Ilha do Pelado
Paraty · Brazil
Ilha do Pelado offers one of the most rewarding macro dives on the Brazilian coast, with a sandy and rubble bottom sloping gently from 6 to 22 meters that is home to garden eels, flying gurnards, frogfish, and an extraordinary variety of nudibranchs. Sea turtles are a near-daily sighting, resting on the sandy patches between coral outcrops or cruising slowly through the midwater above the reef. The calm, sheltered location makes this an ideal site for photographers, new divers, and those seeking a long, relaxed bottom time.
Conditions
Depth
5 to 22 m
Open water and up
Current
Usually still
Can pick up on the edge
Visibility
10 to 20 m
Clearest in the calm season
Water
18 to 28°C
5mm wetsuit
Month by month
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water (°C) | 25 | 25 | 25 | 23 | 21 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 21 | 23 | 24 |
| Vis (m) | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Current | Still | Still | Still | Still | Still | Still | Still | Still | Still | Still | Still | Still |
Your chances of seeing each animal
Green-Headed Tanager
Last confirmed Apr 19, 2026 · 47 records
Almost always
Nearly every dive
Brazilian Tanager
Last confirmed Jun 29, 2026 · 39 records
Very likely
Most dives
Masked Water-Tyrant
Last confirmed Jun 29, 2026 · 30 records
Very likely
Most dives
Green Sea Turtle
Last confirmed Aug 5, 2025 · 8 records
Very likely
Most dives
Flying Gurnard
Last confirmed Feb 24, 2025 · 2 records
Likely
About 6 in 10 dives
Garden Eel
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Painted Frogfish
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Gear