Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
DIRECTORY
Hospital
Hospital Municipal (
T
67 3255 3455).
Internet
Casa do Computador, Rua Santana do Paraíso
1760 (
T
67 3255 1463), offers reasonably cheap public
access (R$5/hr).
Money and exchange
Bradesco, Rua Coronel Pilad
Rebuá 1942; Banco do Brasil, Rua Luis da Costa Leite 2279,
by the central square.
Pharmacy
Farmácia Drogacruz, Rua Coronel Pilad
Rebuá 1629.
Post o
ce
On the main street Rua Coronel Pilad Rebua
1759 (Mon-Fri 8am-noon and 1-4.30pm).
Around Bonito
The dirt tracks that make up most of the roads
AROUND BONITO
conceal the fact that
ever since the area starred as an “undiscovered” ecological paradise on TV Globo in
1993, it has become one of Brazil's major
ecotourism
destinations. The region is
teeming with nature reserves, and boasts crystal-clear rivers and waterfalls for
swimming and river snorkelling, interesting caves and excellent opportunities for
walking. Further north, towards the edge of the Pantanal, the towns of
Aquidauana
,
Anastácio
and
Miranda
provide a good base for fishing trips.
7
Gruta do Lago Azul
20km from Bonito • Daily 7am-2pm • Entrance fee including guide: low season R$45, high season R$60; no children under 5
he
Gruta do Lago Azul
is a large, deep, cathedral-like cave, out beyond the town's tiny
municipal airstrip. It's set in forested hills rich in limestone, granite and marble, and
full of minerals, as well as a growing number of mercury, uranium and phosphorus
mines. Even before the mines, though, these hills, which reach up to about 800m
above sea level, were full of massive caves, most of them inaccessible and on private
fazenda
land.
Rediscovered in 1924 by local
Terena
, the entrance to the cave is quite spectacular.
Surrounded by some 61 acres of ecological reserve woodland, it has the appearance of
a monstrous mouth inviting you into the heart of the earth. At first you climb down a
narrow path through vegetation, then deeper down into dripping stalactite territory
some 100m below, to the mists hovering above the cave's lake. The Pre-Cambrian rocks
of the cave walls are striated like the skin of an old elephant and there are weird rock
formations such as the easily recognized natural Buddha. Light streams in from the
semicircular cave opening, but only penetrates right to the lake level in the bottom of
the cave for 45 minutes on 30 days each year.
Since 1989 a number of expeditions have attempted to fathom the depths of the lake,
but with no success (70m is the deepest exploration to date). One of these, a joint
French-Brazilian expedition, discovered the bones of prehistoric animals (including a
sabre-toothed tiger) and even human remains. The blue waters of the lake extend into
the mountain for at least another 300m and are exceptionally clear, with only shrimps
and other crustacea able to survive in the calcified water.
Bring appropriate footwear such as trainers or hiking boots to visit the caves, which
can be slippery; visitors wearing flip-flops or sandals will be denied entry.
The Aquário Natural
7km from Bonito • Daily 7am-7pm • Half-day price R$132 (including transport, guide, permit and access to snorkelling equipment and
boats) •
W
aquarionatural.com.br
he
Aquário Natural
complex is justifiably Bonito's next most popular attraction.
Located at the source of the Baia Bonita, the Aquário is an incredibly clear spring that
is full of fish. Visitors are encouraged to put on a floating jacket, mask and snorkel,
FROM TOP
PANTANAL WILDLIFE: GIANT RED
NECKED STORK; TAPIR; CAPYBARAS >
