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Scuba diving in Buzios: Best spots and prices
Learn everything about scuba diving in Búzios and get ready to experience your first dive or improve your skills.
The bohemian air of Búzios blends with the Atlantic’s rhythm and creates a unique scene above and below the sea. Among its hidden coves and clear-water beaches, scuba diving in Buzios has become one of the most popular activities for travellers who want to discover another side of the so-called “Brazilian Saint-Tropez”.
Beyond walking along Rua das Pedras or enjoying a caipirinha at sunset, diving in Búzios opens a window to reefs, shipwrecks and surprising marine life.
If you’re planning your first steps in the diving world or you want advanced courses in the area, you’re in the right place. Here you’ll find details about the best diving centres in Búzios, the most recommended dive sites and the activity’s prices, so your experience stays unforgettable and safe.
Which diving centres stand out in Búzios?
The sea in Búzios invites you to swim in turquoise waters and discover what lies beneath the surface. As an established tourist destination, it offers diving infrastructure, certified schools, available equipment and multilingual guides, which makes things easier for foreign travellers.
Diving agencies in Búzios offer everything from beginner try-dives to international certifications. Their instructors work with modern equipment and ensure safety and memorable experiences.
Whether you dream of having your first dive in Búzios or want to progress with international certifications, its centres suit every diver profile. Let’s explore the most important ones:
1- Búzios Divers
Búzios Divers is one of the most recognised schools and sits on Rua das Pedras, the city’s tourist heart. With PADI certifications, its offer includes try-dives, full Open Water Diver courses, advanced training, rescue programmes and specialities like night diving or Nitrox.
Their outings usually focus on iconic spots like Ilha de Âncora, known for its sea turtle population. This makes it ideal for beginners and certified divers who want more adventure. Besides turtles, you can spot large shoals of fish, rays and many other species that create an unforgettable underwater experience.
2- Scuba Búzios
Scuba Búzios is a PADI diving school and operator based in Village de Búzios. It suits travellers who want their first dive, although they also offer international certification courses.
Their team organises small-group outings, which creates close guidance and helps first-time divers feel confident. They also stay active on social media and offer support in several languages, which helps foreign visitors.
Their dive sites include key regional spots such as Ilha Âncora, Ilha Feia, Ilha Branca and João Fernandinho’s slab.
3- Dive is Cool
The Dive is Cool Centre is another great option to learn or improve scuba diving in Búzios. Their programmes aim for full diver training. With PADI courses ranging from Open Water Diver to professional tracks like Divemaster, it suits travellers who want to advance their underwater career.
The school focuses less on tourist try-dives and appeals to travellers who seek certification or deeper experience. Yet they still offer recreational dives for people who want to enjoy the activity without experience or even without swimming skills. Dive is Cool also offers children’s diving courses and night diving.
4- P&P Escola e Operadora de Mergulho
P&P Escola e Operadora de Mergulho offers another solid option and holds the status of PADI 5 Star Dive Resort. They provide courses for all levels, from try-dives to advanced certifications and specialities. They also offer complementary services like cylinder refills, equipment rental and equipment maintenance.
Their strong infrastructure and professional instructors make P&P a reliable choice for beginners and experienced divers.
5- Scubasail Adventure
Scubasail Adventure suits travellers who want something different and combines diving with sailing. Their programmes offer the chance to sail and dive at several coastal points, which adds the charm of the open sea to the diving experience.
It suits travellers who want a complete adventure and enjoy nautical and underwater tourism on the same day.
Which dive sites stand out in Búzios?
When people think of Búzios, they usually imagine cobbled streets, sunsets and turquoise beaches. Yet beneath the surface, the peninsula offers an underwater landscape worth every dive. Diving in Búzios brings calm tropical waters, decent visibility and varied ecosystems: Reefs, rock formations, underwater passages between islands and the chance to meet turtles and passing fish.
Búzios sits in the Região dos Lagos, which creates a marine bridge between coastal and ocean ecosystems. Diving centres organise trips to nearby spots such as Ilha de Âncora, Ilhas Gravatás, Filhote and Ilha Feia, which offer diversity without long boat rides.
Búzios also benefits from protected inner islands that keep conditions more stable when the swell grows. At the same time, the biodiversity stays rich, mixing coastal species with pelagic visitors that create unexpected encounters.
With that in mind, let’s explore the most important dive sites in Búzios, so you can choose based on your goals:
1- Ilha de Âncora
Located around seven kilometres from the coast, it’s the most famous dive site in Búzios. Visibility reaches up to 15 metres and depths range from six to 40 metres. This suits beginners and advanced divers who want varied profiles.
Marine life stays abundant with green and hawksbill turtles, groupers, rays, morays, pufferfish and large tropical shoals. Corals and sponges flourish everywhere. Its caves and rocky shapes add extra excitement, which explains why many call it the “diving sanctuary” of Búzios.
2- Ilhas Gravatás
These islands sit in front of Geribá Beach and offer one of the most accessible places to dive. The area brings calm waters and abundant marine life, which suits try-dives and basic-level outings.
