Getting to Fernando de Noronha and around the island
Flights, airport, buggy, taxi, bus, time zone and what to do in your first hours.
You can only get there by plane, via Recife or São Paulo
Fernando de Noronha Airport (FEN) receives direct flights from Recife (REC), about a 1h10 flight, and from São Paulo (Guarulhos). In April 2026, 34 flights a week were authorized: 18 by Azul, 11 by Gol and 5 by LATAM. The schedule changes with the season: check it when you book. From other cities, you connect in Recife or São Paulo.
Book early. In 2025 the island received about 140,000 visitors, above the limit of 132,000 a year, and the management committee is discussing measures with the airlines. Seats may become scarcer.
- Price: the Recife–Noronha leg ranges from R$ 800 to more than R$ 2.500 round trip, depending on how far ahead you book and the time of year. Deals show up for March to June.
- Luggage: the planes are smaller (Embraer and 737). Check only the essentials and keep snorkel gear, sunscreen and medication in your carry-on. Bringing a board? See how to fly with a surfboard.
- Arrival: disembarkation goes through TPA control. If you paid online, you just show the receipt; the park ticket is not checked at the airport. There is only one baggage carousel and, on days with several flights, the wait can exceed 20 minutes.
- Return: flights follow island time. Get to the airport 1h30 in advance; pousadas usually offer the transfer.
Time zone
Noronha is on UTC−2, one hour ahead of Brasília. Tours, the park and flights use local time. When you land, check whether your phone updated on its own; if not, turn off automatic time and set it 1 hour ahead.
First hours on the island
- Set your watch: the island is 1 hour ahead of Brasília.
- Pousada transfer, taxi with fixed fares or a car delivered at the airport. There is no Uber.
- Check-in usually starts at 2pm: drop off your bags and go for lunch first, because many kitchens close at 3pm.
- Test your signal, connect to the pousada Wi-Fi and confirm tour times and meeting points via WhatsApp.
- Stop by the supermarket for large water jugs and snacks for the tours.
- Easy program: Porto or Conceição and sunset at Forte do Boldró.
If you arrived around midday, Porto de Santo Antônio is the perfect beach for the afternoon: easy, calm and with snorkeling on the shipwrecks.
Getting around
The island covers 17 km² and has a single paved road, the BR-363, with about 7 km between the Porto and Sueste. Everything else is dirt road.
Buggy or car
Buggy from R$ 250 to R$ 450 per day: freedom, but open-top and with lots of sun. Car from R$ 550 to R$ 650, with air conditioning and shade, the best option with a baby. Gasoline between R$ 8,50 and R$ 9,80 at the only gas station; there is zero tolerance for drinking and driving, with checkpoints.
Taxi
Fixed price per ride, from R$ 28 to R$ 60. Good for evenings and occasional rides; in high season the wait is long. There is no Uber.
Bus
One line between the Porto and Sueste along the BR-363, every 30 to 45 minutes, fare R$ 5, rarely accepts cards. Cheap, but tiring with a baby. It doesn't go on the dirt roads.
On foot and by bicycle
The Vila, the Porto, Conceição and Cachorro are connected on foot. Bicycles and electric scooters can be rented in the Vila; watch out for the hills and the heat.
Don't rent for the whole week
On boat, Ilha Tour or diving days, transportation is already included. Rent a buggy or car only for your free days and save 30% to 50%.
Money, internet and power
- Cash: Santander ATMs (Vila dos Remédios) and Bradesco ATMs (Vila do Trinta), plus one at the airport that doesn't always work. Bring R$ 300 to R$ 500 in cash for buses, tips and beach stalls; pay for the rest by card. Pix works in most places.
- Internet: TIM has had 5G in the villages since 2024; Vivo and Claro have 4G, strongest in Vila dos Remédios and Vila do Trinta. On the park beaches and trails the signal is weak or nonexistent. Save maps, receipts and contacts offline.
- Power: 220 V. Bring an adapter if your devices are 110 V.
- Health: Hospital São Lucas (Floresta Nova) with 24h emergency care; serious cases are flown to Recife. Get travel insurance with air ambulance evacuation, even if you are Brazilian. Bring your regular medications.
- Plastic: disposables are banned in the archipelago: there are no bags at the supermarket, no plastic straws or cups, and bottles smaller than 500 ml are not allowed. Bring a reusable bottle and bag.
Fernando de Noronha Airport (FEN)
Located in the center of the island, 2 km from Vila dos Remédios. Small, with a snack bar, TPA counter and buggy rental desks. There is no duty-free shop or VIP lounge.
- Phone: (81) 3619-1311
- Distance to the Vila: 5 minutes by car
- Distance to Sueste: 10 minutes by car
Airport guide: arrival and departure
All useful phone numbersHow much a trip to Noronha costs
Reference totals for a couple for 7 days, including flights, accommodation, food, fees, transportation and tours. The item that varies most is accommodation: two pousadas on the same street can differ threefold in price.
2026 official fees included: 7-day TPA (R$ 672,85 per person) and park ticket (R$ 192,00). The item-by-item table, with the assumptions for each profile, is in the Premium Guide and in the Planner, which calculates your own case.
How much a trip to Noronha costs: where it's worth spending more
Arrived? Now choose where to stay.
We compare the neighborhoods and list pousadas by price range.