The seafloor of Abrolhos looks like nowhere else: here the corals grow as chapeirões — mushroom-shaped columns up to 25 m tall whose tops almost kiss the surface — a reef architecture that exists only in this corner of the Atlantic. Add turtles on every dive, century-old shipwrecks and the humpback soundtrack in season. Here is the complete diving guide (logistics live in the Abrolhos guide).
Which experience is for whom
| Experience | 2026 reference | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Snorkeling (on the day trip) | included in the tour (R$ 700-950) | Chapeirão tops at 1-3 m: parrotfish, surgeonfish, turtles — a guaranteed aquarium |
| Discovery dive (with an operator) | R$ 400 – R$ 600 | Your first tank over the shallow reefs, one-on-one instructor |
| Live-aboard, 2-3 days (certified divers) | R$ 1,800 – R$ 3,500 (4-6 dives) | The Parcel chapeirões, the Rosalinda wreck, night diving |
The classic sites
- Parcel dos Abrolhos — the chapeirão forest: swimming BETWEEN the coral columns is the underwater postcard.
- Rosalinda wreck — an Italian freighter from 1939 at 20 m, overtaken by life and history.
- The channel between the islands — rays, turtles and, with luck, the resident Guiana dolphin escorting the boat.
Diving that protects the reef
The corals of Abrolhos survived bleaching events that devastated reefs around the world — scientists are studying why, and every visitor is part of the conservation experiment. Your part: impeccable buoyancy (a chapeirão is not a fin rest), mineral sunscreen applied 30 minutes before, no gloves, no souvenirs. The same rules you already know from our guide to diving in Noronha — here protecting a formation that exists in no other sea on the planet.
🥾 Who is it for?
Effort: moderate — open-ocean diving with legendary visibility. Children: discovery dives from age 12 depending on the operator; snorkeling in the archipelago pools from age 8. Seniors and reduced mobility: certified divers of any age with a medical certificate; surface snorkeling is the light alternative.