The best dive
site is the archipelago of Fernando de Noronha.
It's the most untouched spot, and it's simply gorgeous
on the surface, appealing to everyone. The difficulty
ranges from beginner to advance. Best time of the
year is from July to December for beginners, all
year round for advanced divers. It's one of the
most expensive dive sites to go.
The
blue Atlantic Ocean and the volcanic formed hills,
make the archipelago of Fernando de Noronha to one
of the most beautiful landscapes in Brazil. Noronha
with a population of 1500, lies 360km from Natal.
The 21 islands of the archipelago cover a total
area of only 26 square kilometers. With its crystal-clear
water (visibility to 50m deepness & average
water temperature of 25°C) and rich marine life,
the archipelago is a heavenly retreat for underwater
pleasures – one of the best places for diving on
this planet.
The
“Pico” hill, the highest point on the main island,
is only 321 meters above sea level, it is well over
4300 meters above the ocean floor, as the island
is an extinct volcanic cone. The island-mountain
is part of the mid-Atlantic ridge, an underwater
mountain chain which is over 15,000km long. The
islands beaches are clean, beautiful and almost
deserted. There are many natural formed swimming
pools and beautiful & shallow beaches, like
Atalaia Beach and Sancho Bay, where you can observe
the marine life and a lots of colorful fish. You
can get to the Sancho bay either by boat or by following
a trail which leads through bramble and bush, past
almond trees and over sharp rocks. Once at Baía
do Sancho, you may be lucky enough to witness an
odd metrological phenomenon: without a cloud in
sight, rain falls mysteriously on a spot of land
10 meters wide. Cacimba do Padre beach is the only
one with fresh water. Baía dos Golfinhos (Dolphin
Bay) is strictly off limits to swimmers, but access
is permitted to Mirante dos Gofinhos, an outlook
where you can watch hundreds of dolphins cavorting
in the water every morning.
Another
attraction is to observe the rich life of sea birds
and other birds, living there permanently or stopping
over during their immigrations. Except the variety
of nature experiences, you may also enjoy some sports,
like surfing. The waves are about 2m high and the
top of the waves can reach 5m. The best period for
surfing is between December and March (in February
is a world championship in surf).
The
archipelago is nowadays a protected national marine
park, and the effects of tourism on its fragile
ecosystem need to be monitored carefully. It is
only the main island that allows visitors, and the
local government charge a daily environmental tax
of the visitors. Another example is than
on the beaches of Leão, Sancho, Cacimba do Padre
& Boldró, it is prohibited to access the beaches
nighttime (18h - 06h) during January till June,
in protection of the turtles that lays eggs.
It
is very sunny from July/August until February. March
& July are quite windy, which are the beggining
and the end of slightly more instable weather. April
is the month that rains most, meanwhile May and
June have some showers. December
to February is the top of the high season with lots
of people and of course the most expensive period,
to book you must do in very advanced.
