BRAZIL
Brazil is South America’s largest country, home to samba, football, Carneval, and the world’s largest new years celebrations, when more than two million people walk into the sea, dressed in white. It is a fantastically diverse country, with a young, vibrant population, and growing economy.
Scuba diving is not generally associated with Brazil; it has no long reef or special seasons where sharks or whales can be seen. But off the coast of Rio, Recife, and other coastal cities, diving is popular; with Fernando De Noronha, an archipelago, where Brazil’s best diving can be found.
Rio De Janeiro
Surrounding Brazil’s most beautiful city, lie tropical islands where reefs protect shoals of fish, dolphins and other marine life. Weekends are busiest, with city residents escaping to the beach for lazy weekends of surfing and scuba diving.
Recife
Diving here is a popular activity, though the visibility is not as good as further south.
Fernando De Noronha
As a remote island archipelago, Fernando De Noronha is Brazil’s best diving, with the unique chance to see spinner dolphins. The main island is flanked by smaller islets, where many dive sites can be found; the beaches here are beautiful, and relaxing and mingling with the friendly locals is a highlight on any visit to Brazil. A Brazilian warship sunk in 1987 makes for a great artificial reef.
Getting There:
A one hour flight from Recife, Fernando De Noronha is reached by frequent flights. (Recife is two hours by plane from Rio, but is increasingly accessible via flights from Europe (Lisbon) and the USA (Miami).
What to expect:
Visas are required for US citizens, but not for most Europeans; they cannot be received on arrival. Security is an issue in Brazil, and vigilance is necessary especially after dark.