Fernando de Noronha

Two rocks stand out of the water, seen from a clifftop lookout. Only at high tide can you go down and get into the sea there.

An iron ladder set into a cleft in the cliff is the way down. Daily numbers are limited and entry runs by timed ticket.

Hundreds of dolphins come into this bay early in the morning to rest. Entering the water is forbidden, so it is watched from the clifftop.

A pool that forms only at low tide, snorkelled to look at the fish. Sunscreen bars you from entering, and the time allowed is thirty minutes.

Twin volcanic stacks rise out of the sea as the emblem of the island. They stand on the sunset side and read as silhouettes in the evening.

An eighteenth century Portuguese fort whose cannon still sit at the cliff edge. It counts among the island's spots for the evening light.

A sunken ship lies at around sixty metres, and the water is clear enough for thirty metres of visibility. Certification is required and the depth decides which grade.

The organisation monitoring and protecting turtle nesting gives evening talks. During the laying season the marked areas are closed off.

With a guide, the walk follows the shore for several hours. Some stretches only open with the tide, so the setting out hour shifts daily.

The easiest beach to reach here, with the peak standing behind it. The surf builds in the afternoon, which is when the boards come out.

A beach on the island's Atlantic flank where sea turtles nest, so access closes after dark. An offshore rock shaped like a lying lion gives the name. The surf is strong, better for walking and looking than swimming.

In a calm bay you snorkel in a life jacket alongside sea turtles. The park limits numbers and time in the water, so you wait your turn. Mangroves, scarce on the island, grow in the inner bay.

Between December and March, when the northern swell arrives, surfers flock here for the big waves. From the end of the beach the Two Brothers rocks stand right ahead. On big-surf days look for no-swimming flags first.

Gripping a board tied behind a boat, you lie in the water and get towed along, gazing down at the sea floor. Hold your breath and tip the board down to dive toward the bottom. A clear-water day makes all the difference.

Facing the main square of Vila dos Remedios, this whitewashed church was begun in 1737 and finished in 1772. The island's only old settlement survives around it. It sits where the climb to the fort begins, so pair the two.

A small beach just below the village, with swimming in pools between the rocks. The restaurants above it fill with music in the evening. It is walkable, so visitors without a buggy use it most.