Overview
Take a trip to Fernando de Noronha on your Brazil Vacation
A special municipality of the state of Pernambuco, Fernando de Noronha is an archipelago consisting of twenty-one islands and islets located 354 km (220 mi) off the coast of Brazil in the Atlantic Ocean, something to be considered on Brazil tours.
The islands of Fernando de Noronha are the visible parts of a range of submerged mountains that were originally discovered by Italian merchant and cartographer Amerigo Vespucci in 1503. The area was controlled by both the Dutch and the French before the Portuguese established dominion in 1737. Late in the 18th century, a prison was built that would later become a political prison from 1938-1945 while Fernando de Noronha also served as a US army base. By 1988 approximately 70% of the area was declared a maritime national park to preserve both land and sea ecosystems.
In 2001, Fernando de Noronha and Rocas Atoll were designated as UNESCO World Heritage Site because they provided a refuge for endangered species. The main island hosts a population of over 3,000 people, only allowing 460 visitors on a Brazil vacation package at any time so that the archipelago’s fragile ecosystem remains intact. While tourist numbers are limited, the area remains increasingly popular. Recreational diving is of particular interest as the warm waters due to the South Equatorial Current allow diving to depths of 30-40 m without a wetsuit as well as visibility as far as 50 m.
At a Glance
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Brazil is great to visit all year round, but December to March is ideal for experiencing the vibrant summer energy and major events like Carnaval. For those who want to search for wildlife in the Amazon & Pantanal, I would suggest April to October
Travellers must plan for diverse weather as the country ranges from tropical in the north (Amazon rainforest -with high humidity and rain) to temperate in the south, with hot, dry inland areas and a semi-arid Northeast region experiencing less rain.
There is so much to love about Brazil. Not only does it have stunning natural beauty—think the Amazon rainforest or its famous beaches—but it has such a vibrant and diverse culture filled with music, dance and delicious food
Fernando de Noronha's city hall
Dolphin Bay in Fernando de Noronha – always a g...
Abandoned WWII shelter
Fernando de Noronha Tours
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ExcellentBased on 5,309 ReviewsOctober 9, 2026, was our 50th wedding anniversary. To celebrate, I wanted to take my bride to Europe for 50 days. Also, other than the flight over, I wanted to make the trip by train. I contacted Farnaz at Goway. The trip we planned ultimately extended to 60 days. It was absolutely flawless. We had great hotels, great tours. Even though this trip was complex and had a lot of moving parts, there were no problems. Farnaz and the folks at Goway done a great job. I highly recommend them and will definitely use them on any future tripsDaniel GraffWe had a fabulous Croatia vacation with a cruise from Dubrovnik to Split, followed by land tours on Split and Opatija. Lodging was always comfortable and conveniently located. Tours and activities were perfectly suited to our interests. We have used GoWay for 2 vacations and are currently working on another. KarenWe would like to thank our travel specialist, Bijal for all the planning and coordinating that was done to make our Tanzania trip as spectacular as it was from start to finish!
Everything went so smoothly from our transfers, to our accommodations, to all of our tours! The people we came into contact with were exemplary!
There were so many highlights on our trip from the animal sightings, to the balloon flight and champagne breakfast, to all the incredible scenery.
Our accommodations were stunning! The level of service was remarkable and the locations were beyond our expectations. To think we would be having dinner and seeing the zebras and the elephants in the distance was amazing!
Our tour guide/driver was very knowledgeable, friendly, passionate and had a keen eye for spotting animals in the distance. He made sure that we saw all the animals that we had hoped to see. it was truly a pleasure to spend the week with him.
Thank you again to Bijal for all the work in making this once in a lifetime trip so exceptional!! We look forward to having Bijal help us plan our future trips.The Chadwicks and WilliamsI wanted to do a once in a lifetime vacation but had no idea where to start, other than knowing where I wanted to go. I reached out to goway.com and Jessica (shoutout!), who is an expert on our specific destination, sent me an itinerary quickly! She had me going into the jungle one day, so I requested to swap that nonsense for a fishing charter, and before I knew it, my trip was ready.
We just returned and it truly was a once in a lifetime experience! The resort service was top notch and (according to locals) we had all of the BEST activities the island has to offer.
If you are up in the air at all as to whether or not going through goway is worth the money, I'm here to tell you: If it's peace of mind and a perfect vacation you're looking for, do it now.therealitgirlWe recently worked with Jacqueline to plan our trip to Greece and had a wonderful experience. We made several revisions to our itinerary and Jacqueline was patient, understanding and prompt in responding to our needs. In addition to the specific tours she booked, she provided extra options and local suggestions for each place we visited in Greece. Her attention to detail and responsiveness made our trip incredibly memorable. Mark MendellWe have used Goway several times to plan simple & more complicated trips. The last 2 trips we worked with Brooke Theron who is extremely customer focused. She listens well & is alway flexible to look at alternatives. We will continue using this representative & Goway.
Our only criticism is that they do not break down the various costs of a trip which makes tipping very awkward. It can also create a sense of " mistrust" when all the costs are not transparent. Cheryl HayesOur trip to Switzerland was an amazing experience. Our travel agent at GoWay, Bo was so helpful in helping my husband Louie plan just what we wanted to do on this trip. Taking the trains thru the county was easy by the many hours Louie and Bo worked on this. Also our helicopter ride in Zermatt on my birthday was just unbelievable. Flying around the Matterhorn and the Alps is one flight we will never forget. Thanks Bo for setting this up. The trip was one incredible adventure that we will never forget. Thanks again Bo, Lynn Gerber. Lynn GerberWe booked a Goway tour to Botswana and Zimbabwe and it was excellent. We worked with Brooke, the Goway represntative, to set up the tour and she was an outstanding agent who answered any questions we had very quickly and completely. Her hotel recommendation for the additional night we stayed was pefect.
Goway hires a local tour group, Jenman Safaris, to lead the safari in the 2 countries. The tour itself was amazing...the lodges that we stayed at were very nice and the food was great (except for one lodge's food). The Goway itinerary was slightly different than the actual Jenman Safari itinerary but most of the sites that we went to were the same as listed on the Goway itinerary. I would use Goway again because their choice of a local tour group was very good...nice lodges/camps and good food and knowledgeable tour guides.Ma FaOur GoWay tour representative, Michael Keon, was on top of all of our concerns and questions in a professional manner and we look forward to working with him in the future. Michael was very easy to work with and treated us like family.ThomasMatthew handled my honeymoon couple's very specific African itinerary like a pro! My clients went to four different travel agents who only wanted to send them on safaris. My clients had already done safaris and were specific on what they wanted to do and see. Matthew hit the nail on the head! Highly recommend!Amanda Schott
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