The Islands of Brazil: Natural beauty and unmissable destinations
With an extensive coastline of more than 8,000 kilometres, Brazil is home to a number of paradise islands, many of them unspoilt and full of natural secrets. From continental islands to distant oceanic formations, the country offers options for all traveller profiles.
An island is any piece of land surrounded by water. In Brazil they are classified as
The continental islands are close to the mainland and share the same geological base, forming part of the extension of the mainland territory. The separation of these islands is usually due to natural processes such as erosion and changes in sea level.
Examples: Ilhabela (SP), Ilha Grande (RJ), Santa Catarina Island (SC).
Unlike continental islands, oceanic islands are not directly connected to a continent and are formed from different geological bases, such as volcanic formations or coral reefs.
Examples: Fernando de Noronha (PE), Atol das Rocas (RN), Trindade and Martim Vaz (ES).
Islands can also be classified according to their location:
Known as Brazil’s ‘King of Islands’, Noronha’s crystal clear waters, unspoilt marine life and breathtaking scenery will enchant you.
Home to the famous Morro de São Paulo, a trendy destination with paradisiacal beaches and vibrant nightlife. It can be reached by catamaran from Salvador.
Close to Angra dos Reis, this is a haven of lush nature, with secluded beaches and trails in the middle of the Atlantic Forest.
Protected and monitored, Abrolhos is a must-see for divers. Between July and November, it is possible to see humpback whales in the region.
Famous among São Paulo residents, Ilhabela offers deserted beaches, waterfalls and mountains, as well as leisure and water sports.
The perfect destination for those seeking tranquillity, with beautiful landscapes and restricted access to preserve its biodiversity.
It is home to Florianópolis and its many beaches, lagoons and dunes, which cater for everyone from those looking for a good time to those who prefer quieter places.
Located in the Parnaíba Delta, it has dunes, natural pools and freshwater beaches.
Neighbouring Tinharé, this is a quieter destination, ideal for those seeking unspoilt beaches and peace and quiet in the midst of nature.
The largest river island in the world, famous for its buffalo, rich local culture and Marajó handicrafts. It can be reached from Belém.
The Alcatrazes Archipelago was once the target of cannon fire, Alcatrazes is a living laboratory for evolutionary studies. Located just a few kilometres off the coast of São Paulo State, the Alcatrazes Archipelago is a small group of islands of strategic importance to Brazil that has been the target of […]
The jararaca-ilhoa lives exclusively on the island of Queimada Grande, also known as the island of snakes. The jararaca-ilhoa is a sui generis snake, adapted to living in trees or semi-trees, which is reflected in various aspects of its morphology and behaviour. More than 30 species of jararaca snakes have […]
Trindade e Martim Vaz is a Brazilian archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, being a Federal Territory aligned to the coast of Espírito Santo, situated in the Atlantic Ocean, and about 1,200 kilometres east of Vitória. It consists of two main islands (Trindade and Martim Vaz), separated by 48 kilometres, which […]
Inside the cove of Baía dos Golfinhos in Fernando de Noronha, one of the natural attractions of the archipelago, there is a high concentration of spinner dolphins, an oceanic and tropical species known for its behavior of jumping out of the water and performing up to seven rotations around its […]
Anchieta Island is one of the main tourist attractions of Ubatuba, both for its historical importance with the Ruins of the Prison, for the beautiful beaches and trails, for the excellent diving spots and for the Atlantic Forest preserved by the Anchieta Island State Park. Being very close to the […]
The Ponta do Boi Lighthouse is located on the largest sea island in Brazil – São Sebastião, opposite the city of the same name. So named by Américo Vespúcio in 1502, the now famous Ilhabela, paradise for tourists, was once hell for many who lost their lives in its waters. […]
The Marajó Archipelago is located at the mouth of the Amazon River in the state of Pará, bordering the Amazon and the Atlantic Ocean. It is made up of approximately 3,000 islands, with emphasis on Marajó Island, its largest island, with 49,602 m². Marajó Island enchants its visitors for the […]
