Diving in Northeastern Brazil
Quick Facts
- • Entry types: Mostly shore entries
- • Expect: Varies by conditions visibility
- • Highlights: Discover Northeastern Brazil's dive spots
Explore the underwater wonders of Northeastern Brazil, ecoregion. This region features 29 documented dive spots, each offering unique underwater experiences. Whether you're seeking calm snorkeling bays, challenging freediving depths, or exciting scuba adventures, Northeastern Brazil has something for every underwater explorer. Browse detailed spot information, check current conditions from recent dive logs, and connect with the local diving community to make the most of your visit.
Regional Context
🏛️ Marine Hierarchy
🌍 Associated Countries
Countries in Northeastern Brazil (1)
Popular Spots in Northeastern Brazil (29)
Alvarenga
The Alvarenga site features the remains of an old iron frigate that sank near Olinda beach, approximately 15 kilometers from the shore. The wreck lies at a depth of 24 meters, where its hull is well-preserved. Divers can observe various marine life, including rays and schools of xiras and enxadas, taking refuge among the wreckage.
Batelao de Cima
Batelao de Cima is a dive site featuring the wreck of a small ship that is believed to have sunk between 1850 and 1900. The wreck lies at a depth of 25 meters and is largely covered by sand. Due to the minimal structural remnants of the wreck, there is limited shelter for marine life, resulting in a sparse presence of marine creatures at this location. Divers should be prepared for a site with less biodiversity.
Bellatrix
The Bellatrix is a tugboat that was intentionally sunk to contribute to Recife's shipwreck park. It has been prepared for diver safety prior to sinking and now lies at a depth of 30 meters in a navigation position. This wreck serves as an artificial reef, attracting a variety of marine life. Divers can expect to see nurse sharks, schools of jacks, rays, and turtles during their explorations.
Copernico
The dive site Copernico is the wreck of the ship that sank in 1883 due to a fire. The wreck lies at a depth ranging from 0 to 6 meters, with parts of it exposed during low tide. Visibility at this site is generally poor throughout the year. The proximity to the Port of Recife contributes to a lower diversity of marine life, with fewer species observed in the area. The entry to the site is from the shore.
Corveta Camaquã
The Corveta Camaquã is a sunken escort corvette that was originally a mine-laying ship, repurposed during World War II for the protection of Brazilian maritime territories. It lies at a depth of 60 meters and is adorned on the starboard side. Divers can observe several well-preserved artifacts, including cannons and ammunition. The site is frequented by various marine species, including eagle rays and large schools of fish, with sharks also commonly sighted during dives.
Draga Massangana
Draga Massangana is the site of a dredge that sank in 1981 while contributing to the establishment of the Suape harbour. The wreck lies at a depth of approximately 11 meters and is positioned upside down, necessitating caution for divers exploring the area. The hull of the vessel is adorned with various corals, algae, and sponges. Marine life commonly observed here includes schools of grunts and porkfish, along with rays and turtles, enhancing the underwater experience.
Florida
The Florida wreck lies approximately 14 miles from the Port of Recife, having sunk due to adverse weather conditions. The dive site begins at a depth of 30 meters and descends to 33 meters. Divers can explore well-preserved features of the wreck, including the boiler, winch, double expansion machine, propeller, and rudder. The site is also known for encounters with large schools of grunts and nurse sharks that can often be seen resting on the wreckage.
Galeao Sao Paulo
Galeao Sao Paulo is the site of a 17th-century galleon wreck located at Cabo de Santo Agostinho, resting at a depth of 19 meters. The remains consist of cannons and anchors, as the wooden structure has deteriorated over time. The area is populated with various fish species and is known for sightings of nurse sharks. The site offers a rich marine environment, typical of wreck dives in Recife.
