a phone that can call you a taxi.

Finally, I would also like to make one massive recommendation. There is a bar call Bar de Meio down on Meio beach. Go for the sunset. We stumbled across it one day and returned on our final evening. We took one of their ‘beds’ for 50 Real relaxed listening to some of their chilled out music, drank caprinias of a variety of flavours and watched the sun go down behind the rock. One of the most wonderful memorable evenings of our entire trip.

I hope you find this all helpful.
Written April 27, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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