Scuba diving locations in Brazil:

• Arraial do Cabo, which is situated in the Região dos Lagos, sports White sand beaches and great visibility. There are over 40 shipwrecks in the region.

• Fernando do Noronha is a fabulous archipelago in the Northeast and a protected marine park. Average visibility is 30 metres. An abundance of marine life is to be found, from pelagics such as tuna, jack, albacore, barracuda to huge jewfish, groupers and snappers.

• The Abrolhos Archipelago is a group of islands in a Marine National Park about 80km off the coast of Brazith archipelago also covers one of the rarest and most exuberant coral reef banks in the region. Internationally known as the area of the biggest biodiversity on the south Atlantic, Abrolhos shelters many endemic species which occur only there. It is the only known place in the world where you can see the type of coral reef pinnacle prevalent in Abrolhos waters.

• Boipeba, Porto Belo in Santa Cararina, and Joao Pessoa in Paraiba all host beautiful and varied dives.

• Cave diving is available in Bonito.

When to scuba dive in Brazil:

The temperature is roughly constant around 24°C all year, but the south has large seasonal changes, occasionally non-stop rain in winter (from June to August) can lead to flooding. In Fernando do Noronha, although diving is all year round, due to the rough conditions in some seasons the best time of the year is from July to December for beginners. In Abrolhos there's whale watching in the mating season from July to November, but the calmest period is from January till March.

Local standards for gear:

The best scuba diving spots in Brazil:

• Arraial do Cabo features the Blue Grotto; dive to depths of 25 meters through the remains of ship wrecks, canyons and tunnels.
• In Fernando do Noronha, the wreck of the The Ipiranga is a corvette which sank in 1987 and is currently lying in pristine condition at around 190 feet.
• Pedras Secas, in Fernando do Noronha, is an arena like formation, surrounded by small passages and small caverns and cracks in the rocks. Commonly visited by nurse sharks and green turtles.

• In Abrolhos, the Cavernas da Siriba is a spot that requires knowledge or a guide because there are some chances of getting lost amongst so many caves. The place is shallow and features an incredible amount of holes and caves, that together form a corridor with skylights and lots of fish.

• Off the Ilha Grande in Angra dos Reis you may explore local rich marine life, and also dozens of old ship-wrecks.

The best snorkeling spots in Brazil:

• In the South of Bahia, you will find a 7km length of beach called Taipus de Fora, beautiful and pristine.
• Fernando do Noronha has numerous beautiful location to snorkel in. Try Praia do Sueste.

Fun scuba Facts:

Country data:

Administrative details

• Currency: Real (BRL)
• Population: is about 190,000,000 (2010)
• Time Zone: BRT varies by location from (GMT-2) to (GMT-4), Summer BRST varies by location from (GMT-2) to (GMT-4)
• Main languages spoken: Portuguese ## Diveable overseas territories:

Brazilian scuba diving federations:

CONFEDERAÇ?O BRASILEIRA DE PESCA E DESPORTOS SUBAQUÁTICOS (CBPDS) is a member of Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques (CMAS)

Local diving laws and regulations (and PADI-equivalent certifications):