São Paulo Diving
The state of São Paulo is on the southeast coast of Brazil, about 300km west of Rio de Janeiro, and is the most populated state of Brazil. The best dive sites of the region can be found at the island of Ilhabela (just a few kilometers offshore from the state’s coastline) and the Laje de Santos Marine Park, which is about 35km from the coastline. Due to the region’s nutrient-rich waters, visibility is normally about 5m, but can increase to 25m in the summertime.
Sao Paulo
The city of São Paulo is the most populated city in Brazil. It is located in the state of São Paulo, which is on the southeast coast of Brazil. The city is about 60km from the Atlantic coast, which can make organizing dive trips tricky. However, just 125km from the city is an island called Ilhabela, which is part of an archipelago that is known for having some of the best dive sites in the region.
Diving in Sao Paulo
The best diving near São Paulo is in the surrounding waters of the islands of Ilhabela, Ilha de Buzios, and Ilha de Cabras, as well as in the protected Laje de Santos Marine Park. The mixture of warm surface waters and cold Antarctic undercurrents leads to a stunning array of marine flora and fauna. There are great reef-diving, wreck-diving, deep-diving, and drift-diving opportunities in these waters, which are best accessed via daily boat trips organized by the local dive shops.
Best places to dive
Ilhabela, Ilha de Buzios, and Ilha de Cabras are rich in marine life and range in depth from 3-50m, making these sites suitable for beginner and advanced divers alike.
Laje de Santos Marine Park is chock full of spectacular dive sites. On the north coast of the island is “Portinho”, which is inhabited by various fish, invertebrates, and sea turtles. On the east end of the island is “Naufrágio do Moreia”, which is the intentional wreck of a fishing boat, with a maximum depth of 22m. At the west end of the island is “Anchor Ledge”, which consists of a series of old anchors that have since become home to groupers and other pelagic fish. With a maximum depth of 40m, this is a deep dive.
