The archipelago is located 250 km from Porto Seguro, in the south of Bahia […]
In old nautical charts, the expression “open your eyes” was a warning to anyone sailing in rough waters that hid coral reefs, in the Abrolhos archipelago region.
But nowadays, the warning is that visitors, if they pay close attention, will not miss any of the scenery of this isolated tourist destination, in the far south of Bahia.
About four hours from the continent, depending on the mood of the sea, the journey begins in Caravelas, 250 km from Porto Seguro, and heads towards the largest coral reef and the most important humpback whale nursery in the South Atlantic.
Abrolhos is also known as the only place on the planet to host the peculiar brain coral (mussimilia brasiliensis) and the surreal chapeirões, unique coral structures in the shape of giant mushrooms up to 30 meters high.
WHAT TO DO IN ABROLHOS
With few attractions on land, the destination is best explored underwater, with scuba diving for non-divers, known as “baptism.” The activity, included in the daily excursions, takes place between the islands at a depth of between 5 and 7 meters and lasts approximately 30 minutes.
On the other hand, seeing the sunrise or sunset in Abrolhos is one of the most memorable experiences of the destination, so, as much as possible, try to spend more than one day in the region, hopping on one of the boats diving cruises that circulate in the archipelago (*see details below).
Abrolhos Marine National Park
The archipelago is made up of five islands of volcanic origin (Redonda, Sueste, Guarita, Santa Bárbara and Siriba) and the ticket is paid (R$52 – Brazilians and R$104 – foreigners).
However, visitors are only allowed to disembark in the latter, where a short 200 meter walk takes place, accompanied by environmental observers who accompany visitors to the white gannet nests.
THE Santa Barbarathe largest island in the region, it is the only habitable one and serves as a temporary residence for scientists and military personnel. In some cases, crew members diving cruises They are invited to climb to the 1861 lighthouse, 22 meters high and 60 meters above sea level, from where you can enjoy a panoramic view of the region and a strategic point to admire the sunset.

Siriba It is one of the few lands with an authorized landing place for tourists.
It is there that a short 200 meter walk takes place, accompanied by environmental observers from the ICMBio (Chico Mendes Institute for the Conservation of Biodiversity), who accompany visitors to the nests of white gannets and red-billed grazinas.
Like nearby Santa Bárbara, Siriba is home to the largest colony of white gannets in the entire archipelago.

Closed since 1997, when a visitor launched a rocket that killed nearly 200 birds Round Island it has reopened with restrictions, depending on tide and wind conditions.
Currently, landings are only carried out at night, together with nocturnal groups or during specific activities, such as waste collection activities.
According to ICMBio, some visitors can observe the opening of loggerhead turtle nests (spawning normally occurs between September and March).
Whales
Between July and November, approximately, the whale watching season takes place, when humpback whales leave the cold waters of Antarctica to nurse their young or breed in Brazilian waters.
“Abrolhos is a large terrace, where the continental shelf extends many kilometers from the coast. It’s like a paddling pool at the club, an ideal place for mothers and calves,” explains Eduardo Camargo, executive director of the Jubarte Whale Project.
In 2022 alone, according to the latest widespread aerial census, approximately 25,000 whales were seen circling along 6,204 kilometers, between SĂŁo Paulo and Rio Grande do Norte.

Diving cruise
It is from the extreme south of Bahia, in Caravelas, that boats leave for trips of up to four days, exploring the park’s islands and diving spots.
Known as liveaboards (“living on board”, in literal translation), these boats are for divers and have itineraries for certified divers or those who simply want to snorkel, at some dive spots.
It’s like spending your days immersed in an underwater world, but with the services of a floating hotel, equipped with cabins, bathrooms with hot water and meals always ready when you return from diving.
At Horizonte Aberto, packages with full board, soft drinks, bed linen and towels and diving equipment (tank, weight, refills and guide) cost R$ 2,700 (2 days), R$ 3,980 (3 days) and R $5,200 (4 days). Find out more: Horizonaberto.com.br
With fewer monthly departures, the company also offers day trips, with onboard guide service and snorkeling included.

For those short on time or not into scuba diving, the option is day trips (R$560 per person; R$370, children up to 9 years old) which include underwater activities such as snorkelingat different diving spots, disembarkation on Siriba island, freediving equipment (mask, snorkel and fins), fruit, cold lunch with salads and sandwich and biscuits with hot snack on the way back.
The ship leaves the Caravelas dock at 7:00 am and returns to the mainland around 5:30 pm.
For diving activities, passengers are provided with free diving equipment (mask, snorkel and fins). Scuba diving for non-divers, such as baptism, and those for certified divers are paid separately.
Chapeiraos
There is a must-see place in Abrolhos.
A terror to sailors of yesteryear, these immense mushroom-shaped coral formations are endemic to southern Bahia and can reach a diameter of around 50 metres.
Large enough to explore around and inside, the chapeirões are the most impressive attraction of the entire trip. The most famous of these is Faca Cega, about 30 meters high and equipped with an internal room, where it is possible to dive among endemic species that only exist in Abrolhos, such as the Bahia brain coral.
On the same trip to a cruise It is possible to dive in chapeirões ranging in size from 15 meters, such as Chapeirinhos da Sueste, and Chapeirão Atobá, 25 meters away, in the Parcel dos Abrolhos.

Shipwrecks
The scenic surreality during diving continues in the wrecks that can be explored by divers with basic or advanced certifications.
One of the dive spots is the Rosalinda, an Italian merchant ship that sank in Abrolhos, in 1955. At a maximum depth of 20 meters, the ship’s steering wheel and the cargo of cement that the ship carried in the hold are still preserved. .
Another point worth visiting is Santa Catharina, where the dive aboard this ship sunk by the British in 1914 ranges from 14 to 25 meters deep.
Best time to visit Abrolhos
For water activities in warmer waters and with greater visibility, the summer season runs from December to February, a period also recommended for scuba diving.
But to see the region’s most anticipated attraction, the best time is during the whale watching season, between July and November.
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Source: Terra

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