Bonito
Brazilian visitors to the Pantanal tend to mention it in one breath with the “nearby” (in Brazilian terms) city of Bonito. The city’s name means “pretty”: it was named after a farm that used to exist in the area and whose owner was clearly familiar with the many natural beauties of the area.
While Bonito does not boast a single, unmissable sight, its claim to be the worldwide capital of ecotourism is certainly justified and the city is well worth a few days’ visit. As usual in Brazil, nature is rather too overwhelming for the uncontrolled release of tourists, but it is easy to arrange guides and tours with your chosen place of accommodation.
We stayed at Pousada Olho d’Água, a good choice not only for its well-appointed facilities (luxury huts) and tasty food for its human guests, but also for the fruit they leave out in the morning: an unfailing hit with the local toucan population.
The range of available tours is very wide. Besides the more obvious sights, we spent a day birdwatching on the Mimosa Estate, where you can also go for a short, guided hike through the tropical forest along a series of (swimmable) waterfalls.
Perhaps the most famous nature activity in Bonito is to float down one of the crystal-clear rivers among thousands of fantastically coloured, non-piranha fish (there are several possible locations in the area, we went to Rio da Prata).
Gruta do Lago Azul
At the Gruta do Lago Azul (Blue Lake Cave), the angle of the light makes you rediscover the meaning of blue at the end of a short, guided walk.
Buraco das araras
Macaw love
Finally, while in the area do not miss the giant Buraco das Araras (‘macaw hole’), a massive natural sinkhole in the neighbouring city of Jardim: the ‘hole’, with its near-vertical sides, is inaccessible to large land mammals (with the exception of two military expeditions) and therefore serves as an ideal sanctuary for thousands of red macaws that can be seen flying around the hole in formation or just hanging around the walls cuddling.
If you have a chance to visit Bonito, don’t miss it. It’s very bonito indeed.
