The state of Rio de Janeiro offers an incredible variety of beaches and tours through historic cities or modern urban centers, but it is also possible to find villages for those who love a quiet walk.
Options abound for those traveling through Rio de Janeiro and the same goes for the diving spots! Diving in Rio is one of the best options for those who love to enjoy the wonders of the sea in cities of exuberant beauty!
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We have prepared a guide containing the best diving spots in the state of Rio de Janeiro so that divers of all levels can be inspired and go on truly unforgettable tours!
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Tours along the beaches of Rio de Janeiro
In addition to the city of Rio de Janeiro, which in itself is an attraction for all tastes, including diving in the city that offers numerous advantages such as short distance from the coast and very clean waters on ocean beaches, we still have many other cities in state with options for diving.
This is because the state of Rio de Janeiro has a very varied coastline with places that can be visited little by little or from north to south for those who want to take a longer route.
There is not a single list containing the most beautiful beaches in the country that does not include several beaches on the coast of Rio de Janeiro, and diving is still a well-structured practice in several of these places.
We can divide the coast of the state of Rio de Janeiro into a metropolitan region, which is the part of the state that houses the capital and cities in the immediate vicinity, Costa Verde, which is formed by the South Coast, containing cities such as Paraty, Angra dos Reis and Ilhabela and also the Costa do Sol, as the region of Arraial do Cabo is known and other cities in the Lagos region.
For a good exploration of diving throughout the state, several trips would be necessary because the points are many, but we list the most known and important ones for those who want to think of an exclusive itinerary in the state of Rio de Janeiro or that includes some beaches in the state.
See where to dive safely and best tours in Rio de Janeiro.
Where to dive in the state of Rio de Janeiro
Check out below the best points for diving trips in the state of Rio de Janeiro and enjoy the varied marine life of the coast of Rio de Janeiro.
Ponta da Jararaca, Arraial do Cabo.
In addition to being an excellent diving spot in one of the most beautiful cities in Rio de Janeiro, in Ponta da Jararaca it is possible to find the Teixeirinha shipwreck, a steamboat wrecked on the site that has already become a tourist attraction.
In addition to the ship, the rocks form large blocks that shelter animals and diverse vegetation. The local seabed is also quite rocky and it is usually easy to spot lobsters and groupers depending on the time of year.
See the experience of Diving in Arraial do Cabo and dive with us.
Copacabana Fort, Rio de Janeiro
It is possible to dive in the heart of Copacabana in Rio de Janeiro, which is considered one of the most democratic beaches for diving in the state.
Copacabana Fort is usually ideal for those who like to free dive, but in deeper stretches it is possible to scuba dive, with the support of a professional due to the current of the place.
Praia Vermelha, Angra dos Reis
This is one of the most visited Brazilian beaches by foreign tourists due to its beauty and also its proximity to the city of Rio de Janeiro.
One of the reasons that many divers come to the beach is the large number of shipwrecks in the place, which even created myths that the seabed in the region would be magnetic.
What is known, in fact, is that the relative proximity to the port of Santos and the location of heavy fog meant that ships sank in the region in times when navigation did not have as sophisticated devices as today.
There are more than ten large shipwrecks in the region and those who dive there will be able to visit the wreckage and the stories of these vessels, in addition to observing the wealth of marine life that grows in these places, serving as a shelter for moray eels, corals and other animals.
Gravatás Island, Búzios
This is a suitable location for divers already accredited, but it is considered the best diving point in the Búzios region.
Gravatás Island is on the way to Ancora Island and has a large wall formed by rocks and the deepest point reaches thirty meters, making scuba diving an unforgettable experience.
Anyone who has never seen a stingray while diving will certainly find at least one at the bottom of the sea on Gravatás Island, but it is also a place with a vast presence of moray eels and many colorful fish.
paraty
Paraty is an international tourist destination with attractions that range from the famous Book fairs, music festivals, walks through the historic center of the place and even several beaches that can be visited by those who go to the city. See more details about the diving experience in Paraty Diving.
But diving is also a powerful activity in Paraty, which has at least seven important diving points, which makes the city one of the main places for diving in the state of Rio de Janeiro.
Among them we can mention the Ilha dos Meros, which receives both more experienced and beginner divers and also offers attractions such as a plane that was wrecked on the spot and a statue of Christ the Redeemer that was placed on the seabed as a symbolic tourist attraction for diving in the River.
Ilha dos Cocos is also a famous diving point in Paraty for the very clear waters that offer caves at the bottom of the sea. To dive into these formations, a certain diving experience is required.
What makes Ilha dos Cocos a popular destination for divers is the large number of octopuses that change color according to the marine scenery and become an attraction for photos on the seabed.
meet all paraty tours.
Blacksmiths Point, Arraial do Cabo
Ponta dos Ferreiros, on Arraial do Cabo, is another great diving spot in the state of Rio de Janeiro that makes the trip really worthwhile.
One of the great advantages of diving in Arraial is that the icy waters are a refreshment in the face of the heat of the state of Rio.
The place has many currents, so it is suitable for divers with some experience. The depth on high tide days can reach almost 40 meters, an excellent opportunity for scuba diving!
Blue Grotto, Arraial do Cabo
Gruta Azul is one of the most famous diving destinations in the state of Rio de Janeiro, being the focus of several reports from famous broadcasters that show the seabed in this incredible dive.
The cave is located in an environmental preservation area in the Lagos region, so the seabed is practically untouched by human hands, which makes marine life even more abundant.
The name Blue Grotto was given because the grotto turns completely blue when the sun hits its entrance, reflected by the waters of Arraial do Cabo.
Like all cave diving, it requires some experience from divers, taking care to control the buoyancy well and orient yourself within the cave space, in addition to taking care that the cylinder does not collide with the internal walls of the place.
See all our tours in Rio de Janeiro.
Shipwrecks off the Brazilian coast
In the state of Rio de Janeiro, as well as in almost the entire Brazilian coast, it is possible to dive through famous shipwrecks and even enter the structure of ships that sink in the seas of the region.
But did you know that the Brazilian coast is a veritable cemetery of submerged ships and that all this richness and history can be seen by those who dive? Many divers consider the wrecks as if they were a parallel world, given the beauty of the marine life that is built in these places.
Brazil has more than eight thousand ships sunk off its coast, a very expressive number and, although not all of them can be visited due to the conditions of the structure or location, most of them have become tourist attractions underwater.
Visiting shipwrecks does not only mean observing the rich marine life or diving in a different place, but also telling the story of a certain civilization at a time.
In general, when we visit underwater shipwrecks we have access to stories we never thought we knew. Details about the crew, passengers, route and why the vessel sank shed more light on what life was like at the time of the sinking.
Now that you already know much of the wealth of diving spots in the state of Rio de Janeiro, you cannot miss the chance to dive in one of the most beautiful states in the country!
Build your diving route and travel to amazing places, watching marine life and practicing one of the most popular sports today!
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