Portray of the Destination
Fernando de Noronha is a Brazilian volcanic archipelago, within the Pernambuco state. It is located on the Atlantic Ocean, at 545 km (338 mi) from Recife (Pernambuco), 710 km (441 mi) from Fortaleza (capital city of Ceará) and 360 km (223 mi) from Natal (capital city of Rio Grande do Norte). The archipelago is 26 sq. km (10 sq. mi) and consists of 21 islands; only the biggest island (also named Fernando de Noronha) is inhabited. The other islands were declared Sea National Park by the Brazilian government; therefore, human settlement is prohibited there, except for scientific research purposes. It is located at 3° 50' S, 32° 24' W.
Amerigo Vespucci discovered the archipelago on August 10th 1503. The tourist infrastructure is quite basic: homestay-like accommodation –usually without hot water-, a few restaurants, and strict rules regarding the conservation of the place. However, tourists going to Noronha (as it is usually called) do not look for night centers or big hotels, but rather they are determined to have few comforts provided that they are able to enjoy the wonderful nature of the archipelago, comparable to diving in the Caribbean Sea and the Maldives Islands.
The "Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente" -Brazilian Agency for Environmental Protection- (Ibama) closely controls that the rules established in the archipelago for the conservation of the ecosystem are observed. You should take into account some rules regulating tourism when planning your trip. The first rule consists in that only 500 tourists are allowed to enter into the island per day. Furthermore, there are entrance and staying fees. The Environmental Protection Fee increases progressively day after day. When planning certain activities, you have to consult the local authorities since swimming is prohibited or restrained in some beaches (they constitute the place where turtles spawn) and some diving areas have limitations in order to preserve corals.
We would like to thank the Brazil Tourism Board for the information and pictures provided.
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Geography
The archipelago is formed by 21 islands: Fernando de Noronha, Ilha Rata, Ilha do meio, Ilha Rasa, Sela gineta, Sāo Jose, Cuscuz, Ilha Viuvinha, Chapéu do nordeste, Morro de fora, Dois irmāos, Morro da viúva, Morro do leāo, Chapeu da sueste, Ilha cabeluda, Ilha dos ovos and Ilha do frade.
The total area is 11,270 ha, with Fernando de Noronha as the main and only inhabited island. It is located at 345 km (214 mi) NE from Cabo de São Roque, belonging to Rio Grande do Norte, and 545 km (338 mi) from Recife, capital of Pernambuco. The predominant vegetation is constituted by species of the typical arid vegetation from the Brazilian Northeast, which lose their foliage during the dry season. In general, local vegetation includes trees in the higher areas and bushes on the plainer surfaces. There are a number of natural pools, which enable direct contact with the rich and exotic local sea fauna.
The islands' waters are plenty of fish, sponges, algae, shellfish and coral reefs; among them, the most abundant reef in the archipelago: Montastrea cavernosa. The archipelago also has endemic species, animals brought by the man, and also migratory animals. The good environmental conditions of the island have caught the attention of environmentalists from allover the world and preservation organizations engaged in the defense of nature; thus a proposal was raised and the islands were granted the title of World Heritage Site.
Climate
There are two seasons in the island: the dry one (from September through March) and the rainy one (from April through August). The average temperature in the area is 28°C (82.4ºF).
When to go
You can visit Fernando de Noronha throughout the year. For those willing to dive, September and October are the appropriate months because the sea is calm. For those willing to surf, January is the best month since waters are rougher.
History
Due to its location, this archipelago could be one of the first places in the New World to be discovered by the European sailors in the South Hemisphere. In the oldest map of Brazil (Cantino’s planisphere, 1502), the archipelago appears with the name Quaresma. Amerigo Vespucci was the first European who disembarked on the island, in 1503. In 1504, the archipelago was donated to the nobleman Fernando de Noronha, who had financed the expedition. Fernando de Noronha was attacked by the French and English for over a century, until 1629, when it was held by the Dutch; it was under the control of Michel de Pavw for 25 years (the island became known as Pavonia, in his honor).
In 1654, the Dutch lost control over Pernambuco, and Fernando de Noronha entered into the Portuguese domain. In the 18th C, Fernando de Noronha started to develop when the first permanent villages were settled, particularly Vila dos Remédios. In 1832, Charles Darwin visited the archipelago: it was a stopover during his famous expedition onboard of the HMS Beagle. More recently, its strategic location turned the archipelago into stops for many activities: in 1898, Noronha was used for laying the transoceanic telegraph cable between Brazil and Africa.
