Praia do Sancho, Fernando de Noronha, Brazil

 Praia do Sancho, Fernando de Noronha, Brazil

Often voted Brazil's best beach, Praia do Sancho is a bay on the island of Fernando de Noronha, facing the coast of Brazil rather than out into the Atlantic Ocean.

The archipelago has never been linked to the mainland. Geologically, it is the tip of a submarine volcanic formation which rises out of the deep seabed and consists of one main island and several rocks and islets. The rocks form many natural aquaria and the underwater life is diverse. Because the reefs of the South Atlantic are isolated from the Caribbean by the outflow of the Orinoco and Amazon rivers, the reef communities are very different with many endemic species.
Bathed by currents coming from Africa the waters around the islands are very clear with very good visibility even at 50 meters and have great year-round warm temperatures. Of course, you can also see the large “global” species such as manta rays, sharks, moray eels, goliath groupers, sea turtles and dolphins.
The island is also home to one of the largest sea bird breeding colonies in the South Atlantic.
Discovered by Amerigo Vespucci (1454-1512), Italian merchant and cartographer in 1503, the archipelago is 4 degrees south of the Equator, around 200 miles off the northeastern coast of Brazil, north east to the city of recife.


During its 500 years history, Fernando de Noronha has been temporarily occupied by the Dutch (17th century), French (18th century) before Portugal established dominion in 1737. They built an extensive defense system of 10 forts. The largest and best conserved fortress is Nossa Senhora dos Remédios de Fernando de Noronha.
The island also served as a prison and a US Army base. Today the population is around 3,500 and the main industry is tourism.
As an unique ecological sanctuary, Fernando de Noronha is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a large part of the area is a National Marine Park. And it has the most wonderful beaches situated in Pernambuco. Three (Sancho, Porcos and Leão) regularly feature in Brazil's top beaches list.
Being a small island with limited water resources and a fragile ecosystem, there is a maximum number of 460 visitors allowed on the island. Visitors also pay an Environmental Preservation Tax that increases progressively with the length of the visit.
The relative isolation from the mainland, the limits on visitors and the preservation make Fernando de Noronha an expensive destination. But the "happy few" will be well rewarded by the delights of this island paradise and its fascinating underwater world. 

 

Praia do Sancho Fernando de Noronha Brazil

Often voted Brazil's best beach, and one of the best in South America, Praia do Sancho is a bay on the island of Fernando de Noronha, which faces the coast of Brazil rather than out into the Atlantic Ocean. 

Steep, rocky cliffs covered in vegetation form a backdrop to the clear waters that are accessible only via ladders attached to the cliff face. Or by boat. 

Although much of the island's vegetation was cut down in the 19th century, when the island was used as a prison, it's now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, underscoring the island's value as a feeding site for tuna, billfish, cetaceans, sharks, marine turtles and dolphins. 

Daily flights, charters and full packages to Fernando de Noronha are available from major Brazilian cities.

 

 

 LINKS

http://wikitravel.org/en/Fernando_de_Noronha 

http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/28/travel/100-best-beaches