Bonito

A limestone cave holding a deep blue lake far inside, reached by a long descent down steep steps to a railing beside the lake. The colour glows strongest when morning sun slants in through the cave mouth.

A clear river south toward Jardim, drifted with a life vest and snorkel as the current carries you. Touching the fish or standing on the bed stirs up silt, so both are banned.

A huge round sinkhole where the ground collapsed, with red macaws nesting in its red cliffs. Near sunset the birds fly home in pairs and the hollow rings with their calls.

A narrow crack in the ground where you rappel 72 m down to snorkel a lake inside the cave. Daily places are very few, so bookings fill months ahead, and a rappel training session the day before is required.

A riverside swimming spot run by the town, where big pacu and piraputanga circle close to swimmers. As with other Bonito sights, entry needs a voucher from a town agency, but there is no guided tour, so local families come to spend the day.

A forest trail through a farm passing a string of waterfalls, with a plunge pool to jump into at each one. Lunch served at the farmhouse at the end is part of the outing, so it starts in the morning.

The state's tallest waterfall at 156 m, with a long stairway descending into the gorge. The climb back up is far harder than the way down, so save some energy.

A flooded sinkhole known to run deeper than 200 m, though its bottom has never been fully measured. Around noon, when sunlight falls straight down, it reaches deep and the water turns its bluest.

A cave approached on an elevated boardwalk over the forest, its stalactites lit up inside. The visit is short, so it slots neatly beside another stop in the afternoon.

Riding a big inner tube down the rapids of the Rio Formoso, dropping over a few small falls along the way. After rain the current gets strong, so listen to the safety briefing before setting off.

A clear river through a farm outside Bonito, its bed carpeted with waterweed that sways like green velvet in the current. The current is gentle, easy for first-timers, and a small boat trails behind to pick up anyone who tires.

A snorkel route at Baia Bonita farm that sets off from the pool where the river rises and drifts down its outflow. Shoals of piraputanga crowd just below the source, hence the name. Such is the clarity that under the fish you see sand boiling up from vents.