5 Best Sights in Bonito, Brasilia and the West

One of the best-value sights in Bonito this municipal baths complex is just 6 km (4 miles) outside town. You can swim with fish in crystalline waters and get a bite to eat at several simple restaurants full of local people, all at a fraction of the price charged elsewhere in town.

The 160-foot-deep Gruta do Lago Azul has a crystal clear freshwater lake at the bottom and smaller side caves in the calcareous rock. The best time to visit is from mid-November to mid-January at around 8:30 am, when sunlight beams down the entrance, reflecting off the water to create an eerie turquoise glow. See stalagmites and stalactites in various stages of development.

At this park just 7 km (4 miles) outside Bonito, you can go snorkeling along in the 1-km-long (½-mile-long) Aquario Natural, or "Natural Aquarium." The crystal clear waters reveal an incredible close-up array of colorful fish. Equipment rental is included in the admission price. The park is also home to brightly colored birds and to a handful of captive local mammals.

The approximately 1½-hour rafting trip on the Rio Formoso takes you through clear waters and some rapids while you observe the fish and the birds of the Pantanal. You might also see and hear bands of macaco-prego (capuchin monkeys), the region's largest primates. The tour ends at Ilha do Padre (Priest's Island), where there's a complex of rapids emerging through thick riverine vegetation. There's a snack bar where you can relax after the tour. To best appreciate this attraction, make sure there hasn't been any rain in the previous days—the river gets quite muddy. Horseback riding is also available.

One of Bonito's most popular attractions is snorkeling in the crystalline waters of the Rio da Prata (literally, river of silver). No sunscreen is permitted, so as not to pollute waters that are home to a myriad of dazzling tropical fish. Scuba and horseback rides are also available.