A Brazilian archipelago formed by 21 islands and islets, Fernando de Noronha occupies an area of just 26 square kilometers, yet it is considered to be one of the best areas for diving worldwide. With beaches, bays, wrecks, and splendid rock formations, not to mention some truly spectacular reefs, it is home to a colorful array of marine life of every shape and size. Here are just five of the many dive sites you’ll have to choose from when you visit Fernando de Noronha.
Pedras Secas
Given the distinction of being named as one of the world’s top ten dive sites, Pedras Secas is excellent for all divers, with maximum depth at only 17 meters. The entire site is like an underwater castle, with towering rock formations and magnificent arches, steep sided canyons covered with colorful coral, and small caverns filled with lobsters and other creatures. The rock formations here rise all the way up from the seabed to break the surface, and a sixty foot long tunnel lined with splendid sponge and hydrocoral leads to an underwater canyon vista where schooling margates, grunts, and squirrelfish are hunted by huge trevally and barracuda. Watch for sea turtles and small sand sharks as you explore.
Pontal do Norte
An enormous underwater rock structure that rises up from the seabed at a depth of 45 meters to top out at a depth of 20 meters makes this multi-level dive site a favorite with visitors and locals alike. The cliffs and boulders that make up the rock formation shelter a vast array of crustaceans and invertebrates, and the entire pinnacle is swimming with tropical and pelagic fish species. Watch for huge black groupers and schooling snappers, along with some large reef sharks and hawksbill turtles.
Laje dos 2 Iromaos
An enormous rocky reef covered with coral formations, Loje dos 2 Iromaos is the biggest underwater rock formation in the archipelago. Here, you’ll find silky sharks and hawksbill turtles, along with beaked sharks, horse-eye jacks, barracuda, and jewfish, sometimes lining up to be attended to at the many cleaning stations that line the reef, which is known as the best Latin America has to offer. Watch for an abundance of smaller fish and other creatures too; chromis, angelfish, and a number of wrasse species are just a few of the many that call the reef home. Maximum depth here is 24 meters, but there’s plenty to see in much shallower water.
Luias
While Luias offers maximum depth at a relatively easy 24 meters, it is a site for experienced divers only, due to currents which can sometimes be intense. While the dive is a bit demanding, the rewards awaiting anyone with the tenacity to make it are astonishing. The site features a massive underwater labyrinth with towering rocks and beautiful coral formations, huge crevices, and deep dark passageways where fish such as black groupers and jewfish hide. Huge lobsters, eagle rays, and nurse sharks are often spotted here, and schooling reef species are abundant.
Cagarras Fundas
An outstanding dive on a vertical wall that extends all the way from the surface to the sandy seabed thirty meters below, Cagarras Fundas is home to a splendid array of fish, including queen angelfish, grey angelfish, rock beauties, and rays, not to mention loads of wrasse and chromis, bigeyes, jacks, and other visitors. Watch for turtles nibbling at the sponges that cover the wall, and keep an eye out for small sharks resting underneath coral-lined ledges.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Fernando de Noronha is an excellent place to encounter such rarities as albatross and dolphins, along with countless other species rarely seen in other places. Be sure to bring your camera, and prepare to be amazed; whether you dive just one of the many sites it has to offer, or if you stay long enough to dive several, you’ll find yourself wishing you could stay forever.