Once a quaint fishing village, Porto de Galinhas, Brazil, has watched as traces of its sleepy origins fade into yesteryear. Although the pace of life is still welcomingly calm on off days, easy village rhythms have been replaced by the modern buzz of vacationing crowds that flood in on holidays and weekends. This should come as no surprise for a place unanimously declared the country’s best beach for 10 years running. After all, where else is there such an incredible combination of a near-equatorial coastal location, natural pools a stone’s throw from the beach and ecological trails all within close proximity to the major state capital of Recife.

During low tide, natural swimming pools are easily reached on foot from Brazil's Porto de Galinhas village. Photo courtesy of the Secretary of Porto de Galinhas

In an effort to maintain its reputation as THE best beach in Brazil, the area’s infrastructure has been strategically developed to keep pace with the influx of holidaymakers. There is a plethora of Porto de Galinhas hotels, plus plenty of resorts ready to accommodate suntanned and beach-beaten guests looking to relax indoors. One option with a good reputation is Ecoporto, which is run by a welcoming couple from Southern Brazil. This pousada (Brazilian guesthouse) is located far enough outside the bustling town centre to escape the noise, but still within strolling distance of its restaurants and shops.

There are tons of things to see and do in Porto de Galinhas. Top of the list for most visitors is lazing on the idyllic white sands as waves break over the surrounding reefs, although gazing at beautiful fish in natural pools and diving to explore lost shipwrecks are both available as options. One truly amazing experience is observing seahorses in their natural habitat on a kayaking trip through the Maracaípe mangroves before paddling out to where the Maracaípe River meets the ocean.

Alternatively for those who like to feel the wind in their hair and the sand beneath their feet, jumping on a three-hour or full-day Buggy Tour is a wonderful way to explore the beaches in the area, while allowing the freedom to stop at will for a stroll on the shoreline.

Porto de Galinhas, Brazil, means 'Port of Chickens'. In the 18th century, when the slave trade was outlawed in Brazil, the traffic continued in this port town. The code for explaining that a shipment had arrived was 'new chickens were in town.' Courtesy of Pedro Paulo Capelossi

No matter what you do, most days are finished off in the same way – with caipirinha drinks at a local watering hole.

The whl.travel local connection in Porto de Galinhas is Pedro Paulo Capelossi and his team at Trip Noronha, who also cover the Brazilian island paradise of Fernando de Noronha. “I am pleased to finally bring the local community and small inns of Porto de Galinhas the technological tools to reach a market they never could before,” said Capelossi. “Our mission, in addition to bringing quality information to travellers, is to encourage sustainable tourism in this region where it is still not a common focus for many tourism providers and accommodations.”

As with any booming tourist destination, many suppliers in Porto de Galinhas are driven by the ever-mighty bottom line. However, in the name of truly responsible tourism, Pedro seeks out tour providers and accommodation operators working toward improving the sustainability of this gorgeous beach destination by hiring local people, recycling, utilising green energy systems and improving awareness of the local culture.

As an avid diver, Pedro’s responsible practices extend to his concern for Brazil’s oceans. Over the years he has completed over 5,000 dives and accompanied over 20,000 divers. Trip Noronha has also been involved with noteworthy projects like the Spinner Dolphin Project and conservation efforts for rehabilitating overused dive sites in Fernando de Noronha.

www.portodegalinhas.travel is the latest addition to the ever-growing network of destinations covered by whl.travel partners all over Brazil.

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EM PORTUGUÊS / IN PORTUGUESE:

Outrora uma exótica aldeia de pescadores, Porto de Galinhas assistiu com o tempo os traços das suas origens singulares desaparecerem no passado. Embora o ritmo de vida ainda seja tranquilamente convidativo em certos dias, a aldeia teve os compassos substituídos pelo buzz moderno das férias e multidões que a inundam em feriados e fins de semana. Isso não deve ter sido nenhuma surpresa para um lugar que por unanimidade foi escolhido como a melhor praia do país por 10 anos seguidos. Afinal, aonde mais existe esta combinação incrível de um local paradisíaco, com piscinas naturais a poucos passos da praia e várias trilhas ecológicas? E tudo nas proximidades de uma capital de estado.

Em um esforço contínuo para manter a sua reputação como a melhor praia do Brasil a infraestrutura da região foi desenvolvida para manter o ritmo com o fluxo de turistas. Existe uma infinidade de hotéis em Porto de Galinhas, além de resorts prontos para acomodar os que procuram relaxamento. Uma opção com boa reputação é Ecoporto, que é gerido por um casal do sul do Brasil. Esta pousada está localizada distante o suficiente do centro da cidade para escapar da agitação, mas ainda assim a curta distância dos seus restaurantes e lojas.

The locals have capitalised on the town's catchy name and craft chickens can be found all over the village, even though the name is rooted in a time of slavery. Courtesy of Pedro Paulo Capelossi

Há várias coisas para ver e fazer em Porto de Galinhas. No topo da lista para a maioria dos visitantes é espreguiçar nas areias brancas enquanto as ondas quebram sobre os recifes ao redor, contemplar belos peixes nas piscinas naturais ou mergulhar para explorar nasvios naufragados são passeios disponíveis. Uma experiência verdadeiramente surpreendente é observar os cavalos-marinhos em seu habitat natural em uma viagem de caiaque pelo mangue de Maracaípe antes de remar para fora, onde o Rio Maracaípe encontra o oceano.

Alternativamente, para aqueles que gostam de sentir o vento em seus cabelos e a areia sob seus pés, um passeio de buggy de três horas ou um passeio de Buggy o dia todo é uma maneira maravilhosa de explorar as praias da região.