From 1927 to 1934, it was a support point for the seaplane flights of Aéropostàle (French airline). In 1938, the main island was converted into prison; but it did not last long since the archipelago was declared Federal Territory when Brazil participated in World War II, in 1942. Fernando de Noronha served as the main military base of Brazil on the Atlantic Ocean until the end of the war. Such war changed completely the main island since the buildings were renewed to hold the three thousand militaries, a second runway was built and military equipment (such as anti-aircraft systems) was installed, which remaining parts are preserved for tourist visits in Vila dos Remédios. Once the war was over, the Federal Territory was maintained until 1988, when Noronha was re-incorporated to the state Pernambuco. In 2001, the UNESCO declared Fernando de Noronha as World Heritage Site.
Traditions
Throughout Brazil, carnival is an annual celebration taking place forty days before Easter (at the beginning of Lent). It is different from the European carnivals and also has variations within the Brazilian territory. In spite of its catholic origin, it is celebrated as a profane feast rather than a religious event.
The worldwide Holy Week is also celebrated here. The São João feast is celebrated in Permanbuco, state to which these islands belong.
Gastronomy
In Noronha, dishes are healthy, simple, and fresh. Fish and other seafood are the main ingredients of dishes served in the simple and cozy restaurants of Fernando de Noronha. A local specialty is the so-called "tubalhau", a famous croquette filled with salted shark meat, obtained through a process similar to the cod’s.
This ingredient composes the tubalhoada, which is served with oil, tomatoes, paprika, and potatoes. Further, you should try the tropical fruit juices, particularly, the caju juice (a fruit very rich in vitamin C).
Basic Dictionary
YES: Si ; NO: Não ; HELLO: Olá, ; GOOD BYE: Adeus ; GOOD MORNING: Bons dias ; GOOD AFTERNOON: Boas tardes ; GOOD EVENING: Boas noites ; PLEASE: por favor ; I'M SORRY: lo siento ; THANK YOU: Brigado ; DOCTOR: Médico ; PHARMACY: Farmacia. NUMBERS: 1: Um, 2: Dois, 3: Trés, 4: Quatro, 5: Cinco, 6: Seis, 7: Sete, 8: Oito, 9: Nove, 10: Dez, 11: Once, 12: Doze, 13: Treze, 14: Catorze, 15: Quinze, 16: Dezasseis, 17: Dezassete, 18: Dezoito, 19: Dezanove, 20: Vinte, 21: Vinte a um, 22: Vinte e dois. , 30: Trinta, 40: Quarenta, 50: Cinquenta, 60: Sessenta, 70: Setenta, 80: Oitenta, 90: Noventa, 100: Cem, 1000: Mil. DAYS OF THE WEEK: MONDAY: Segunda-feira, TUESDAY: Terça-feira, WEDNESDAY: Quarta-feira, THURSDAY: Quinta-feira, FRIDAY: Sexta-feira, SATURDAY: Sábado, SUNDAY: Domingo. USEFUL WORDS: SMALL: Pequeno / BIG : Grande; HOT: Quente / COLD: Frio; OPEN: Aberto / CLOSED: Fechado; GOOD: Bom / BAD: Mau; NEW: Novo / OLD: Antigo; PUSH: Empurrar / PULL: Atirar; ENTRANCE: Entrada / EXIT: Saída; LADIES: Senhoras / GENTLEMEN: Cavaleiro; FAR: Longe / NEAR: Cera; LEFT: Esquerda / RIGHT: Direita; TAXI: Taxi; BUS: Autocarro. MEALS: BREAKFAST: Desjejum or Café da manha; LUNCH: Almoço; DINNER: Ceia; WINE: Vinho; DESSERT: Postre; MENU: Menu or la lista; BILL: Conta. USEFUL SENTENCES: DO YOU SPEAK ENGLISH: ¿Fala inglês?; I DON'T UNDERSTAND: Não compreendo; WHERE IS IT: ¿Onde fica?; HOW MUCH IS IT: ¿Quanto custa?; WHAT TIME IS IT: ¿Qué horas são?; COULD YOU HELP ME: ¿Pode ajudar-me?
Currency
Brazilian Real. There are coins of 1, 5, 10, 25 and 50 cents. There are banknotes of 100, 50, 10, 5 and 1 Brazilian Real.
Currency Exchange
1 U$D (United States Dollar) = 2.14950 BRL (Brazilian Real)
1 EUR (Euro) = 2.57571 BRL (Brazilian Real)
1 GBP (Pound Sterling) = 3.73196 BRL (Brazilian Real)
Prices
The life cost in Brazil is cheaper than in the European Union countries. Public transport (except for airplanes) is cheap.
