Brazil's protected island paradise
Fernando de Noronha lies about 350 km off the coast, and visitor numbers are limited and taxed to protect a marine park that covers most of the archipelago. The reward is clear water full of turtles, reef sharks and rays, and beaches such as Baía do Sancho, reached by a ladder through a cleft in the cliffs, and Baía dos Porcos, beside the twin peaks of Morro Dois Irmãos. Spinner dolphins gather in their own bay each morning, best seen from the clifftop viewpoint. Diving here is the best in Brazil.