Itamaracá Island offers beaches with calm waters and natural pools. Ilha de Itamaracá is a charming tourist destination located off the coast of the state of Pernambuco in Brazil. Known for its natural and historical beauty, the island offers a variety of attractions for all types of visitors. About 50 […]
One of the most famous shipwrecks in Brazil, the Corveta V 17 – Ipiranga, of the Brazilian Navy, rests about sixty meters in the waters of Ponta da Sapata in Fernando de Noronha. Very well protected by the island’s diving operators, the Ipiranga corvette has practically all its structures preserved […]
The archipelago of São Pedro e São Paulo is a group of small rocky islands located in the central part of the equatorial Atlantic Ocean, 627 kilometers from the archipelago of Fernando de Noronha, 986 kilometers from the nearest point of the continent and 1010 km from Natal, in the […]
Ilha Grande is full of natural beauty, beaches and trails. Ilha Grande, situated in the municipality of Angra dos Reis in the state of Rio de Janeiro, is a tropical paradise known for its natural beauty, stunning trails and paradisiacal beaches. With its unspoilt nature, Ilha Grande is the perfect […]
The island of Santa Catarina is part of the municipality of Florianópolis and is located in the Atlantic Ocean, on the southern coast of Brazil, in the center of the coastline of the state of Santa Catarina. It is about 54 km long (north-south) by no more than 18 km […]
Ilhabela is considered one of the most popular destinations on the north coast of São Paulo. Known for its natural beauty, the island attracts tourists looking for parties and nightlife as well as those who want to relax on paradisiacal beaches and explore trails and waterfalls. Some of the main […]
There are many options of beaches in the archipelago of Fernando de Noronha. Some are more suitable for diving, others for bathing, contemplation, surfing etc. Generally speaking, all the beaches located on the protected side of the main island are ideal for diving and swimming between April and November, due […]
The Fernando de Noronha Archipelago consists of isolated volcanic islands in the South Equatorial Atlantic, its main island being the visible part of a chain of submerged mountains (DORSAL MEDIAN ATLANTIC). Located at geographic coordinates 03 51′ south and 32 25′ west and approximately 345 km from Cape São Roque […]
Fernando de Noronha é uma das melhores áreas do país para a prática do surf, tanto que a ilha é conhecida como o “Hawaii brasileiro”. Em novembro se inicia a temporada das grandes ondas que vai até o mês de março. Os grandes swells do Atlântico Norte que alcançam a […]
Diving is the biggest attraction of Fernando de Noronha. The waters are so transparent that the visibility on the seabed can exceed 40 meters. Excellent for contemplating a natural system with approximately 230 specimens of fish, fifteen varieties of corals and five types of sharks. The following can be practiced […]
One of the main characteristics of Fernando Noronha is the scarcity of physical space and natural resources; this scarcity, combined with the island’s strict environmental controls, makes Noronha’s hotel segment different from other tourist centers in Brazil. Until a few years ago, before the explosion of tourism, the only lodging […]
Fernando de Noronha is 545 km from Recife, capital of the State of Pernambuco; 360 km from Natal, capital of the State of Rio Grande do Norte and 710 km from the city of Fortaleza, capital of the State of Ceará. How to get to Fernando de Noronha? The Archipelago […]
Atol das Rocas is the only atoll present in the western South Atlantic Ocean. Atol das Rocas is located about 145 km west of the archipelago of Fernando de Noronha and approximately 260 km northeast of the city of Natal, in Rio Grande do Norte, being the only atoll present […]
The thermilogical differentiation between these two types, oceanic and continental islands, is related to the greater or lesser distance from the continent. If the island is close to the continental coast, it is a continental island and if it is far away, lost in the middle of the oceans, it […]
The history of Itaparica Island, located in Todos os Santos Bay, is marked by a rich interweaving of cultures and significant events from pre-colonial times to the present day. Initially inhabited by the Tupinambás, the island became a strategic point for the Portuguese at the beginning of the 16th century, […]
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