Useful Info
Official nameFernando de Noronha
CountryBrazil
Time Zone-2GMT
Official LanguagePortuguese
Surface area26 km² (10 sq. mi)
Population2,100 inhabitants
Political RegimeFederal Democratic Republic
Public holidays
January 1: New Year; February: Carnival; March- April: Easter; May 1: Labor Day; September 7: Independence Day; November 1 and 2: All Saints Feast; November 15: Proclamation of the Republic Anniversary; December 25: Christmas.
Religion
Near 70% of the population is Roman Catholic. Evangelical churches are also present. The native animist believes still have followers; among them, the most popular are candomblé, spiritualism and umbanda.
ReligionMainly Catholic
Arrival / Departure
Daily flights connect the cities of Natal (Rio Grande do Norte) and Recife (Pernambuco) to Fernando de Noronha. Travel packages are organized by tourism agencies from all over Brazil. Another interesting option is to embark on the many cruises traveling along the Brazilian coast – between October and February – which usually include a visit to the island.
Safety
Nowadays, the lack of security is one of the main concerns of the Brazilian people. Keeping certain standards of personal security all the time is a must, ranging from avoiding ostentation up to staying within the “tourist areas”, where security is usually reinforced.
Visa
A valid passport in full force and effect, having a validity of at least 6 months, is required to enter Brazil. This rule is applicable to all persons visiting Brazil except for Argentinean, Paraguayan, Uruguayan, and Chilean citizen coming directly from their countries and having a valid national identity document.
Citizens from the European Union for tourist visits shorter than 90 days. Citizens from Andorra, Bahamas, Barbados, Bolivia, Colombia, Vatican City, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Slovenia, Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Korea, Philippines, Liechtenstein, Malaysia, Malta, Monaco, Morocco, Namibia, Norway, Panama, Peru, Poland, San Marino, South Africa, Surinam, Switzerland, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela for tourist visits shorter than 90 days. Travelers in transit, who continue their journey to other countries –either in the same flight or in another flight- provided that they have the adequate plane tickets and do not abandon the airport.
Clothing
The climate is tropical and waters are warm; therefore, it is advisable to take light clothing, sunblocks, sandals and eyewash.
Electricity
110 volts
Radio and Television
Nowadays, the TV channel of the island is V-Golfinho, which also transmits SBT (Brazilian Television System). There are over 200 working satellite dishes.
Telephone
By 1975, there was no telephone system on the island. Thanks to Ruperto Clodoaldo Pinto (Governor of the Federal Territory), the archipelago obtained a telephone registry. At the beginning, the system was really bad, but little by little the communication improved. Nowadays, there are over 300 telephone lines. The telephone communication system of the island is connected to the national network, so that it is possible to make long-distance and international phone calls.
Police81 3619.1343
AmbulanceHospital São Lucas: 81 3619.1344
Newspapers and Magazines Postal Service
The Brazilian postal service is quite reliable. Registered or postage mail are recommended for further security. Air mail orders to Europe take between 4 and 6 days. Surface mail orders take at least 4 weeks. Postal offices are opened from 9 am to 1 pm, Monday through Saturday. The postal service operates regularly with the island, offering air and sea services.
Health Care Services
On the island, there is a public hospital offering first aid and minor surgery services as well as routine check-ups for tourists and residents on the island. Some medical doctors –pediatricians, general practitioners and odontologists- are residents of the archipelago. Further, there is a small drugstore on the island with a limited variety of medicines; therefore, you should take quotidian medicines.
Airport
The archipelago lacks its own airport; however, there are daily fights departing from Natal (1h 10’ by airplane) or Recife (1h 40’ by airplane).
Public Transport
In this Brazilian paradise, there are few cars; only convertible buggies –funny vehicles ideal for traveling along the island.
Railway Bus Car
The sole paved road, BR-363, runs from the Baia do Sudeste up to the Porto de Santo Antônio, at the other side of the island. It is nearly 4 km (2.5 mi) long. Beaches and other interesting places are accessed through sand and stone roads.
Car Rentals
On the island, the vehicles available for rental are buggies, motorcycles and bikes.
Ship Destination Tourism Office in Spain Spanish embassy in the destination Taking pictures See climate
www.worldweather.orgCurrency converterwww.xe.com/uccA dinnerThere are many places offering home-made food from EUR 5
