Baía do Sancho: one of the exponents of the exuberant beauty of Fernando de Noronha
"Let's see, with that man in a tacky shirt there are already 698, with that lady 699... and with me 700. Uff, I hope I have counted correctly". That is the thought that runs through the head of the most paranoid traveler waiting in line at the boarding gate at the **Recife airport (Brazil)**. Obviously, it is a calculation without a logical basis, since today the largest passenger plane in the world (the Airbus A380), despite having a maximum capacity for about 850 passengers, does not cover the route of just over 500 kilometers that separates Fernando de Noronha from the mainland. And it is much more so if you take into account that the hotels in the area are obliged to control that, under no circumstances, there are more than 700 people staying overnight on the island at the same time . So that? To preserve its ecological value and, although they do not want to admit it, maintain a reputation for exclusivity.
It is the cost of getting to this point in the world. Well, that and a tax which taxes 14 euros a day on each tourist and which is intended to preserve the archipelago . And you wonder when you're about to pay for it, is it worth it? Well, starting from the basis that the descriptions made by the explorer Americo vespucio they served to give a geographical base to the concept of Utopia, there is no room for doubt, yes. It is true that the Italian adventurer was facing a new world and that practically everything could surprise him because of its novelty; and it may also be that he was going through what is commonly known as "a good streak", but the fact is that he was right: Fernando de Noronha is a little piece of heaven , one of those places where God recreated himself with the color palette.
Boat anchored in front of Praia da Concei o
Despite being a archipelago made up of 21 islands , the only one prepared for tourism is the largest, Fernando de Noronha. Today it is paradoxical that, for different reasons, stepping on it is an exclusive activity that causes anyone in the world to yearn to be able to enjoy that privilege. Especially considering his past: during World War II it functioned as a prison , and here gypsies, criminals and even capoeira fighters from Pernambuco (and who now liven up hotel nights) were imprisoned . In the 1940s the prison was closed and the island became a military headquarters , which made the infrastructure prosper. The ruins that testify to its warlike and geostrategic past are concentrated in Vila dos Remédios, whose brilliant houses coexist with the cold gray of the stone constructions. It wasn't until year 1988 when they finally stopped talking nonsense and thuggery to exploit, duly and responsibly, the possibilities of tourism.
Yes, it is clear that it took a long time, but it must also be recognized that it has served to prevent the island from falling under the terrible influences of the tourist booms. In 2001, UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site for its high ecological value. , suddenly stopping any speculative and urbanistic temptation. And it is precisely in this that the true spectacle of the island lies. Brazil cannot complain about stunning landscapes neither dream beaches , and Fernando de Noronha gives a good account of it. As might be expected, throughout the island there is no lack of immense sandbanks (such as those of Praia da Conceição or Baía do Sancho), nor are the breathtaking landscapes, such as the rocks that are erected by tearing the turquoise fabric that seems to cover the sea here.
On this blanket of unreal tones surfing and sailing looking for the secrets of the remaining 20 islands, under it, diving is practiced . He has even managed to become one of the diving meccas of South America , to which fans of this sport come attracted by the cleanliness of the water and the many currents that divert underwater traffic from goldfish, promoting a psychedelic dance . In addition, diving here does not require a very high level of previous knowledge or a very complete dive history, since the fish practically come to greet you at the hotel room.
Praia do Leão is the site chosen by sea turtles to lay their eggs
But the milestones that earn Fernando de Noronha any definite praise and any sigh of admiration are carried out by two of the most admired bugs by children, adults and "Peter Panes". First: the turtles, which come to nest at Praia do Leão and that, thanks to the Tamar Project (which has been in operation for more than 30 years), neither their places nor their breeding habits are altered. What favors that the tourist can admire, between March and June, how the eggs hatch and the adorable little turtles make their way to the sea.
And if you manage to survive this attack of tenderness, you can always finish off this orgasm of contact with marine fauna by going to Mirante dos Golfinhos at dawn, a viewpoint from which you can see the dolphins that come to the beach to sleep after a night of fishing . Despite the distance, the beauty of the mammals that play, jump and swim in pristine waters can be appreciated very well.
Upon his return, the paranoid traveler is no longer worried. He doesn't even get upset when he finds that he has one tax day left to pay. He doesn't care. He understands it and justifies it. He has lived a few days in paradise, in a natural utopia that subtracts the economic meaning of the term "exclusive".