Não importa o que você faça, pois na maioria das vezes os dias terminam da mesma forma – com caipirinha em um bar!

Agora, além do portal WHL de Fernando de Noronha, Pedro Paulo Capelossi, da Trip Noronha compartilhou conosco como ele está “satisfeito de finalmente trazer ás comunidades locais e pequenas pousadas de Porto de Galinhas, as ferramentas tecnológicas para alcançar um mercado nunca antes explorado. A nossa missão, além de trazer informações de qualidade aos viajantes, é promover o turismo sustentável na região, pois ainda não é uma prática comum de muitas pousadas e prestadores de turismo locais”.

Com o crescimento do turismo em Porto de Galinhas, as grandes operadoras turísticas começaram a comercializar o destino de forma desordenada, e é aonde a verdadeira essência do turismo sustentável entra em jogo. Pedro procura trabalhar com fornecedores que tenham a preocupação em desenvolver um turismo sustentável a fim de preservar o destino, contratando mão de obra local, reciclagem de lixo, utilizando energia solar, evidenciando os aspectos da cultura local. Pedro é um instrutor de mergulho experiente, com mais de 5000 mergulhos e já acompanhou mais de 20.000 mergulhadores de todo o mundo. A Trip Noronha apóia e já auxiliou projetos como o Projeto Golfinho Rotador, e também participou da exploração de novos pontos de mergulho para reabilitar pontos de mergulho já saturados em Fernando de Noronha.

www.portodegalinhas.travel tem muito orgulho de participar de uma extensa rede de destinos já lançados no Brasil.

Giving It a Spin

The spinner dolphin is a tropical oceanic dolphin that lives in groups numbering three to more than two thousand individuals. Of the 37 different dolphin species, it is the third most abundant in the world and is named for its tendency to shoot out of the water and complete as many as seven rotations whilst airborne.

The dolphins usually surface during boat rides, showing off their acrobatics skills as they leap out of the water and putting on a real show. The stunts they perform are more than simply fun; they’re an important form of signalling, drawing the attention of the boat, which, in turn, protects the rest of the pod from potential predators. The communication system consists of different types of jumps and beats made with the body on the surface of the water, producing turbulence when the dolphin completes its dive.

The daily routine for the spinner dolphins in Fernando de Noronha involves feeding, primarily during the night, followed by a morning relocating to the appropriately named Dolphins Bay. They arrive in the bay at sunrise and depart for various feeding areas in the afternoon.

Seeing and Understanding through the Spinner Dolphin Project

Dolphins Bay (Baia dos Golfinhos), located off Sancho Beach, is a top destination for dolphin spotters. The bay’s waters are the calmest and deepest in the entire archipelago, ranging from 0 to 25 metres but averaging about 15 meters in the centre. The floor of the bay is composed predominantly of volcanic sands with scattered rocks and can be accessed by a single trail that offers a good vantage point from which to observe the activities of the spinner dolphins. One ideal point from which to observe Dolphins Bay is Dolphin Lookout, set 55 metres above sea level. It can be reached via a one-kilometre-long walking trail that begins in a parking lot at Sancho Bay.

Sancho Bay, on Fernando de Noronha, has what many consider to be one of the county's 10 best beaches

Early in the morning is the best time to visit. Between 5:30am and 8am the dolphins can be seen entering the bay, sometimes engaging in communication activity. Monday through Saturday, from 5:30am until one hour after the last dolphin leaves the bay, researchers from the Spinner Dolphin Project (Projeto Golfinho Rotador) are on hand to help visitors understand the dolphins’ behaviours. They explain the importance of Dolphins Bay by answering questions, giving information and providing binoculars for a closer look (usually available from 7am).

The Spinner Dolphin Project was established in 1990 and strives to develop environmental awareness in the local population, train local teenagers to work in ecotourism, promote research of the natural history and behaviour of dolphins in Fernando de Noronha, study the interaction of the dolphins with nautical tourism, propose standards for the preservation of spinner dolphins and propose and implement actions aimed at conserving the area in general.

It is a wide-reaching partnership that includes the Aquatic Mammal Centre, which is a specialised centre for the study of marine fauna, the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation and the Brazil’s Ministry of the Environment. The centre is a non-governmental environmental organisation of Fernando de Noronha and is sponsored by the Petrobras oil company.

The spinner dolphin is common to the waters of Fernando de Noronha, Brazil, and most famous for its acrobatic displays. Some have been seen completing 14 spinning jumps one after another.

Local Tourism Involvement

Trip Noronha, my locally based tour company, interacts often with the Spinner Dolphins Project. We make every effort to promote their admirable initiatives whenever we can. My experience as a dive instructor has been utilised by the programme on several occasions to help maintain buoys in Dolphins Bay. As Fernando de Noronha is well known as a diver’s paradise and many of our tours use dive sites near Dolphins Bay, visitors need to know the correct way to behave underwater near dolphins. Our tour guides are therefore responsible for educating guests about these beautiful animals, not only for the sake of safety but also to increase awareness of the dolphins and the issues they face.

We are thrilled to have the resources of the Spinner Dolphin Project in Fernando de Noronha dedicated to actively spreading knowledge about the correct way to coexist with this amazing species. In the future, I hope to see more organisations such as this one becoming active the length of the northeastern coast of Brazil since the spinner dolphins are free roaming and should be protected in all of their habitats.

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For more information about the Spinner Dolphin Project in Brazil and anything else in Fernando de Noronha, including accommodations, tours, activities and lots of insider tips, contact your local whl.travel connection: Pedro Capelossi and the team from Trip Noronha.

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Visit the whl.travel Flickr photostream for a set of more pictures of Fernando de Noronha, including a previous Photo of the Week of eagle spotted rays.

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