Beach guide

Beaches of Fernando de Noronha

The 13 beaches and bays you need to know, with hours, access, facilities and the tip nobody tells you.

Photo: Tatiane Kátia · CC BY-SA 4.0

How the island is divided

Mar de Dentro and Mar de Fora

The Mar de Dentro faces the mainland: sheltered from the wind, calm and turquoise for most of the year (Sancho, Porcos, Cacimba, Conceição, Cachorro, Porto). The Mar de Fora faces the open Atlantic: rougher, with turtles, natural pools and trails (Sueste, Leão, Atalaia, Caieiras). Between November and March the waves switch sides: the Mar de Dentro gets the swell, it is surf season, and the Mar de Fora calms down.

Park ticket

Beaches marked as inside the park require the ICMBio ticket (R$ 192,00 for Brazilians, valid for 10 days). The others are free to access. Understand the fees.

Baía do Sancho

Mar de DentroPark ticket

Voted the best beach in the world several times. Light sand, calm sea for most of the year and the famous descent down the staircase between the rocks.

Hours: Descent via the staircase in fixed time windows (see below)
Access: Boardwalk from the Sancho PIC (320 m) and metal staircases inside a crevice in the rock, with more than 200 steps. Not recommended for people with reduced mobility or fear of heights. You can also arrive by boat.
Ideal for: Snorkeling, photos from the viewpoint, a full day at the beach.
Facilities: PIC with a snack bar and restrooms up top; nothing on the sand and little shade, along the cliff. Bring water and a snack.
Tip: Go at 8am, during the staircase's open window, before the line forms. With a baby, only in a carrier and with an adult whose hands are free. Between February and July a small waterfall usually forms on the cliff.

All about Baía do Sancho

Staircase hours

Going down

8:00–8:50am (open: down and up)
9:00–10:20am
11:30am–12:20pm
1:30–2:20pm
3:30–4:20pm
4:30pm–5:20pm (open: down and up)

Going up

10:30–11:20am
12:30–1:20pm
2:30–3:20pm
5:30–6:00pm

ICMBio reference times (island local time). From 8am to 8:50am and from 4:30pm to 5:20pm the staircase is open in both directions; from 5:30pm to 6pm, going up only. Outside these windows the staircase is closed, except for emergencies. Check the sign at the Sancho PIC on the day.

Baía dos Porcos

Mar de DentroPark ticket

Small, surrounded by rocks and with natural pools of crystal-clear water, facing Morro Dois Irmãos. One of the most photographed landscapes in Brazil.

Hours: Only at low tide, in groups managed by the Park
Access: Over the rocks from Cacimba do Padre (170 m). The Park organizes entry in groups, with times tied to the tide, which change every day and may be cancelled if the sea rises.
Ideal for: Snorkeling in the natural pools, photos with Dois Irmãos in the background.
Facilities: None. No shade.
Tip: Check the day's times on the Park website and pair it with Cacimba do Padre in the same period. Not recommended for babies; older children should wear shoes.

All about Baía dos Porcos

Cacimba do Padre

Mar de DentroFree access

The surfers' beach: a wide strip of sand, strong waves between December and March and Morro Dois Irmãos as the backdrop.

Hours: Open
Access: Dirt road from Boldró; parking at the top and a short walk down.
Ideal for: Surfing in summer, long walks, sunset, watching the waves break.
Facilities: Simple beach stalls and little shade.
Tip: Outside the swell season the sea is good for swimming. It is the starting point for Baía dos Porcos.

All about Cacimba do Padre

Praia do Boldró

Mar de DentroFree access

Wide and not very busy, with natural pools at low tide and the Forte do Boldró viewpoint just above, the most famous sunset on the island.

Hours: Open
Access: Down a staircase from the Boldró viewpoint (next to Projeto Tamar).
Ideal for: Natural pools at low tide, sunset at the fortinho.
Facilities: Bar at the viewpoint, nothing on the sand.
Tip: Combine the beach with late afternoon at the Forte do Boldró and an evening talk at Projeto Tamar.

All about Praia do Boldró

Praia da Conceição

Mar de DentroFree accessGood for children

The most central beach and the locals' favorite, with Morro do Pico as the backdrop and a bar and chairs on the sand.

Hours: Open
Access: Easy, a few minutes from Vila dos Remédios, by staircase or via Praia do Meio.
Ideal for: Going with children, sunset, walks, beach football, happy hour.
Facilities: Beach bar (Duda Rei) and kiosks; the Bar do Meio is on the neighboring beach.
Tip: The sunset here is right next to Morro do Pico and the bars usually have live music.

All about Praia da Conceição

Praia do Meio

Mar de DentroFree access

Sits between Conceição and Praia do Cachorro. Small, rocky and, at low tide, home to the little pool of Morro de Fora.

Hours: Open
Access: Down from the Bar do Meio or walking along Conceição.
Ideal for: Morro de Fora natural pool (low tide), late afternoon at the Bar do Meio.
Facilities: Bar do Meio up top.
Tip: The crossing to Morro de Fora requires attention to the tide; hiring a local guide is safer.

