Scuba diving in Rio de Janeiro

At a glance

Where to scuba dive in Rio de Janeiro

Arraial do Cabo: reserve rules

The Resex Marinha do Arraial do Cabo was created in 1997 to protect traditional artisanal fishing, and divers fit around it. Its management agreement (ICMBio Portaria 895/2020) sets the rules:

• only dive operators authorized by ICMBio can run recreational dives, and their number is capped;
• a boat carries no more than 40 visiting divers;
• boats tie up to mooring buoys, each site has its own diver limit and time window, and anchors on coral bottoms are banned;
• you cannot start a dive from the beach;
• night dives happen only at Cardeiro, Saco do Cherne and Praia do Forno;
• feeding, touching, chasing or removing marine animals is prohibited.

The drive is long, so we suggest one night there. Road and stay: Arraial do Cabo from Rio.

Cagarras Islands

The archipelago is a federal natural monument managed by ICMBio. Its public use plan describes dive sites around Cagarra, Comprida and Redonda: the north bay of Comprida is the usual spot for beginner dives, while the walls off Cagarra have stronger currents and suit experienced divers. ICMBio publishes a list of accredited dive operators and guides, and we book only from it. Going out by private boat: yacht charter in Rio.

Try dive without a certificate

A try dive (batismo in Portuguese) lets you breathe from a tank with an instructor next to you the whole time. Under PADI Discover Scuba Diving:

• the minimum age is 10;
• the pool part goes down to 6 m, the optional sea dive to 12 m;
• you do not need to be a strong swimmer, but you should be comfortable in the water and able to stay afloat;
• if you start the Open Water Diver course within 12 months and tell the dive center beforehand, the try dive can count toward it.

Other training systems and dive centers have their own limits, so we confirm age and depth for your dates.

If you are certified

Bring your certification card, your logbook and insurance that covers diving (more on that in health tips for Brazil). On Noronha a card of at least Open Water Diver is required when you register. Tell us your level, number of dives and when you last dived, and we pick sites that fit.

Health and flying after diving

PADI asks try divers to fill in the Diver Medical Participant Questionnaire, written by the Diver Medical Screening Committee and endorsed by UHMS. The current version is dated 1 January 2026. If you answer no to all ten questions, you only sign it. Some yes answers require a physician to evaluate you and sign before you dive. The form also says not to dive if you are pregnant or trying to become pregnant. It asks about lungs and heart, ears and sinuses, surgery in the past 12 months and medication, so fill it in at home and show your doctor if in doubt.

DAN’s flying guidance:

We never schedule diving on your last day.

Water and weather

Arraial is cold because of upwelling: northeast winds lift cold, nutrient-rich water to the surface. A Brazilian Navy study of a buoy off Cabo Frio (2012-2013) counted upwelling when the surface was at 18 °C or below. Most events came in spring and summer, and the coldest, in September, went below 13 °C. Official sources give no visibility figures for Arraial. We read the Navy’s marine forecast the day before, and the dive center chooses the site on the day. For the season overall: Rio weather.

What we check before booking

We do not dive or rent gear ourselves. Before booking we check the ICMBio authorization for protected areas, the instructor’s status (PADI has a public Pro Chek lookup), the boat’s registration with the Capitania dos Portos, the ratio of divers to instructor and the wetsuits on offer. The instructor decides depth, site and whether to dive on the day.

What to tell us in your request

• Dates, ideally with a spare day
• Where: Arraial do Cabo, Cagarras or Noronha
• How many people and the age of each child
• Try dive, or certification level, number of dives and last dive date
• Any yes answers on the medical form
• Your next flight date

Terms

We sell a single dive at no more than the same provider charges on booking platforms, and our fee is already included in the price. Terms and payment are set out in the proposal; you pay nothing before you confirm. Cancel at no cost up to 48 hours before (14 days for trips with overnight stays), one date change at no cost with 48 hours’ notice if the provider has another date, a new date or full deposit refund for weather, and a replacement or full refund if the provider fails. Check entry requirements on official websites. More water and air options: adventure activities in Rio.