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Explore Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro is a captivating gateway to some of Brazil's most mesmerizing dive sites, offering a unique blend of marine adventures just beyond its vibrant city life. While the city itself may not host abundant dive spots, a short journey east or west reveals a trove of underwater experiences. Armação dos Búzios, located 130 kilometers east, is a favorite among both beginners and seasoned divers, thanks to its crystal-clear, nutrient-rich waters teeming with diverse marine life. Here, divers can explore colorful reefs and encounter a vibrant array of fish species, adding a splash of color and excitement to every dive.

Further east, Arraial do Cabo beckons with the allure of its historic shipwrecks. Known as the shipwreck mecca of the region, it boasts 47 wrecks lying just offshore, promising an intriguing exploration for both novice and experienced divers. Heading west from Rio, Angra dos Reis and Paraty offer a striking contrast with their mix of caves, reefs, and islands, including the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Ilha Grande. The waters here are a playground for macro and megafauna, where curious dolphins and vibrant seahorses make frequent appearances. These destinations provide a perfect escape, combining exceptional diving with the enchanting landscapes surrounding Rio de Janeiro.

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Diving in Rio de Janeiro

The dive destinations nearby Rio de Janeiro offer reef-diving, cave-diving, wreck-diving, and deep-diving. Some sites consist mostly of coral reef ecosystems, while others have rocky landscapes boasting tunnels, caves, and swim-throughs, and still others have wrecks of old wartime ships that met their demise by colliding with a reef.

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The best Months to Dive in Rio de Janeiro

While these dive destinations near Rio de Janeiro can be enjoyed year-round, the summer months (December through February) are the most popular time to dive, since the ocean conditions are calmest. Temperatures are warm year-round as well, with an average of 27°C/81°F.

Top Wildlife Sightings in Rio de Janeiro

The waters to the east of Rio de Janeiro surrounding Arraial do Cabo and Armação dos Búzios contain marine fauna such as stingrays, octopus, sea turtles, moray eels, queen angelfish, sea horses, and many species of colorful corals and sponges. Divers will come across tropical fish, sharks, manta rays, groupers, parrotfish, lobsters, crabs, and sea turtles, and in some cases dolphins, humpback whales, and penguins in the waters west of Rio de Janeiro, near Ilha Grande, Paraty, and Angra dos Reis.

Wildlife Sightings are Based on User Generated Content

Green Turtle

Green Turtle

479 Sightings
J
14
F
27
M
42
A
58
M
38
J
52
J
57
A
52
S
36
O
33
N
43
D
27

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 300

Octopus

Octopus

109 Sightings
J
3
F
4
M
15
A
28
M
19
J
21
J
0
A
1
S
0
O
14
N
1
D
3

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 200

Moray Eel

Moray Eel

82 Sightings
J
9
F
7
M
3
A
8
M
5
J
11
J
13
A
13
S
5
O
0
N
4
D
4
Hawksbill Turtle

Hawksbill Turtle

60 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
1
A
26
M
0
J
0
J
6
A
24
S
0
O
2
N
1
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 600

Wrasse

Wrasse

53 Sightings
J
1
F
0
M
2
A
11
M
1
J
3
J
4
A
14
S
1
O
13
N
0
D
3

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 25

Eagle Ray

Eagle Ray

13 Sightings
J
3
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
9
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
1
D
0
Loggerhead Turtle

Loggerhead Turtle

13 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
6
M
2
J
5
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 27

Barracuda

Barracuda

13 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
1
M
0
J
4
J
4
A
0
S
0
O
2
N
0
D
2

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 130

Pufferfish

Pufferfish

438 Sightings
J
27
F
45
M
36
A
55
M
15
J
24
J
46
A
58
S
27
O
43
N
39
D
23

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 20

Porcupinefish

Porcupinefish

274 Sightings
J
15
F
24
M
30
A
32
M
27
J
19
J
28
A
10
S
30
O
30
N
13
D
16

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 120

Flounder

Flounder

224 Sightings
J
2
F
13
M
13
A
39
M
13
J
27
J
31
A
37
S
10
O
10
N
29
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 90