All about Praia do Meio

Praia do Cachorro

Mar de DentroFree access

The beach of Vila dos Remédios. At low tide it reveals the Buraco do Galego and the Lasca da Velha, two natural pools famous for photos.

Hours: Open (restricted access at high tide)
Access: Staircase next to the Bar do Cachorro, at the end of the Vila. At high tide the sea covers the sand.
Ideal for: Natural pools, snorkeling, lunch at the Bar do Cachorro.
Facilities: Bar do Cachorro up top, with music at night.
Tip: Go on the ebb tide to find the Buraco do Galego full and wave-free.

All about Praia do Cachorro

Praia do Porto de Santo Antônio

Mar de DentroFree accessGood for children

An urban beach with very calm water, where the hull of the Greek ship Eleani Stathatos, sunk in 1929, lies a few meters from the sand and can be seen while snorkeling.

Hours: Open
Access: Very easy: by car, bus or on foot from the Vila. This is where the boats depart.
Ideal for: Children and babies, first snorkel, discovery scuba dive from the beach.
Facilities: Bars, restaurants, dive shops and equipment rental.
Tip: A great option for the afternoon you arrive or the day you leave.

All about Praia do Porto de Santo Antônio

Baía dos Golfinhos (viewpoint)

Mar de DentroPark ticket

A cove closed to swimming where spinner dolphins rest during the day. It can only be observed from the viewpoint, up top, with binoculars.

Hours: 6:30am to 6:30pm; best right when it opens
Access: 942 m trail from the Golfinho-Sancho PIC, or 1.1 km trail connecting to Sancho.
Ideal for: Watch the spinner dolphins entering the bay at dawn, when they show up.
Facilities: Observation point with researchers at certain times.
Tip: Bring binoculars. Then follow the boardwalk to the Sancho and Dois Irmãos viewpoints.

All about Baía dos Golfinhos (viewpoint)

Baía do Sueste

Mar de ForaPark ticketGood for children

A sheltered cove with mangroves and calm water, where turtles and young lemon sharks often show up. Snorkeling depends on ICMBio approval; check at the PIC.

Hours: 9am to 4pm
Access: Paved road to the Sueste PIC; short walk. It is the most accessible beach inside the park.
Ideal for: Mangroves, turtles seen from the sand and the Forte do Sueste viewpoint.
Facilities: PIC with restrooms, snack bar, shade and equipment rental.
Tip: Arrive when it opens, in the morning. If you are traveling with children, it is one of the best wildlife experiences on the island.

All about Baía do Sueste

Praia do Leão

Mar de ForaPark ticket

Long, wild and not very busy. The archipelago's main turtle nesting area; rough sea with currents.

Hours: Closed at night during nesting season (Dec–Jun)
Access: Short trail (230 m) with a wooden ramp from the parking lot. No shade.
Ideal for: Contemplation, walking, seeing nests marked by Projeto Tamar.
Facilities: None.
Tip: Do not go into the sea when there are waves: the current is treacherous. The rock shaped like a sea lion gives the beach its name.

All about Praia do Leão

Praia da Atalaia

Mar de ForaPark ticketBooking required

A shallow natural pool that turns into an aquarium at low tide. Visits are limited to small groups for a controlled time, with no sunscreen and no fins.

Hours: Booking required · 30 min in the pool
Access: Short trail (1.5 km round trip) from Vila do Trinta, or the long trail via Caieiras. Both require booking with ICMBio.
Ideal for: Seeing fish, octopuses and small sharks in knee-deep water.
Facilities: None. Life vest mandatory.
Tip: The pool was closed from June 2025 to January 2026 due to sedimentation and has reopened; check the current status on the Park website. Book as soon as you buy the park ticket: spots run out fast.

All about Praia da Atalaia

Caieiras, Abreus and Pedra Alta

Mar de ForaPark ticketBooking required

Rugged coastline of the Mar de Fora with hidden natural pools. Reached via the long Atalaia trail (3.7 km) or the Abreus trail.

Hours: Only with a guide and booking
Access: Trails that require booking and an accredited guide; high difficulty level.
Ideal for: Adventure, empty landscapes, snorkeling in remote pools.
Facilities: None. Bring plenty of water.
Tip: Only go when the tide and weather are favorable. Closed shoes are essential.

All about Caieiras, Abreus and Pedra Alta

Natural pools

The little pools you can't miss

Low tide

Buraco do Galego and Lasca da Velha

On the rock wall of Praia do Cachorro. At low tide they turn into bathtubs of crystal-clear water; the most famous photos in the Vila.

Praia do Cachorro

Low tide

Morro de Fora pool

Between Praia do Meio and Conceição, via a trail over the volcanic rocks or by swimming. Worth going with a guide.

Praia do Meio

Booking required

Morro São José pool

Only with booking at the Visitor Center. By swimming (with a guide) or walking over the rocks at low tide. About 2 hours.

Trails

Still not sure which day to visit each beach?

Our itineraries already spread the beaches out according to the tide and park hours.

See ready-made itineraries Calculate the fees