You’ll spot parrotfish, sergeant majors, starfish and sea urchins. The rocky landscape creates small underwater passages that invite exploration. Besides, its closeness to the coast lets you combine a dive with a beach day in Geribá, one of Búzios’ best beaches.
3- Ilha Feia
Despite its name, “Ugly Island” offers a spectacular place to dive. It sits eight kilometres from Búzios and stands out for its rich variety of corals and sponges that cover the seabed.
You’ll often see rays, turtles and groupers, plus many small invertebrates hiding in cracks. The rocky formations create walls and caverns that add adventure. This site suits divers with some experience rather than beginners.
4- Filhote
This small islet near Ilha de Âncora offers another interesting spot. Its clear waters let you easily see fish shoals and dolphins that sometimes pass nearby.
The dive combines sand, rocks and reefs, which creates varied habitats. It suits intermediate-level courses and certified divers who want something different from Âncora.
5- Lídia Shipwreck
The wreck of a fishing boat known as Lídia lies near Búzios. It sank decades ago and formed an artificial reef that attracts shoals of sea bream, groupers, pufferfish and morays.
The appeal comes from exploring the boat’s remains and observing the concentrated marine life. This dive suits certified divers because wreck exploration requires precise buoyancy control.
Connectivity in Búzios: Share your underwater adventures
After a dive near Ilha de Âncora or a try-dive at Gravatás, many travellers want to save and share their underwater memories. However, finding reliable Wi-Fi in Búzios doesn’t always feel easy. Some guesthouses and central restaurants offer good signal, although boat trips and remote beaches usually offer none.
To avoid losing connection, you can travel with a Holafly eSIM. It gives you unlimited data in Brazil without physical cards or complex steps. You can send diving photos once you return to the harbour, stay in touch with your diving centre on WhatsApp or even work remotely from your accommodation with a stable connection.
For a long stay in Búzios or anywhere in Brazil, we recommend choosing Holafly Plans, a subscription that also offers unlimited data. The main difference comes from the global eSIM, which provides internet in more than 170 countries. If you plan to dive in other parts of the Americas, your monthly Holafly plan will still work without issues.
Important: If you are a frequent traveler and want to stay connected without worrying about expensive roaming or looking for a new SIM at every destination, Holafly’s subscription plans are for you. With a single eSIM, enjoy internet in more than 170 countries for a fixed price and no surprises on your bill. Travel without limits and connect easily and securely! 🚀🌍
What’s the cost of the different diving experiences in Búzios?
Búzios stands as a well-established tourist destination and this also appears in its water-activity prices. Diving here isn’t Brazil’s cheapest option (unlike Florianópolis, which feels cheaper), yet it offers an excellent balance between cost and quality. You’ll enjoy rich biodiversity, short distances to dive sites and strong local infrastructure.
A try-dive usually costs between $ 350 R and $ 500 R (€60.34–86.20 ($70–100 US)), with full equipment and a dedicated instructor. If you want certification, an Open Water Diver course usually costs $ 2,000 R to $ 2,400 R (€344.83–413.79 ($400–480 US)). It includes theory, practice and several open-water dives. Advanced courses or specialities may cost more, depending on the school and your training level.
Here’s a table with approximate prices offered by local schools so you can plan your budget. Keep in mind that these values remain indicative and may change with season, promotions or included extras like photos, snorkelling or boat transfers.
| School / Centre | Activity or Course | Estimated Price (BRL) | Estimated Price (USD/EUR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Búzios Divers | Try Dive | $400 R | $80 US (€66) |
| Búzios Divers | Open Water Diver Course (PADI) | $2,200 R | $440 US (€380) |
| Scuba Búzios | Try-dive with full equipment | $380 R | $76 US (€65) |
| Dive is Cool | Advanced Open Water Course (PADI) | $2,300 R | $460 US (€395) |
| P&P Escola de Mergulho | Rescue Diver + EFR Course | $2,500 R | $500 US (€395) |
| Scubasail Adventure | Diving experience + sailing trip | $450 R | $90 US (€78) |
Prices for different diving courses in Búzios
As you can see, diving in Búzios feels like an investment that pays off. Whether you want a try-dive or you prefer to progress with an international certification, the destination offers strong options and a sea full of life that justifies every real you spend.
Diving in Búzios: Frequently Asked Questions
You can dive in Búzios all year. Yet the best season runs from October to April, when the sea feels warmer and visibility usually improves. Winter brings cooler temperatures, although dive sites stay quieter because fewer tourists visit.
You don’t need experience. Local schools offer try-dives designed for travellers who’ve never used scuba gear. Certified instructors guide you in shallow areas. However, you’ll need a certification like Open Water Diver if you want to dive independently.
You can explore more than ten dive sites in the region, including Ilha de Âncora, Gravatás, Ilha Feia, Filhote and several wrecks. Each place offers different difficulty levels and unique underwater landscapes.
Búzios stands out thanks to its nearby dive sites. You reach islands and reefs with rich biodiversity in a few minutes, which helps you enjoy more time underwater and plan several dives in one day.
You don’t need to bring equipment. All mentioned schools include full gear in their try-dive or course packages. Certified divers may bring personal gear, although most travellers prefer renting equipment locally for convenience.
