Fernando de Noronha Archipelago

After flying to the North-East of Brazil, you arrive in Recife, the state capital of Pernambuco, a large modern city, with a long beachfront to Boa Vista and a host of canals connecting its islands. Olinda is the historic hilltop town just 6km away, with wonderfully preserved architecture in its colonial buildings. Their joint history involves sugar cane, slavery, colonialism, decay, rebirth through tourism, and the proud boast of being one of the most musically creative areas in Brazil. After arriving in your Olinda hotel, you can take an afternoon tour of the city whose churches and convents are over 400 years old, including the Misericordia and Nossa Senhora do Carmo, Sao Francisco and Sao Bento Monasteries, and the hilltop cathedral.

The morning in Olinda can be filled with a wander around the cobbled streets. The whole city has a charm all of its own in the terraced houses lining every street, the bars and cafes, and the squares with their street markets. There are contemporary cultural highlights too, with the Museums of Sacred and Contemporary Art alongside museums dedicated to the mamulengo puppets and the Boneco Gigante (Giant Dolls) of the Olinda Carnaval, plus the accompanying frevo music. After lunch a transfer takes you back to Recife Airport for your flight to the Fernando de Noronha Archipelago. On arrival on the main island, you transfer to your hotel close by with the end of the afternoon free to enjoy sunset.

A tour of Fernando de Noronha can be done by vehicle or even hiking and riding horses along the trails leading across and around the island. There are 21 islands in the archipelago, and most can be seen as you journey around the main island, which is the only one inhabited by humans. The bird and marine life is special, as are many of the beaches you will see along the way, regularly voted as the very best in Brazil with white sands and turquoise waters generally deserted. Sancho Bay, Porcos and Leao are amongst the best to photograph, while Cacimba do Padre and Boldo have top class surf from December to March. Marine turtles nest on some beaches from December to July, when access may be closed.

One dawn in Noronha should be spent experiencing the spectacular dawn displays of Dolphin Bay. Every day hundreds of spinner dolphins enter the bay to frolick, jump and rotate up to seven times in the air above the shallow waters. Visitors watch from a safe distance up on the cliff above to allow these fascinating creatures to perform uninhibited. They leave the sheltered bay to swim around the island, and one of the boat trips around Fernando de Noronha gives you chance to meet them close up, as well as a look at some of the harder to reach beaches. Another option is to take a kayak trip around the Baia do Pico under the shadow of the island\'s tallest point, especially spectacular towards sunset.

At least one day in Noronha should be spent exploring the waters of the archipelago. The finest scuba diving in Brazil is here, with visibility of 30-40m, tropical waters and abundant marine life in the protected marine park. With marine turtles, spinner dolphins, huge rays, reef sharks, groupers and even migrating whales can be spotted, plus over 200 species of colourful tropical fish. Dive sites are limited to the island shores. Scuba courses and baptism dives can also be arranged for those without PADI qualifications, while snorkelling is always an option if you prefer, and can be done alone on various beaches. Fernando de Noronha also has deep sea fishing trips, for mackerel and blue marlin.

After breakfast, you have your final morning free to explore some more of the island. On the southern side lie the Atalaia Natural Pools, where you can laze and snorkel in the warm, clear waters. A little further around is Baia do Sueste, where you can snorkel with marine turtles at high tide. After a final Noronha lunch, you head to the island airport for your flight away from the archipelago and back to Brazil. On arrival in Recife you can connect to flights onwards to Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Brasilia with connections to overnight international flights from there. Fernando de Noronha is a unique place, although we can of course combine it with any other destinations as part of a longer Brazil tour.