What would be the ideal place for a honeymoon in Brazil? When people ask me this question I always have one place in mind: the archipelago of Fernando de Noronha. However, I go to great lengths to emphasize that my choice depends upon one crucial fact: whether you are a nature lover or not. If nature is not really your thing and you’d rather spend your time indoors, then go somewhere else and feel no guilt for your choice.

In Fernando de Noronha luxury comes in the form of pristine virgin beaches of crystal-clear waters and abundant wildlife. There are a few top pousadas on the island where you’ll be able to find luxury of a material kind, but you can expect to pay there double what you would pay at an equivalent hotel in the continent. We have devoted an entire blog post to Noronha: destination: Fernando de Noronha where you will find out more about the island. Have a look at our best of Noronha album at Flickr if you need to make up your mind.

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destination: Fernando de Noronha
hotels and pousadas in Fernando de Noronha

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Aquasub (also known as planasub) is a novelty entertainment you will hear about if you head to Fernando de Noronha. It is basically snorkelling while towed by a boat. To gain estability, you make use of a resin board that allows you to move up and down, left and right. Put your mask and snorkel, wear a life jacket if you wish, and jump into the water.

Although it would appear from the boat that it moves at a really slow speed, once you are in the water you will realize you need strong arms to keep holding the board steadily while moving. If the sea is calm providing good visibility, chances are you will have some beautiful encounters of the underwater kind. If you are very very lucky dolphins might come across your way.

The information we have on the archipelago is at the entry destination Fernando de Noronha.

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destination Fernando de Noronha
photos of Noronha 2009

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Here’s our anual rewrite of our list of our list of favourite places in Brazil (previous editions include Top 10: favourite places in Brazil and 10 must-see places in Brazil). Here is the 2010 ranking of my 10 must-see places in Brazil. Click on the names of the places to go to their full destination cards here at the blog, and find out more about them. Some of the destinations are really well-known. Others fall within the hidden jewel description. I have only included places I have been to (places I’ve read/heard about but I haven’t visited didn’t make it into the ranking).

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1. Fernando de Noronha (Pernambuco)

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2. Paraty (Rio de Janeiro)

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3. Lençóis Maranhenses (Maranhão)

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4. Ilha Grande (Rio de Janeiro)

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5. Iguaçu falls (Paraná and Argentina)

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6. Brasilia (Distrito Federal)

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7. Boipeba (Bahia)

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8. Bonito (Mato Grosso do Sul)

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9. Inhotim (Minas Gerais)

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10. Rio de Janeiro

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Brazil 12 months 12 destinations
top 10 Brazilian beaches – 2009 edition
São Paulo’s top ten

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The best things in life are free, to a point. To reach the most beautiful beach in Brazil, Sancho bay at the Fernando de Noronha archipelago you either take a boat and approach the beach from the sea or face the two sets of staircases inside a crack on the cliff and go down the beach that way. The following video shows the way down the cliff. Flip-flops/thongs are not a great idea, by the way. A secure foot goes a long way granting you security as you descend through the stairs.

To the administration of the archipelago: it would be nice if a minute fraction of the money collected through the environmental tax was used to mantain the staircase in pristine order.

Our main post on Noronha is destination: Fernando de Noronha.

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We came back from our recent trip to Noronha with a huge collection of photos that can be seen at our Flickr album Fernando de Noronha. Here’s a small selection:

Praia do Sancho

Baia dos Porcos

Sunset from the Boldró fort

Vila dos Remédios and Fortress

Praia da Conceição

Baia do Sueste and its turtles

Atalaia natural pool

Beautiful birds

The colours of paradise

And quite a few more things.

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destination: Fernando de Noronha

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Get to see Noronha for free! As we approached Fernando de Noronha on our Gol flight from Recife, we filmed the entire approach to the airport, including a complete tour around the island. It was late afternoon on a cloudy day. If you want to have an idea of what Noronha looks from the skies, here’s nearly 7 minutes of it.

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Fernando de Noronha

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Nearly two years after the publication of my first list of favourite places in Brazil (Top 10: favourite places in Brazil) a revamped version of that list makes the blog’s frontpage – gaining a catchier title in the process. So here is the 2009 ranking of my 10 must-see places in Brazil. Click on the names of the places to go to their full destination cards here at the blog, and find out more about them. Some of the destinations are really well-known. Others fall within the hidden jewel description. Bear in mind I have only included places I have been to (places I’ve read/heard about but I haven’t visited didn’t make it into the ranking).

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1. Fernando de Noronha (Pernambuco)

Noronha is where you will find the most beautiful beaches in the whole of Brazil, and crystal-clear waters of unparalleled beauty. If that wasn’t enough, locals do care about the environment, no mean fate in the Brazilian context. A unique place. Not even its dear price tag will remove it from the number 1.

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2. Paraty (Rio de Janeiro)

Atlantic rainforest, desert beaches and the best preserved colonial architecture in the country come together to make of Paraty a very special destination.

