FOTO: ADRIANO FAGUNDES
It is precisely in the water, the company of the fishes, that tourists should begin to get a taste of Bonito. In the activity known simply as “floating,” one of the most popular there, one can simply get carried downstream by the river current, against the backdrop of the underwater landscape. The choice of location to be exploited can be made according to what you want to admire: Rio da Prata has the most fish; the trip on Rio Sucuri is shorter; and Nascente Azul features its amazing hue that looks as if it were Photoshopped. The list of surprisingly clear waters goes beyond these rivers. Among five sites with the most cristilline water is Lagoa Misteriosa, a paradise for divers. Beginners can stick with a mask and snorkel, or can invest in the ‘baptism’ dive, which allows them to reach depths of around eight meters. Certified divers are the only ones allowed to go any farther down, but so far none has reached the bottom of its underground cave – the deepest anyone has ever reached is 240 meters. The hue of Lagoa Misteriosa is a remarkable sparkling blue, second only to the surprise factor of the waters at Gruta do Lago Azul. The reflection of sunlight on the surface explains the unique coloring, which makes this sight the most sought-after target of cameras and cell phones. On pretty much every flight of the stairway – you have to climb down 300 steps to get to the cave – there’s a selfie being taken, slowing down the flow of tourists. “That’s part of it. One time a visitor started ragging me; he said I should stop giving technical information because the people there just want to take pictures,” recalls a guide named Michel, with an air of lament. It’s best to abstract the inconvenience and find a nice little spot to ponder the place (swimming there is prohibited), where the stalagmites and stalactites bestow a look of prehistoric. This rudimentary atmosphere is present in other parts of Bonito that, thanks to its limestone base, makes the landscape look like Swiss cheese: it is full of
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