Hundreds of spinner dolphins gather daily in Baía dos Golfinhos.
26–29°C · 79–84°Fvis 45 m · 148 ftintermediate
Country
Diving in Brazil
21 dive destinations in Brazil, up to 3,230 km apart. Water temperature across them runs 14–29 °C. 18 of 21 are in season in March. 92 named dive sites have their own pages.
Ilhabela · photo João D'Andretta
- Destinations
- 21
- Dive sites
- 92
- Water
- 14–29°C
- Most in season
- March
RegionSouth America
Where are the dive destinations in Brazil?
- 1Fernando de NoronhaAug–Oct
- 2Recife WrecksSep–Feb
- 3Porto de GalinhasOct–Mar
- 4Maceió & Praia do FrancêsOct–Apr
- 5Salvador & Baía de Todos os SantosJul–Mar
- 6Morro de São PauloNov–Mar
- 7Porto Seguro & Santa Cruz CabráliaNov–Apr
- 8Abrolhos ArchipelagoAug–Oct
- 9GuarapariDec–Apr
- 10BonitoApr–Aug
- 11BúziosApr–May
- 12Cabo FrioApr
- 13Arraial do CaboApr–Aug
- 14Ilha Grande & Angra dos ReisOct–Apr
- 15ParatyYear-round
- 16UbatubaFeb–Mar
- 17IlhabelaJan–Mar
- 18Alcatrazes ArchipelagoFeb–Apr
- 19Laje de SantosApr–Jul
- 20Arvoredo Marine ReserveDec–Mar
- 21Florianópolis & Ilha do XavierNov–Apr
Numbers match the table below. Land outline: Natural Earth (public domain).
How do they compare?
| # | Destination | Best months | Water | Visibility | Depth | Level | Access | Sites |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fernando de Noronha | Aug–Oct | 26–29°C | 20–45 m | 5–30 m | Intermediate | Day boat | 1 |
| 2 | Recife Wrecks | Sep–Feb | 25–28°C | 8–25 m | 10–40 m | Intermediatesites from intermediate to advanced | Day boat | 4 |
| 3 | Porto de Galinhas | Oct–Mar | 26–29°C | — | 1–32 m | Intermediatesites from beginner to advanced | Day boat | 4 |
| 4 | Maceió & Praia do Francês | Oct–Apr | 26–29°C | — | 10–30 m | Intermediatesites from beginner to advanced | Shore, Day boat | 5 |
| 5 | Salvador & Baía de Todos os Santos | Jul–Mar | 26–29°C | 5–40 m | 10–30 m | Intermediatesites from beginner to advanced | Day boat | 6 |
| 6 | Morro de São Paulo | Nov–Mar | 25–29°C | — | 1–22 m | Intermediatesites from beginner to intermediate | Day boat, Shore | 2 |
| 7 | Porto Seguro & Santa Cruz Cabrália | Nov–Apr | 24–28°C | 5–10 m | 6–18 m | Beginnersites from beginner to advanced | Day boat | 6 |
| 8 | Abrolhos Archipelago | Aug–Oct | 24–28°C | 8–30 m | 5–30 m | Intermediatesites from intermediate to advanced | Liveaboard | 2 |
| 9 | Guarapari | Dec–Apr | 23–26°C | — | 3–36 m | Intermediatesites from beginner to advanced | Day boat | 5 |
| 10 | Bonito | Apr–Aug | 21–24°C | 15–50 m | 3–30 m | Intermediatesites from beginner to advanced | Shore | 3 |
| 11 | Búzios | Apr–May | 22–26°C | — | 12–30 m | Intermediatesites from beginner to intermediate | Day boat | 3 |
| 12 | Cabo Frio | Apr | 22–26°C | 8–20 m | 6–27 m | Intermediatesites from beginner to advanced | Day boat | 5 |
| 13 | Arraial do Cabo | Apr–Aug | 14–26°C | 5–30 m | 5–30 m | Intermediatesites from intermediate to advanced | Shore, Day boat | 5 |
| 14 | Ilha Grande & Angra dos Reis | Oct–Apr | 18–28°C | — | 4–18 m | Beginnersites from beginner to advanced | Day boat | 5 |
| 15 | Paraty | Year-round | 22–26°C | — | 4–28 m | Beginnersites from beginner to advanced | Day boat | 6 |
| 16 | Ubatuba | Feb–Mar | 21–27°C | — | 2–25 m | Beginnersites from beginner to advanced | Day boat | 7 |
| 17 | Ilhabela | Jan–Mar | 20–27°C | 2–20 m | 3–30 m | Beginnersites from beginner to advanced | Day boat | 7 |
| 18 | Alcatrazes Archipelago | Feb–Apr | 18–24°C | 3–30 m | 4–30 m | Intermediatesites from beginner to advanced | Day boat | 6 |
| 19 | Laje de Santos | Apr–Jul | 18–27°C | 8–35 m | 6–35 m | Intermediatesites from intermediate to advanced | Day boat | 4 |
| 20 | Arvoredo Marine Reserve | Dec–Mar | 16–26°C | 5–25 m | 5–28 m | Intermediatesites from beginner to intermediate | Day boat | 3 |
| 21 | Florianópolis & Ilha do Xavier | Nov–Apr | 19–26°C | — | 5–30 m | Intermediatesites from beginner to advanced | Day boat | 3 |
When is the best time to dive Brazil?
