Dive Centres in Buzios Brazil??

[9230]

Hi,
In less than two weeks I will be meeting up with a Brazilian lady friend in Rio and then traveling to Buzios for four nights. I was hoping to get a few dives in while enjoying Maria's company (we met online and this will be our second meeting face to face). I have been trying to find a dive center online with not much luck. Either they have no web site or are no longer in business. Anyone know of a dive center and if they at least have an email address, the message to the only place I have tried so far came back as undeliverable.
Whatever I am sure both Rio and Buzios will hold much more interest than Brasilia!!.
Thanks
Martin

 

[redstrom]

I'd like to hear how you make out and what you think of Buzios. I will be in Rio for a week in March and was thinking of skipping town for a day checking out the local diving.

I googled up these names:

Service: Diving Operators in Búzios

Casamar
Rua das Pedras, Nº 242 - Centro
Tel: +55(22) 2623-2441
E-mail: casamar@casamar.com.br

Mar Azul
Rua das Pedras, 275 - loja 4 - Centro.
Tel: +55(22) 2623-4354
E-mail: info@marazulbuzios.com.br

True Blue
Rua Turibio de Farias 127 - Centro
Tel: +55 (22) 2623-6226
E-mail: trueblue@oi.com.br

I also found dive tours leaving from Rio and returning the same day (a 10hr day trip). Not sure if they take singles, they seem to be geard to groups of 6 or more.

 

[iqbal10]

Hi, I was in Buzios a few months ago and went diving there. I forgot the name of the outfit but they are located right next to the pier in the Centro. I was extremely disappointed with the diving. Not much to see, a couple turtles, the equipment really sucked. My mask strap broke just before I went in and the dive master was not really keeping an eye on the group. Visability was about 30 feet. I always compare my dives to Cozumel. The water was cold and overall alright. Just went to say we dove there. The surfing is probably better.

 

[iqbal10]

I dove with Cassamar, not impressed. I did love Buzcios though, great little town with a nice vibe. You can catch a 3 hour bus from Rio. I took the bus "1001" and it was really comfortable. I stayed at the Hostelling international Hostel in Buzcios, not the "Centro" one. It was the one which is further south on the outskirts of town. It was a 1o minute walk to the beach and it was beautiful. We took some hammocks and they had some posts up on the south part of the beach by the cliffs that were perfect. The Hostel is run by this surfer lady and her family, she was super nice and really helpful. The price was great because Buzcios is way more expensive than Rio. Shuttles run 24 hours a day that take you to the city center where there are lots of neat places. We caught the Rio Jazz orchestra there. The surfing is great. Definitely safer than Rio. We spent a couple of days in Rio to see the sites and party in Lapa one night (you have to go). But we spent a week lounging in Buzcios, definitely worth spending a few days there if you want to beach bum for a while.

 

[9230]

Hi and thanks for your suggestions. For Redstrom I did go diving in Buzios with Casamar (casamar.com) and I found them OK to dive with but the diving was not fantastic. Still I had been out of the water for sometime it was just so good to get wet again!!. A little warning however, if you suffer from motion sickness take your pills!!. Casamar's boat is slow and you feel every ripple. I did enjoy breakfast on the way down but it did not taste so good on the way back up!!.

Iqbal10 is right, Buzios is a great little town with all the restaurants you could wish for (even sushi, YUK!!!) and plenty of shopping. Just be careful of Brazilian drivers who regularly seem to want to beat the lights, and watch out for very uneven sidewalks too. Cheapest way to get around is the combi, a small minibus, a little cramped but only 2 real wherever you go. Cabs seem to be expensive, though you will probably need one to take you to your lodgings. The combis will only drop you in the general area of many hotels and if you have any bags, well as I said they are cramped. The people are very helpful even if they do not understand English they do try. All in all I would have enjoyed my stay even without any diving. If you have the time visit the square in the center of of the restaurants and shopping, there appears to be entertainment there every night, maybe learn a little samba?!.

Finally as Iqbal10 said you can get the 1001 bus company from Rio and it is around a three hour trip, book your tickets well in advance. We forgot and bought them the same day we traveled, buwe had to stand in line for almost two hours and it was not even Carnaval yet!!. You can book online at autoviacao1001.com.
So I hope you enjoy your trip whether you dive or not and it is very hot, around 37C when we were there.

Martin

(You may like to try 'Buzios diving' as a search on Youtube, I found a couple of diving videos there)

 

[DrAlberto]

Hi,9230.We can´t compare with tropical seas.But the place doesn´t have only Buzios,that has only two difficult to navigate islands(Gravatas and Ancoras) and a rookie shore dive at a reef.Southward you have abot 50km,Cabo Frio with 4 islands easy to dive and Arraial do Cabo,16 km more with fine dive sites.

 

[DrAlberto]

Hi,9230.We can´t compare with tropical seas.But the place doesn´t have only Buzios,that has only two difficult to navigate islands(Gravatas and Ancoras) and a rookie shore dive at a reef.Southward you have about 50km,Cabo Frio with 4 islands easy to dive and Arraial do Cabo,16 km more with fine dive sites.

 

[redstrom]

Back from Rio --what an awesome place and great people !!!

Unfortunately I never made it to Buzios, too much to see and do around Rio and not enough time.

Closest I came to diving (or being weightless) was doing a tandem hang gliding flight over Sao Conrado... unforgettable!