Diving in Brazil

This article is intended to provide the already qualified Scuba diver with information which will help to plan dives in the waters of Brazil, whether as a local resident or a visitor. Information is provided without prejudice, and is not guaranteed accurate or complete. Use it at your own risk.

Understand

Brazil has a long coastline, mainly on the South Atlantic, and mostly in the tropics, with a few offshore islands.

Diving destinations include:

• Fernando de Noronha marine park (Pernambuco state), famous for marine life but including shipwrecks
• The many shipwrecks of Recife (capital of Pernambuco)
• Arvoredo marine park (Santa Catarina state)
• Cavern diving at Bonito (Mato Grosso do Sul state)
• Cavern and cave diving in mine at Mariana (visiting Mina da Passagem) (Minas Gerais state)
• Abrolhos marine park and Salvador (Bahia state)
• Parcel de Manoel Luís (Maranhão state)
• Fortaleza (Ceará state) — Pedra da Risca do Meio State Marine Park is about 10 nautical miles from the city of Fortaleza, and covers an area of about 33 km² The park has many underwater reef formations, with an average depth ranging from 16 to 36 meters, and is rich in marine life. The average temperature of the water is about 27°C.
• Maceió & Paripueira (Alagoas state)
• Guarapari (Espírito Santo state)
• Arraial do Cabo, Paraty and Ilha Grande (Rio de Janeiro state)
• Ubatuba and Laje de Santos (São Paulo state).
• Praia Mole, Praia do Santinho, Praia dos Ingleses in Florianopolis (Santa Catarina state).

There are also liveaboards in the Northeastern region.

To dive in public parks (like Fernando de Noronha) one must be certified by one of the agencies recognized by IBAMA (Instituto Brasileiro de Administração do Meio Ambiente), a federal organ.

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