The most destinations are rated good or prime at the same time in March: 18 of 21. Each row is one destination's own season rating.
| Destination | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Fernando de Noronha | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good |
| 2Recife Wrecks | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime |
| 3Porto de Galinhas | Prime | Prime | Prime | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Prime | Prime | Prime |
| 4Maceió & Praia do Francês | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Fair | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Fair | Prime | Prime | Prime |
| 5Salvador & Baía de Todos os Santos | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good |
| 6Morro de São Paulo | Prime | Prime | Prime | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Prime | Prime |
| 7Porto Seguro & Santa Cruz Cabrália | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Prime | Prime |
| 8Abrolhos Archipelago | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Prime |
| 9Guarapari | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime |
| 10Bonito | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Fair | Fair |
| 11Búzios | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Fair | Fair |
| 12Cabo Frio | Fair | Fair | Fair | Prime | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair |
| 13Arraial do Cabo | Fair | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair |
| 14Ilha Grande & Angra dos Reis | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime |
| 15Paraty | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good |
| 16Ubatuba | Fair | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Fair | Fair |
| 17Ilhabela | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair |
| 18Alcatrazes Archipelago | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good |
| 19Laje de Santos | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair |
| 20Arvoredo Marine Reserve | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Prime |
| 21Florianópolis & Ilha do Xavier | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Prime | Prime |
| Good or prime | 14 | 16 | 18 | 13 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 14 |
Which destinations combine into one trip?
Destinations that fit within 200 km of each other end to end and share at least one month rated good or prime. Distances are straight lines between destinations, not travel routes.
195 km end to end
In season together: Oct–Mar
94 km end to end
In season together: Feb–Mar and Sep–Oct
27 km end to end
In season together: April
101 km end to end
In season together: March
33 km end to end
In season together: Nov–Apr
59 km end to end
In season together: Nov–Mar
174 km end to end
In season together: Nov–Mar
All 21 destinations in Brazil
Dozens of wrecks on flat sand, including the 1887 steamer Pirapama
25–28°C · 77–82°Fvis 25 m · 82 ftintermediate
Two artificial-reef wrecks at 32 to 35 m: the Gonçalo Coelho and the Marte tug
26–29°C · 79–84°Fintermediate
South America
Three wrecks at around 30 m, about an hour by boat from Maceió
26–29°C · 79–84°Fintermediate
South America
The 180-metre freighter Cavo Artemidi, a boat ride from the city
26–29°C · 79–84°Fvis 40 m · 130 ftintermediate
A coral reef reached from the beach, by day or by night
25–29°C · 77–84°Fintermediate
South America
Shallow coral banks of the Recife de Fora marine park, an hour out by boat
24–28°C · 75–82°Fvis 10 m · 33 ftbeginner
Divers swim among and inside chapeirões, Brazil's mushroom-shaped coral towers.
24–28°C · 75–82°Fvis 30 m · 100 ftintermediate
South America
Guarapari
Brazil
Rocky island reefs and deep wrecks a short boat ride off Guarapari
23–26°C · 73–79°Fintermediate
Abseil 72 m into a cave lake to dive among submerged cones at Abismo Anhumas
21–24°C · 70–75°Fvis 50 m · 164 ftintermediate
Ilha de Âncora, a turtle sanctuary 11 km off the peninsula
22–26°C · 72–79°Fintermediate
Rocky islands where cold and warm currents meet, a short boat run from town
22–26°C · 72–79°Fvis 20 m · 66 ftintermediate
Cold upwelling packs granite walls with fish an hour from Rio
14–26°C · 57–79°Fvis 30 m · 100 ftintermediate
Pinguino wreck, Jorge Grego crevice and rocky islands
18–28°C · 64–82°Fbeginner
Submerged statues of Christ and Neptune among calm bay islands
22–26°C · 72–79°Fbeginner
South America
Ubatuba
Brazil
Island bays for every level, a Cousteau statue and mating stingrays
21–27°C · 70–81°Fbeginner
Historic steamer wrecks and a no-fishing islet worked by six island dive centres
20–27°C · 68–81°Fvis 20 m · 66 ftbeginner
A refuge closed to divers for three decades, reopened in December 2018
18–24°C · 64–75°Fvis 30 m · 100 ftintermediate
Giant manta rays glide over an offshore granite reef from March through September.
18–27°C · 64–81°Fvis 35 m · 115 ftintermediate
Granite reefs where tropical and temperate species overlap
16–26°C · 61–79°Fvis 25 m · 82 ftintermediate
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Rocky islands 10 to 18 minutes from the Barra da Lagoa channel
19–26°C · 66–79°Fintermediate