Fernando de Noronha’s most amazing tours
The island has so much to offer that it’s easy to spend a week here. And to be honest I was super happy to spend a full week here because the scenery is amazing! But what are the best things you can do on the island? Down below I have a list of the most fun things you can do on Fernando.
Enjoying the beaches and go snorkeling
Of course this is number one. There are so many beaches you can go to and they are all different from each other. Some have sandy beaches, others have rocks and others pebble beaches. At some beaches the water is super clear and others not so much, some places are great for snorkeling others are better for sunbathing and relaxing.
In my opinion Praia do Leao, Praia do Porto and the natural pool at Atalaia beach are the best locations to go snorkeling. At these places there is a high chance that you will see fishes and/or turtles. The water is usually very clear. The natural pool at Atalaia beach can only be enjoyed when you have purchased a trail. Read more down below at the trails section how to obtain a ticket.
You can do guided snorkeling or scuba adventures and I did that at Praia do Porto. There is a shipwreck where you can go to but the sea can be quite rough at times so it’s best if you have a guide with you, just in case. It was R$100 but the price depends on the guide. They walk around and will ask you if you are interested and you can negotiate the price.
If you didn’t bring snorkeling equipment you will be able ro rent it at most beaches.
Some beaches are inside the National Park and you need to buy a ticket to go inside. You can read more about where to buy it in the blog about all the important information about Fernando de Noronha.
Scuba diving
Of course you can also go scuba diving here. If you go, you are able to see other animals than if you go snorkeling, like the giant manta ray. There are some schools here too, in case you need to learn how to do it. There are excellent places for you to go to and you will have a marvelous time spotting all the amazing wildlife! There are many beaches where you can rent your diving equipment.
Go walking or hiking on one of the many trails
Most of the trails are not very long or hard to do. But most of these places are not accessible for people with a wheelchair and some of the trails are hard to do if you have mobility issues. Think uneven paths, rocks you need to climb over and uneven stairs to reach certain areas. You need to go to the main PIC center close to the Tamar project to get a ticket for the trails, even the free ones. You need to get a reservation as soon as you get to the island because there is a limited amount of places available.
Number of participants per day, per trail, namely:
- Atalaia Trail: 96 vacancies (divided into 6 groups)
- Trilha dos Abreus: 24 vacancies
- Morro São José: 16 vacancies
- Pontinha-Caieira: 40 vacancies*
- Capim-Açu: 40 vacancies*
*These are paid trails.
Some trails end at a beach or natural pool, so you can cool down or go snorkeling. The natural pools are supervised by a park ranger. You can only enter the natural pools without sunscreen because it can damage the wildlife inside the pool and only you are allowed to enter for 15 minutes. You can’t stand up, also to protect the plants and fishes in the pool, so you are only allowed to float.
If you want to swim in a natural pool I really like the one at Atalaia beach, I thought it was better than the pool at the end of Trilha dos Abreus.
Take a boat trip around the island
Some tours are well worth the money and in my opinion this is absolutely one of them. You will have a chance to see dolphins jump out of the water but of course you never know if they will be there. To be honest I didn’t see the dolphins and I was a bit sad about it. There was lots of rainfall before I came and the first 2 days of my stay and because of that streams of sweet water mixed with the seawater. They didn’t like it much so they were further away from the shore. But I still thought the boat trip was great. Having said that, I do have to put out a warning because you can get pretty seasick. I never experienced it before but at the end of the trip I was very happy to set foot on land again. Some people got really sick on board because the sea was very rough and that happens very often.
We left for a 4 hour boat trip on one side of the island. You can see a lot of beautiful beaches and other small islands and you will see lots of cool rock formations.
One of the best views was beach Sancho (Praia do Sancho) with the rockwall behind it. Definitely a beach you should go to!
On the boat there is music, someone who will explain (in Portuguese) a bit about the island, you can order food (or do a tour where it’s included) and on our boat there was a photographer who could take awesome pictures of you on the boat and in the water during the snorkeling stop at one of the beaches.
If the sea is rough it’s not safe to be on the boat with a wheelchair. You can sit on the sides of the boat but it’s not the most comfortable.
All boats are located at Praia do Porto.
Be active on a Hawaïan canoe trip or on one of the other boats
There are lots of other boat trips you can do. For instance the Hawaii canoe. It’s two canoes tied together with a beam in between them. I loved this trip because I met some lovely people and we went close by the Lions cave. If the wind is blowing you can hear a roar through the cave. Very cool!
After an hour of paddling we could go out into the water to snorkel a bit and I saw 2 sharks there. They weren’t very big but still very impressive to see.
There are some other boats available too and you can rent them at Praia do Porto.
