Diving in Brazil November-December

[Iain-le-roi]

Hi

I will be travelling up the coast of Brazil from Sau Paulo to Recife during November/early Decemeber and was wondering if people could reccomend the must do dive sites? My Main interests are big life such as Sharks, turtles and rays but I enjoy all forms of diving.

Cheers

Iain

 

[oldmossback]

There is an Island about 120 miles out from Recife that has all that for you. Forgot the name, San something, but the dive shops in Recife will know......very long boat trip, but not as long as the one from Pureto Rico to Cocos.........

There is some good diving in Salvadore de Bahia in the bay of All Saints.......many shipwrecks..........

Village Novo, beach suites is a nice old hotel right on the beach......and mucho parties http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/south-america/www.villagenovo.com........and a dive shop just ten minute walk up the street.

You'll like Rio as well, and there is no shortage of dive shops.........local marine life just off shore on the small islands.

I'll post some ficks for you from my trip in 08 to Salvador de Bahia .........

Oldmossback

Marinelife off Salvador de Bahia

Wreck of the Germanina

Yours truely

 

[miketsp]

Hi

I will be travelling up the coast of Brazil from Sau Paulo to Recife during November/early Decemeber and was wondering if people could reccomend the must do dive sites? My Main interests are big life such as Sharks, turtles and rays but I enjoy all forms of diving.

Cheers

Iain

I don't know how much flexibility you have in your schedule but I would recommend that you do your diving just up in the North-East unless you really have some reason to dive the SE.

The 2 best places in Brazil are the Island of Fernando de Noronha and Recife.

In Recife I normally dive with Projeto Mar (not luxurious but safe & cheaper) or Aquaticos (more expensive & more comfortable - larger faster catamaran)

 

[Iain-le-roi]

Thanks for the responses. I'll plan my diving for the time I spend up north then. Couple of questions.

1. the island off Recife (San something). Is this just done as a day boat trip from Recife or do you stay there or do a lAB?

2. Fernando de Noronha - Is flight from recife the best route? Are there any restrictions or permits neded?

Thanks again

 

[miketsp]

Thanks for the responses. I'll plan my diving for the time I spend up north then. Couple of questions.

1. the island off Recife (San something). Is this just done as a day boat trip from Recife or do you stay there or do a lAB?

2. Fernando de Noronha - Is flight from recife the best route? Are there any restrictions or permits neded?

Thanks again

I'm really not sure to which island Oldmossback is referring to unless he is referring to Fernando de Noronha, but that's 545km. On and off I've been to Recife quite a few times as my wife has family there so over the years I've dived just about all of the wrecks, some of them many times.

Take a look at
http://www.ilhadenoronha.com.br/pacotes/pacotes-baixa-estacao-fernando-noronha.php
to see what a trip to Noronha will cost you in the off-season (from August to November) travelling from Natal or Recife.

To this you will have to add the cost of the dives (easy to arrange with one of the operators in the off-season) and maybe a buggy rental to get around.
You will also have to pay the park (environment) taxes at around R$37 / day of stay.
http://www.ilhadenoronha.com.br/ailha/taxadepreservacao_em_noronha.php

+ the diving tax at around R$10,00 / day of diving.

According to the dive operator sites a standard 2 tank dive will cost you around R$220 excluding any equipment rental. You may be able to negotiate this down a little if you sign up for various days or have multiple divers in your group or try to negotiate with them before you go and are committed.

All groups are lead and trailed by DMs (park rules).


For the Recife diving take a look at the Aquaticos site
http://www.aquaticos.com.br/en/transicao.html
bearing in mind that they're not exactly the cheapest so you may want to schedule some dives with them and some with the other operators.

 

[oldmossback]

San something is indeed Fernando de Noronha.......I was getting mixed up with another island name.....been looking lately at going to the lessor antiles and they are all San something he he he...........

Don't over look Salvador de Bahia...........its not far from Recife by plane and has some good diving too.........the bay of All Saints has many many wrecks.......some recent in the last one hundred years and some much older.......lots of history there.........Salvador de Bahia was there before there was a Brasil.........if you like exploring old buildings, they have them as well..........

However, I have to agree Recife is good diving........water is warmer...........off Rio on their little bits of island land off shore, the water is quite clear and great place to dive as well............my wife's isters kids and their familys live in Rio. Going back 2014 for the World Cup games and some more diving.

OldMossback

 

[apadua]

Atlantis Divers

You should be able to see pictures of what Fernando de Noronha is all about - 100ft+ visibility, sharks on EVERY dive i've been to (16 over one week). This was over new year's last year.

You can fly from Natal or REcife - the airline is :: TRIP Linhas Aéreas ::.

I've been to Cozumel and to Curacao - i still love Noronha the most as far as the diversity of wildlife and the amount of "large" life seen on dives - rays, turtles, sharks, dolphins, eels - usually everything in a single dives.

The down side? Dives are controlled, 40-minute dives (it's usually deep so 40min is what you'll last on an 80). Dive's aren't cheap. Heck, the whole island isn't cheap. Boats are big with as many as 20 divers in them, though they usually have one DM per 4x divers (usually means groups of 10ppl).

But very very awesome.

 

[Iain-le-roi]

Cheers for all the info everyone... can't wait to get there now.

I'm looking at doing a package with Atlantis for accommodation as well. Has anyone stayed at Pousada Barcelar?

If so whats it like and how much did you pay? Are there any other recommended dive shops on Noronha I can use for comparrision?

Thanks

Iain-Le-Roi

 

[Iain-le-roi]

Actually forget that one. It will apparently be more likely be one of these!

Pousada Lenda das Águas
Pousada da Michelle
Noronha Sol e Mar.

Is anyone familiar with them?

 

[miketsp]

Cheers for all the info everyone... can't wait to get there now.

I'm looking at doing a package with Atlantis for accommodation as well. Has anyone stayed at Pousada Barcelar?

If so whats it like and how much did you pay? Are there any other recommended dive shops on Noronha I can use for comparrision?

Thanks

Iain-Le-Roi

I haven't stayed at this particular pousada but judging by the photos on their site
Pousada Barcelar
it looks pretty standard for the pousadas in that area (Vila do Trinta).

I personally prefer the Floresta Nova area as that is where most of the newer ones are located - normally the newer ones are located further up the hill away from the old center (Vila dos Remedios).

But Vila do Trinta is OK and within walking distance of the old center.

I do avoid the older pousadas in the old center itself (Vila dos Remedios) as many of them have not been modernized due to the difficulties to get planning permission.

Just bear in mind that Noronha is an out-of-the-way place and things are quite rustic.
As for pricing of pousadas this is pretty standardized according to their ratings.

Although this can easily be distorted. I stayed at one in the old center that on paper had everything but the TV was actually really bad reception of 1 channel and yes it had air-conditioning and a hot shower but you could only use one or the other at a time or you tripped the circuit breaker.

There are a few luxury accomodations available but at exorbitant prices.
This page has links to some of them (first group at the top of the page)
hotéis e pousadas em Fernando de Noronha, Pernambuco :: Hospedagem no Brasil

And here you can see the different areas
alojamiento en Noronha - Google Maps

The dive shops on Noronha are
Atlantis
Atlantis Divers

Aguas Claras
http://www.aguasclaras-fn.com.br/novo/

Noronha Divers
Noronha Divers - Fernando de Noronha - Tel.81) 3619-1112