Tours at the Port of Fernando de Noronha

Find out why Praia do Porto de Santo Antônio is the busiest spot in Fernando de Noronha: 3 shipwrecks to dive, spinner dolphins early in the morning, Hawaiian canoe, water bike and the best restaurants on the waterfront — all in one place.

Porto de Santo Antônio — better known among visitors as Praia do Porto ("Port Beach") — is the busiest area of Fernando de Noronha, and that's no exaggeration: it's where almost every boat and speedboat on the island departs from, it's where spinner dolphins usually show up early in the morning, and it's also home to one of the richest scuba diving spots on the archipelago, with three shipwrecks to explore. If you're planning your itinerary, it's worth setting aside some time — maybe even a full day — just for this area.

In this guide we've gathered everything you can do at Praia do Porto: beginner and certified scuba diving, Hawaiian canoe, water bike, sea trekker, where to eat along the waterfront, and the beach's facilities.

Where it is and why the tours leave from there

Porto de Santo Antônio is located in Fernando de Noronha's port area, and it's where the water bike, the Hawaiian canoe, the speedboats and the boats — including the Traditional Boat and the Sunset VIP — all depart from, along with boat-based cylinder diving. The Island Tour doesn't leave from the Port, but it does stop there as one of the tour's sightseeing points. It's also where EmNoronha's physical store is located, so if you're already in the area to board a tour, stop by to ask any questions in person.

Scuba diving at Praia do Porto: beginner or certified

The Port area has three shipwrecks, and the experience depends on your certification:

• Beach Beginner Cylinder Dive (R$490/person) — for anyone who has never done a diving course. You walk in from the beach, dive down to 10m (at high tide) and visit the first shipwreck, with one instructor for every two people and around 30 to 40 minutes underwater. Before getting in the water, the instructor teaches underwater hand signals, breathing through the mouth with a regulator, and how to equalize your ears — no experience needed at all.
• Beach Certified Cylinder Dive (R$450/person) — for anyone who already holds a certification (like Open Water Diver). Same area, but the route visits all three shipwrecks.

If you'd rather not book a structured dive, you can also get a look at the first shipwreck by snorkeling — but the recommendation is always to go with a guide or instructor, never alone in the water, even on calm-sea days. Message us on WhatsApp before you go, and we'll tell you the safest way to do it.

Spinner dolphins early at the Port

One of the coolest things about this area is that spinner dolphins usually arrive in the port area just after 7am and stick around for a good while. That's why anyone doing the Hawaiian canoe — at either time slot — tends to catch them passing by: the sunrise canoe is heading back right around that time and meets the dolphins on the way in, while the later slot is heading out and usually spots them on the way out. There's no guarantee, since they're wild animals, but it's a behavior pattern our team has observed over time. Want to know more about where and how to spot them? We have a full guide just on that: spinner dolphins in Fernando de Noronha (post in Portuguese).

Hawaiian canoe and water bike at Praia do Porto

Besides diving, Praia do Porto is also where two lighter activities happen — great if you want to be on the water without a tank:

• Hawaiian Canoe — a group paddle leaving right from Praia do Porto, with two time slots: sunrise and a later slot. The odds of seeing dolphins are similar for both (see why above) — the difference is that the sunrise slot also gets you a sunrise as a bonus. We've also written a dedicated guide to this tour: Hawaiian canoe in Fernando de Noronha (post in Portuguese).
• Water Bike (R$220/person) — about an hour of pedaling on the water, no transfer needed (the starting point is Praia do Porto itself). It runs both in the morning, when the chance of spotting dolphins is higher, and in the late afternoon, for sunset.

Sea trekker in the port area

Another activity that happens in the same area is the sea trekker (plana sub) — a ride pulled across the water that doesn't require any diving skills, and it's part of the Sunset VIP tour. The route combines the sea trekker in the Port area with sunset on board and a barbecue of fresh fish, salad, fruit and garlic bread on the way back — one of EmNoronha's most complete (and most popular) tours.

Want to book your spot on the Sunset VIP or ask about the sea trekker? Message us on WhatsApp and we'll walk you through the whole tour.

Where to eat at Praia do Porto

The waterfront at the Port has restaurant options for every kind of traveler. If you're after good value, the Tia Regina e Tia Graça beach stalls are a local classic. If you'd rather go somewhere a bit more upscale, the area also has Mergulhão, Museu dos Tubarões and Mavi. We've rounded up more options across the whole island (not just the Port area) in our guide where to eat in Fernando de Noronha (post in Portuguese).

Beach facilities

Besides the restaurants, Praia do Porto has beach stalls, public restrooms and our physical store — if you need anything before or after a tour, just stop by.

Late afternoon: sunset water bike and beach volleyball

In the late afternoon, Praia do Porto changes pace: that's when a beach volleyball game usually gets going, with locals and tourists playing side by side. If you want to be on the water at that time, the water bike at sunset is the way to go — diving and snorkeling are better earlier in the day, when the sun is still high and underwater visibility is at its best.

What to pair with this tour

Since the Port area is where a good part of the island's tours begin, it also shows up inside broader itineraries — like the Island Tour (post in Portuguese), which stops in the port area along with other points on the island. If you only have a few days in Noronha and want to see as much as possible, it's worth pairing this with that itinerary.

Frequently asked questions about Praia do Porto

Where is Porto de Santo Antônio in Fernando de Noronha?
It's in the island's port area — that's where the water bike, the Hawaiian canoe, the speedboats and the boats (like the Traditional Boat and the Sunset VIP) depart from, along with boat-based cylinder diving. The Island Tour doesn't depart from the Port, but it does stop there as one of the points on the route.

Do I need to be certified to dive at the Port?
No. There's a beginner option (no diving course required), which visits the first shipwreck, always with an instructor alongside you. Anyone who already holds a certification can do the certified dive and visit all three shipwrecks in the area.

Do dolphins show up every day?
They usually arrive in the port area just after 7am, but since they're wild animals there's no guarantee. Both Hawaiian canoe time slots (sunrise and the later one) have similar odds of spotting them, and the morning water bike also tends to have good odds — afternoon/sunset tours don't usually catch this behavior.

What's the cancellation policy for the beach dive?
Cancelling with less than 48h notice carries a 50% fee, and with less than 24h there's no refund. For the other tours in the area, cancelling more than 7 days ahead gets a 100% refund, between 5 and 7 days carries a 50% fee, and less than 5 days means no refund (except for health reasons with a medical certificate, or natural weather events).

Is it safe to go into the water alone to see the shipwreck?
It's not recommended. Even on calm-sea days, the guidance is to always go with a guide or instructor — whether for the beginner dive, the certified dive, or a simple snorkel out to the closest shipwreck.

Do I need to know how to swim to do the Hawaiian canoe or water bike?
These are calm, on-the-surface activities, so you don't need to be an experienced swimmer — but if you have any restrictions, let us know beforehand so we can guide you properly.

Talk to us

Want to plan your route around Praia do Porto — diving, Hawaiian canoe, water bike or Sunset VIP — without getting stuck choosing? Talk to us on WhatsApp and we'll help you put it all together.