Gonçalo Coelho
Gonçalo Coelho is a dive site featuring a sunken ship that was previously utilized by the Navy. The vessel was intentionally sunk in December 1999 by Homero Lacerda and Clóvis Peixoto, positioned off Serrambi Beach. The dive site has a minimum depth of 16 meters and reaches a maximum depth of 34 meters. The ship is well-maintained and serves as a navigational point. Notably, it includes a ramp that was used during World War II for tank landings. Divers can expect to encounter various schooling fish and diverse marine life in this area.
Lupus
The wreck of the tugboat Lupus lies at a depth ranging from 30 to 36 meters. It is situated alongside the tugboats Minuano and Servemar X. The wreck is notable for its well-preserved features, including two large chimneys positioned near the cockpit. As an artificial reef, the site attracts various marine life, including schools of fish, groupers, snappers, turtles, rays, and nurse sharks.
Margueritte
The Margueritte wreck lies approximately 2 miles from the port of Recife, having sunk after two explosions in its boilers. The wreck is situated at a depth ranging from 10 meters to a maximum of 15 meters. While much of the vessel has been dismantled, some parts remain visible, providing a glimpse into its structure. Of the ten crew members aboard at the time of the sinking, only two survived. This site is accessible via a shore entry.
Mercurius
The tugboat Mercurius was intentionally sunk after undergoing cleaning and preparation for diving. It rests in a navigational position and remains largely intact, allowing divers to explore its control room, engine room, and view the propeller in the duct. The site is home to various marine life, including schools of jacks, spadefish, and grunts, as well as sightings of rays, nurse sharks, and turtles.
Minuano
The Minuano wreck is located at a depth of 32 meters and rests on its keel. The structure remains intact, allowing for exploration of certain passages. Notable features include the ducted propeller, a rudder positioned to port, the cockpit area, mooring bollards, and bilge valves. This site serves as a habitat for various schools of small fish, and divers may encounter goliath groupers, rays, turtles, and nurse sharks during their dive.
Naufragio Itapagé
The Itapagé wreck lies on its starboard side, having been struck by two torpedoes from the German submarine U-161 while escorting another vessel. Divers can explore the notable passage between the ship's two large engines, which remains a significant feature of the wreck. As an artificial reef, the site attracts a diverse array of marine life, including various fish species, rays, and occasional sightings of turtles and sharks. The wreck provides a unique opportunity for divers to observe this concentration of marine biodiversity.
Pecem Ship
The Pecem Ship is a wreck dive site located about two and a half hours by boat from Fortaleza, Brazil. The wreck lies at depths ranging from 18 to 32 meters with average visibility of 25 meters. Divers can expect to see various fish species, including Bijupira.
Phoenix
The Phoenix wreck is located within the Artificial Wreck Park of Pernambuco, positioned alongside the tugboats Bellatrix and São José, which are only a few meters apart. This well-preserved wreck is situated in a navigational area and features distinct elements such as the command room, chimney, and rudder. As part of an artificial reef system, the wreck attracts various species of marine life, including jacks, spadefish, and grunts, making it a notable site for divers.
Pirapama
Pirapama is a wreck dive site featuring the remains of a steamer sunk in the early 1890s after a collision. The wreck lies between 19 and 23 meters (62 to 75 feet) deep, with identifiable structures still visible. Common marine life includes sharks, rays, sea turtles, and various fish; night dives are also possible.
Piscinas Naturais - Porto de Galinhas
Piscinas Naturais in Porto de Galinhas features natural pools with a water temperature around 28ºC. The site offers shallow dives, typically reaching depths of about 6 meters, with good visibility in a sheltered area that experiences little to no current. This makes it suitable for beginner divers and those trying scuba diving for the first time. Marine life commonly observed includes butterfly fish, wrasses, sergeants, maidens, and schools of smaller fish such as cocoroca. Moray eels can also be spotted in this environment.
Rebocador Marte
Rebocador Marte is a wreck dive site located at a depth range starting from 16 meters and extending down to 33 meters. The tugboat was intentionally sunk in 1997 to serve as an artificial reef. This site is suitable for advanced and experienced divers due to its navigational position and the presence of three distinct levels, featuring various passages and structural remnants. Marine life is abundant here, with sightings of schools of fish, nurse sharks, rays, and turtles. Barracudas are also known to frequent the area.
