By Robert Hilferty
Following a trail leading to one of Brazil's most beautiful beaches, I was wonder-struck by a craggy, thumb-shaped rock towering 1,060 feet above the shimmering sea. This geological showoff was a signal of more natural splendors ahead.
Morro do Pico (Peaks Hill) is one of many glorious sites on the island of Fernando de Noronha, a former penal colony that once housed gypsies, murderers and political prisoners. Today it's an eco-paradise teeming with marine life and pristine, uncrowded beaches.
Fernando de Noronha is only an hour's flight from Recife, a city on the country's northeastern coast that's cluttered with high-rises and known for murky waters and shark attacks. But the island seems light years away with its sparkling sand, turquoise waters and friendly dolphins and turtles.
The island, once visited by Charles Darwin, is the largest of 21 in a volcanic archipelago named after a Portuguese aristocrat who never set foot on its shores.
After arriving, I wasted no time sampling the beach closest to my pousada, one of about 120 modest inns scattered on the island. My one-star inn (Pousada da Morena) cost $230 a night, but the nicest bungalows at fancier places like Ze Maria and Maravilha can top $1,000 during high season in January, which is Brazil's summer.
On the beach
While walking to Praia da Conceicao (Beach of Conception), I first spotted Morro do Pico, the soaring rock that can be seen from almost anywhere on the island. After almost being flattened by two boys racing on horseback — a surrealistic scene right out of a Bunuel film — I eventually found my way to an immaculate beach where I bathed in equatorial warmth as the sun set.
The pristine environment is no accident.
The area was designated Brazil's first National Marine Park in 1988 and was named a World Heritage site in 2001. You won't find any beachfront Sheratons or Marriotts here. Visitors, whose numbers are limited, are charged an environmental protection tax of about $22 a day. And you can get slapped with a $200 fine for littering.
The next day I woke up with an urge to cavort with sea turtles. While my friend Jorge pursued his scuba passion, I headed to Baia do Sueste (Bay of the Southeast), where I rented snorkeling gear and a guide for about $50. In no time I was swimming within arms reach of a dozen or so of these wondrous creatures, who weren't disturbed in the least by my presence.
Stingrays were also abundant. A few times I found myself inside a kaleidoscopic swirl of blue and orange fish, making me feel like an underwater Doctor Dolittle.
I then strolled to the adjacent Praia do Leao under the beating sun. Though named after a lion, the beach is best known for its turtles. In fact, no one is allowed on it after 6 p.m. between December and June because green turtles come ashore and galumph their way up the strand to dump eggs, a painstaking two-hour process. (Fifty days later, adorable hatchlings emerge from their sandy cribs and make a beeline to the sea — if a nasty bird doesn't snack on them first.)
Jorge's scuba dive was also a success. Armed with an underwater camera, he saw fascinating rock formations and coral in the Buraco do Inferno (Hell Hole), a diving site that features more than 200 types of fish, including peacock flounder, goliath grouper and harmless reef and nurse sharks uninterested in noshing on your limbs.
Grinning dolphins
Dolphins, though, are the islands star attraction. There's even a bay named after them: Baia dos Golfinhos.
To get an up-close view, I recommend a boat trip. Mine left from Santo Antonio harbor at the islands northern tip, traveling south along the coast as far as the Ponta da Sapata, a massive rocky wall punched with a curious hole the shape of Brazil.
After passing the Baia dos Golfinhos, we suddenly found ourselves surrounded by playful dolphins. The most mischievous ones raced ahead of our boat in packs of five or six, periodically peeling off while seeming to flash a grin.
Soon we were treated to a magnificent view of Dois Irmaos (Two Brothers), twin peaks of volcanic rock rising out of the water whose peculiar beauty is enhanced by centuries of guano droppings. I saw surfers riding huge waves on the Cacimba do Padre beach and decided to participate in my own water sport — Plana Sub, a popular activity in which you're dragged by the boat while holding onto a plastic board, alternately skimming and submerging. Just like a dolphin.
One dolphin-sighting tip: Avoid the crack-of-dawn outing to the Mirante dos Golfinhos lookout point. You're too high and too far away to see much of anything. However, it is a good starting point for a hike to the most stunning beach on the island, Baia do Sancho. En route you'll see Mabuya lizards and exotic birds, as well as an indigenous rodent that looks like a rabbit-squirrel mix.
Out of the way
Getting to the beach is tricky. You must descend two rusty ladders positioned in narrow crevices in the cliff before negotiating a steep stony staircase. It's worth the effort. Surrounded by stunning cliffs and swaying palm trees, the bay is glorious. The sand is silky white and the azure water is crystal clear. Best of all, the beach was almost empty.
While the perimeter of the island is gorgeous, the interior isn't. Most roads, aside from the main highway, are unpaved and turn to mud after a heavy rain. And since no accommodations are close to the beach, you must rent a dune buggy for $125 a day or ride pricey taxis, which cost a minimum of $10.
The small village of Vila dos Remedios, the islands town center, has a few good restaurants and cafes, plus one bank. At the outdoor Bar do Cachorro you can enjoy a caipirinha (the national cocktail of cachaca, sugar and lime) and dance to forgo, regional folk music that features an accordion, triangle and zabumba drum.
All while dreaming of your next encounter with turtles, dolphins and empty beaches.
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