Angelfish

Angelfish

129 Sightings
J
5
F
2
M
4
A
13
M
7
J
21
J
9
A
40
S
5
O
0
N
17
D
6

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 150

Sweetlips and Grunts

Sweetlips and Grunts

129 Sightings
J
4
F
0
M
14
A
16
M
18
J
21
J
9
A
27
S
4
O
12
N
2
D
2

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 40

Triggerfish

Triggerfish

128 Sightings
J
4
F
15
M
2
A
8
M
11
J
11
J
1
A
34
S
3
O
16
N
20
D
3

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 125

Gurnards

Gurnards

118 Sightings
J
1
F
11
M
17
A
17
M
12
J
7
J
33
A
9
S
0
O
0
N
11
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 60

Soldierfish

Soldierfish

102 Sightings
J
0
F
12
M
2
A
23
M
6
J
3
J
5
A
32
S
14
O
1
N
3
D
1

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 130

Butterfly Fish

Butterfly Fish

93 Sightings
J
0
F
2
M
5
A
5
M
19
J
14
J
1
A
13
S
18
O
0
N
12
D
4

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 7000

Crab

Crab

88 Sightings
J
1
F
1
M
0
A
25
M
18
J
2
J
0
A
20
S
9
O
2
N
10
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 15

Garfish

Garfish

84 Sightings
J
0
F
11
M
1
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
7
A
25
S
11
O
12
N
17
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 85

Surgeonfish

Surgeonfish

82 Sightings
J
0
F
2
M
5
A
11
M
6
J
9
J
3
A
3
S
15
O
15
N
13
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 350

Damselfish

Damselfish

71 Sightings
J
0
F
2
M
4
A
8
M
9
J
11
J
0
A
14
S
15
O
0
N
7
D
1

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 100

Parrotfish

Parrotfish

64 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
4
A
13
M
1
J
4
J
5
A
32
S
0
O
2
N
0
D
3

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 3

Trumpetfish

Trumpetfish

59 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
1
A
18
M
0
J
14
J
12
A
14
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 300

Squid

Squid

56 Sightings
J
2
F
0
M
0
A
24
M
8
J
4
J
0
A
18
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 20

Guitarfish

Guitarfish

48 Sightings
J
1
F
11
M
2
A
9
M
14
J
3
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
2
N
6
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 80

Stingrays

Stingrays

47 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
2
A
20
M
0
J
3
J
2
A
1
S
0
O
0
N
16
D
3
Common Seahorse

Common Seahorse

45 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
27
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
18
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 250

Skate Fish

Skate Fish

43 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
14
M
0
J
0
J
6
A
21
S
0
O
0
N
2
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 8

Bannerfish

Bannerfish

39 Sightings
J
2
F
1
M
12
A
0
M
0
J
5
J
0
A
19
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 30

Stonefish

Stonefish

35 Sightings
J
4
F
1
M
1
A
3
M
2
J
2
J
2
A
7
S
0
O
0
N
13
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 110

Snapper

Snapper

31 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
5
M
0
J
14
J
0
A
12
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 3

Cornetfish

Cornetfish

23 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
4
A
13
S
1
O
1
N
3
D
1

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 250

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 25

Boxfish

Boxfish

22 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
1
M
3
J
0
J
5
A
12
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
1

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 90

Goatfish

Goatfish

20 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
1
A
6
M
0
J
3
J
4
A
5
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
1
Moon Jellyfish

Moon Jellyfish

17 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
14
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
3

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 40

Jackfish

Jackfish

15 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
5
M
0
J
4
J
0
A
5
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
1

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 250

Scorpionfish

Scorpionfish

13 Sightings
J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
3
A
0
S
7
O
0
N
3
D
0

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