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Jardim dos Corais - Alcatrazes

Jardim dos Corais, off Alcatrazes, is one of those sites that genuinely makes you pause. We love it because it’s a living snapshot of what Arraial's reefs used to look like, before the local pressures really kicked in. You drop down into just 13 metres, often feeling that cool thermocline brush past in summer, and the visibility averages a solid 12 metres, sometimes better. What hits you first are the huge brain coral colonies, just massive structures, some the size of small cars. They’re absolutely thriving here, which is rare to see these days. We've spent ages just drifting over these formations, spotting the usual suspects: slender parrotfish nibbling away, a shy honeycomb cowfish tucked into an overhang, and plenty of molly millers darting between the coral heads. If you're patient, keep an eye out for Baird's dragonets on the sand patches – they’re tiny but brilliant to find. This spot is generally sheltered, so it’s pretty relaxed diving, perfect for photographers or anyone who just wants to soak in a healthy reef without a strong current whisking them away. It truly feels like stepping back in time.