Surfing
As Fernando de Noronha is in the middle of the ocean there are some crazy waves that you can surf. If you are an avid surfer you might already know this because the island is quite famous for it and they host different tournaments here throughout the year.
If you want to learn how to surf or how to get better you can do that too. There are some schools where you can learn. Having said that, you need to be aware that you might need to search for a school where they speak English. You can rent surfing gear on the island but you probably know better if you want to bring your own boards and gear.
Visit the fort Nossa Senhora dos Remédios on top of the hill
The name of the fort is: Forte de Nossa Senhora dos Remédios and lies on top of the hill. You can see the old canons and enjoy a wonderful view over the town and the sea. Inside the fort is a very good restaurant and they play music in the courtyard most every night. I went there twice and the second time I had dinner there.
The entry fee is R$50 but the lady at the register told me that it was free the next visit.
The climb to the fort is very steep and even some cars will drop you off at the bottom of the hill. Maybe if there is someone with a 4×4 it can be done but otherwise you need to be prepared for a climb. It’s not far, about 10-15 minutes but it’s just very steep and the road is uneven.
Visit the Tamar project
The Tamar project is an organization that is dedicated to protect the turtles in Brazil. They have locations all over Brazil and one of them is on the island. They do research, help the turtles to survive and thrive and educate people to be mindful of these amazing creatures.
The Tamar project on the island is very small but still I loved it. It’s close to the main PIC center and if you are there it’s nice to see it. There is an area where you can see all 5 turtle species that are living in Brazil. Two of them are living around Fernando de Noronha and you will probably see them if you go out snorkeling.
They have an education center but everything is in Portuguese, so only if you understand the language, it will be interesting. Every night they have a presentation at 8 pm.
These are the themes:
Monday – Fernando de Noronha Marine National Park
Tuesday – Sea Turtles and the Tamar Project
Wednesday – Spinner Dolphins
Thursday – Living in Noronha
Friday – Sharks
Saturday – Sea Turtles and the Tamar Project
Sunday – Meros do Brasil Project
There is also a possibility to go watch the guys at work. Once a week a researcher goes to the beach to catch a turtle and teaches the people of the group about what the Tamar Project does. You can apply for this at the Tamar project. I wasn’t able to participate because it was already full. But hopefully you are in more luck.
You can buy turtle themed souvenirs in the shop.
Watch the sunset from different locations
One of the best things to do on the island is to watch the sunset over the ocean and the island.
There are 2 places that were absolutely stunning. The first is the Fort that I have already talked about and the second I’ll tell later.
The view from the fortress was amazing and the sunset was so beautiful. You will need to take the stairs on your left and then walk to the side of the building. You will see the iconic mountain of Fernando de Noronha and now you wait. It can be busy but people are aware that everyone wants to take a picture so most people make way for each other, which is really nice. This is absolutely one of the best spots for watching the sunset.
The second place to watch the sunset is from Mirante do Boldro. It is close to the Tamar project and the main PIC center. If you enter the road towards the lookout, you can go straight and walk to the beach or turn right to the lookout. There is a restaurant and a rock on the left that is perfect for watching the sun go down. You can see the rock of the Two Brothers or Dois Irmãos. I went here twice too, the first time it was cloudy but the second time was very beautiful! There is also a swing where you can take some nice photos.
Of course you can just go to the beach and enjoy the sunset there because it’s pretty there too.
There is lots to do on the island and I loved every bit of it! It really was a magical experience. If you have any questions about Fernando please write them down in the comment section below and I will try to answer them.
Is the island of Fernando de Noronha accessible for wheelchair users?
Tours*
The island is not prepared for wheelchair users or people with mobility problems. The pathways are uneven and have uneven stairs. Tours, like going on a big boat, you could do but it’s not very comfortable and with rough seas it is dangerous.
Café’s and restaurants
The cafe’s and restaurant are a lot of the time on a slope which means there are stairs or a steep path. So most places are not accessible for wheelchairs.
Public transport
The bus has some stairs to get into and the bus doesn’t have a ramp. The bus stops are on steep roads so that also makes it hard to climb in sometimes. You could take taxi’s here if you have a collapsible one.
Toilets
Unfortunately there are almost no toilets that are accessible.
*And other attractions
Items I love while traveling
Collapsible handheld fan
I don’t know about how you deal with heat but I need a bit of cooling down when I’m traveling. This easy (and cute) fan is my go to for when I am too hot. It can be charged with usb which is super practical.
Microfiber towels
Even when I go to a hotel I love to bring my microfiber towels. I use them for my hair, for when I go to a beach or swimming pool and I use them to get even more water out of my clothes after laundry.
Waterproof dry bags
These bags I use all the time for different things. I do my laundry in them, use them as a hamper or bring them