A hidden gem in Brazil: An island for whale watching and diving

I’ve been staying in Vitória lately, waiting for the weather to clear up so I can go whale watching 🐳. Since I have to wait for days and the city is really boring, I’ve been frantically digging up nearby travel spots—and I found an incredibly fun island! It’s great for snorkeling, scuba diving, whale watching, and bird watching. Why isn’t this place more recommended?! I’m jotting down the guide here to save for later! 📍 Parque Nacional Marinho dos Abrolhos (Abrolhos Marine National Park) 🌈 This park is the main breeding ground for humpback whales in the South Atlantic. Every year from June to November, humpback whales migrate to the shallow waters of Abrolhos to give birth. It’s also the only place on Earth where you can find the brain coral (Mussismilia braziliensis). Plus, it’s a habitat for endangered sea turtles—like loggerheads, green turtles, and hawksbills—and if you’re lucky, you might even spot the extremely rare leatherback turtle! For bird lovers: You can see red-billed terns, white and brown boobies, frigatebirds, and masked boobies. Snorkeling highlights: Soft corals, cod, parrotfish, lobsters, and more. Other marine life: Besides humpbacks, Abrolhos’ waters are home to other cetaceans like rough-toothed dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, and Risso’s dolphins, as well as southern right whales and minke whales. 🚗 Transportation The departure point for boats is the small town of Caravelas. You can rent a car, or take a bus to Teixeira de Freitas first, then take a taxi to the town. The nearest airport is also in Teixeira de Freitas. 🌈 About tours There are day trips and 2-4 day liveaboard tours. The liveaboards are quite a bit more expensive than day whale-watching tours—around 2,100 BRL for a 2-day liveaboard, and park entry fees are separate, I think. You can book tours locally in Caravelas or through a travel agency in advance. I’ve asked for quotes from two places—here are their WhatsApp contacts: +55 73 98871-6634, +55 73 99148-5599. I’ll share a whale-watching guide in my next post! #Snorkeling #MyHiddenTravelGuide #Brazil #SãoPaulo #Rio #WhaleWatching #GlassSea