Fernando de Noronha
Atlantic, Brazil
- Typical depth
- 25 m
- Type
- Reef
- Level
- Intermediate
Marine life
- Rays
- spotted eagle ray, manta ray (seasonal)
- Sharks
- Caribbean reef shark, lemon shark, nurse shark, occasional tiger shark, occasional silky
- Turtles
- green, hawksbill
- Pelagics
- barracuda, yellowfin tuna, jack schools
- Whales & dolphins
- spinner dolphin (resident schools in Baía dos Golfinhos), humpback whale (occasional, Jul–Nov)
- Reef fish
- queen angelfish, rock hind, creolefish, sergeant major, parrotfish
Site features
- UNESCO World Heritage
- Marine Park
- Volcanic
- Pinnacles
- Wreck (Technical)
- Dolphin Sanctuary
- Permit Required
When to dive
- Best
- Aug–Mar
- Avoid
- Apr–Jun
Fernando de Noronha is a volcanic Brazilian archipelago ~354 km off the northeast coast (closest mainland: Natal/Recife), inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001 for its importance as a feeding ground for tuna, sharks, sea turtles, and marine mammals. The dry season (Aug–Mar) brings the calmest seas, clearest water, and warmest dives. The site is famous for resident schools of spinner dolphins in Baía dos Golfinhos (diver and boat access regulated), Caribbean reef sharks, lemon sharks, and the wreck of the Brazilian Navy corvette Ipiranga (V-17), which struck the Cabeça da Sapata pinnacle on 3 Oct 1983 and now sits intact at ~54–62 m — a trimix-only technical dive. Park permits and daily eco-fees apply; operator quotas in place. Beginner-friendly shore options (Praia do Sueste) and Advanced+ pinnacles both available.
Conditions & access
- Visibility
- 20–40 m
- Water temp
- 25–28 °C
- Current
- Moderate
- Access
- Permit required
- Min cert
- Open Water for the shallow reefs; Advanced for the pinnacles; Tec/Trimix for the Ipiranga wreck (~54–62 m)
Location
3.8500° S, 32.4167° W
Sources
Curated from 1 source
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