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3. Lençóis Maranhenses (Maranhão)

While it’s not easy to reach the Lençóis Maranhenses, the reward more than makes up for the long journey. A unique landscape of dunes and lagoons where mass tourism hasn’t left its mark yet.

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4. Ilha Grande (Rio de Janeiro)

In spite of the numerous threats looming, Ilha Grande is a fantastic and incredibly beautiful nature destination.

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5. Boipeba (Bahia)

Wild beaches and crystal-clear waters the way you won’t find anywhere else in Brazil – bar Noronha. On top of that, a charming quiet village where civilization has yet to leave its imprint.

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6. Iguaçu falls (Paraná and Argentina)

The breathtaking beauty of the falls will captive you the moment you set your eyes on them.

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7. Bonito (Mato Grosso do Sul)

In the southernmost tip of the Pantanal lies Bonito, a mecca for ecotourism and fun in close contact with nature.

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8. Morro de São Paulo (Bahia)

A unique combination of sublime beaches with a great atmosphere at the end of the day.

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9. Arraial d’Ajuda (Bahia)

Great variety of beaches and a lovely village. Rest and relax during the day, have fun when the night begins.

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10. Jericoacoara (Ceará)

Another destination with a nearly-mythical status among travellers. Captivating sand dunes in a remote setting.

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HONOURABLE MENTION. Florianópolis (Santa Catarina)

The only reason for Florianópolis not making the top 10 is that rather than a single destination, the island of Florianópolis contains an exciting collection of villages and beaches.

Ready to make that trip and looking for accommodation in Brazil? Choose from a wide range of cheap to luxury hotels in Rio de Janeiro and many other cities from beautiful Brazil!

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The Projeto Tamar is a Brazilian environmental organization as well-known as it is respected. Strictly speaking Tamar is not an NGO, as its organization chart includes a government body. The organization benefits from a very powerful sponsor: Petrobras, the mighty Brazilian oil company, always eager to appear as an environmental asset – and not a hazard.

The Projeto Tamar field of action is the Brazilian coastline and its Oceanic islands, and its main aim is to work for the protection and preservation of sea turtles. Brazil is home to five out seven species of sea turtles, all of them endangered species. From September to March, along the coast, and January to June, on the islands, the organization monitors the beaches where the turtles lay their eggs. Tamar estimates each year 14.000 nests and 650.000 baby turtles.

As well as their preservation work, the secret of the Projeto Tamar’s success lies in the way they have build links with the communities, in an effort to spread a culture of preservation replacing a deeply-rooted tradition of destruction, and also giving employment opportunities to less well-off comunities.

Tamar’s HQ is at the Praia do Forte, north of Salvador de Bahía. The organization has bases in other 8 Brazilian states, including Ceará (Almofala), Rio Grande do Norte (Atol das Rocas), Pernambuco (Fernando de Noronha), Sergipe (Pirambu, Ponta dos Mangues, Abaís and Aracaju), Espírito Santo (Vitória, Comboios, Pontal do Ipiranga, Guriri, Itaúnas, Trindade and Anchieta), Rio de Janeiro (Campos de Goytacazes), São Paulo (Ubatuba) and Santa Catarina (Barra da Lagoa).

At many of its bases the emphasis is on education. We have visited the bases of Fernando de Noronha, Ubatuba and Barra da Lagoa (Florianópolis) and it became quite clear that educating is as important as the contemplation of the reptiles. Fernando de Noronha is probably the best place to get acquainted with the work carried out by the Projeto Tamar. Depending on the time of your visit to the island, you might be able to contemplate the birth of the turtles. All year round you have a unique an unforgettable chance of diving with the turtles in the wild.

At the Projeto Tamar’s webpage there is plenty of information. It has en English version.

The Brazilian Ministry of Tourism has a website devoted to Nautical Tourism in Brazil. It has an English version.

The website has a beautiful layout and tons of information on the Brazilian coastline, the weather, tide charts and other useful information for sailors.

It also contains complete information on the marinas at Baía de Todos os Santos, Fernando de Noronha, Fortaleza, Ilha Grande, Ilhabela, João Pessoa, Morro de São Paulo, Natal, Paraty, Recife, Río de Janeiro and Ubatuba.

The initiative is part of the declared policy of the Brazilian Authorities to promote tourism in Brazil abroad almost exclusively among the upper-class markets. Foreign currency, rather than number of visitors, is the force behind the promotion of Brazil as a tourist destination. The website Golf in Brazil is also part of that initiative.

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Golf in Brazil

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This is one of those news items you don’t read about every day. Yesterday Brazil lost, as a result of a government decree, one time zone. The change affects the states of Acre (it has now one hour less than Brasilia), Amazon (it now has just the one zone for the entire state) and Pará (with just the one time zone, the same as Brasilia).

From now on, Brazil will only have three time zones. Regions west and centre will have one; Brasilia and regions north-east, south and south-east will have the second one; and Fernando de Noronha will have the third time zone.

At What time is it in Brazil? we explained how to find out what time is it at any given moment in all the states and capitals of Brazil.