Sao Jose
The São José wreck lies at a depth of 29 meters and is positioned in navigational waters. The structure is largely intact, featuring a complete house with the command area located at the upper section. Divers can access the engine room through a passage that allows for penetration. The site is inhabited by various marine species, including goliath groupers, nurse sharks, grunts, jacks, sea chubs, rays, and turtles.
Saveiros
The Saveiros wreck is located at a depth of 28 meters and is positioned in a navigation stance on the seabed. The structure remains intact, showcasing features such as mooring bollards, a ducted propeller, a control room, a chimney, and access points to the engine room. This site serves as an artificial reef, supporting a diverse array of marine life, including large schools of grunts.
Servemar X
The Servemar X is a tugboat wreck located in Recife, having been sunk in 2002. This site is situated at a depth ranging from 20 to 25 meters and is known for its navigation position. Divers may encounter currents while exploring the wreck. As part of a group of artificial reefs, the area is home to a diverse array of marine life, including schools of fish, sharks, rays, and turtles.
Taurus e Virgo
Taurus e Virgo consists of two wrecks located approximately 20 meters apart, making it common for divers to explore both during a single dive. The site is relatively shallow, with depths around 20 meters, allowing for safe penetration opportunities. Divers can observe large schools of grunts and porkfish, along with various reef fish species. Additionally, sightings of nurse sharks, rays, and turtles are possible in this area.
Vapor Bahia
Vapor Bahia is a wreck dive site located at coordinates -7.663400, -34.607700. The wreck of the steamer Bahia, which sank following a collision with the steamer Pirapama, lies in a navigational position. Divers can explore the wreck at depths ranging from 18 to 25 meters. The site is home to various marine life, including nurse sharks, rays, colorful fish schools, jacks, grunts, and large turtles.
Vapor de Baixo
Vapor de Baixo is a shipwreck site that likely features a small wheeled tugboat powered by steam. The wreck is situated on the seabed, with most components buried, yet the engines and boilers remain largely intact and in their original positions. The site is limited in size, which results in minimal shelter for marine life, leading to a less abundant diving experience. Divers can access this site from the shore.
Vapor dos 48
Vapor dos 48 is an unidentified wreck located at a depth that allows divers to explore its well-preserved steam engines, which are positioned diagonally and remain intact. Notably, one of the wheels is visible during the dive. The site is also home to various marine life, including shoals of fish, grouper, eagle rays, nurse sharks, and large turtles, making it an interesting dive for observing diverse species.
Veleiro Yemanja
The Veleiro Yemanja is an iron sailboat that was intentionally sunk in May 1999, located off Pina Beach at a depth of 19 meters. The wreck is partially dismantled, with identifiable features including masts, mooring heads, and parts of the hull. This site serves as a habitat for various marine life, including schools of small fish, nurse sharks, rays, and turtles, making it an interesting dive for observing these species in their natural environment.
Virgo
The wreck of the tugboat Virgo rests on the seafloor in an upright position, located just 20 meters from another wreck, the tugboat Taurus. Divers can observe large mooring bollards at the bow, and the structure remains intact with a control room situated above. The site is known for encounters with large schools of fish, as well as sightings of nurse sharks, large turtles, and rays. The wreck is also covered with coral and algae, contributing to the marine ecosystem in the area.
Walsa
The Walsa is a tugboat wreck, similar in design to the Saveiros and Mercurios, intentionally sunk to contribute to the Artificial Wreck Park of Pernambuco. It rests at a depth of 40 meters and is noted for its well-preserved condition, attributed to the careful sinking process. This site is ideal for technical and deep diving. As part of an artificial reef, the Walsa provides habitat for various marine species, including nurse sharks, rays, and turtles, making it a significant location for observing marine life.