DESTINATION #08
FERNANDO DE NORONHA
BRAZIL
SHARM EL-SHEIKHA
27°54'44 " N 34°19'47 " E
“FERNANDO DE NORONHA
BECAME A WORLD
HERITAGE SITE IN 2001.”
FERNANDO
DE NORONHA
An archipelago situated 340 kilometres off the coast of Brazil in the South Atlantic, the 21 islands of Fernando de Noronha are the peaks of a submerged volcanic mountain range.
Fernando de Noronha is Brazil’s top diving destination. The coral reefs are home to over 200 species of fish and an unusually large population of spinner dolphins, while two species of sea turtles (including the endangered hawksbill turtle) breed there. There are sharks of all shapes and sizes to be seen, from lemon sharks and nurse sharks to tiger sharks and hammerhead sharks.
Fernando de Noronha’s volcanic origins have produced thrilling underwater rock formations. (Pedras Secas is the best dive site if you’re into vertical walls, tunnels, canyons, caves and arches.) Shipwreck enthusiasts, meanwhile, will enjoy the wreck of the Corveta V-17, a warship that lies upright on the sandy seabed at a depth of 200 feet with its guns and interior still intact.
Fernando de Noronha became a National Marine Reserve in 1988 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001. To preserve the integrity of its ecosystems, tourist numbers are controlled and visitors have to pay a daily ‘environment tax,’ which rises more steeply the longer you stay.
* Sources include UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Embassy of Brazil in Tokyo, Tripadvisor, National Institute for Environmental Studies etc.