Note: Where pousadas are off the beaten track, Google maps only show the nearest town, and are not an accurate guide to location.
Pousada Olho d'Água opened in the early 80s, one of the first of this type of accommodation to open in Bonito and indeed in Brazil. Set in beautifully landscaped grounds, surrounded by woods a few kilometres form the centre of town, what originally started as a place for Portuguese/Brazilian owners Henrique and Jane to put up family and friends now boasts 20 bungalow apartments, together with restaurant, travel agency and an especially inviting swimming pool.
Apartments are not luxurious but are clean, comfortable and airy, and many are in the process of being upgraded. All have a terrace and hammocks and frigobar- making them yet another place to chill out with a cool drink after visiting one of the many attractions in Bonito and all the hiking, floating, ziplining and rapelling.
Bonito is located in the Serra do Bodoquena, approximately 300 kilometres or a three and a half hour drive southwest of Campo Grande in Mato Grosso do Sul. For 9 years running it has been awarded the prize for best eco-tourism destination , beating places like Fernando de Noronha hands down for attractions, service and pousada accommodation options, so it is strange that it is gets so little international press relative to the southern Pantanal wetlands which are less than 2 hours drive away.
The landscape here is a mixture of hills and cerrado crisscrossed by rivers, scrubland on top of chalk, all of which accounts for the myriad of caves, lakes and waterfalls in the region. Bonito town itself is small and buzzy with several good restaurants and it is also strangely untouristy, with not a souvenir, or indeed postcard in sight. Meanwhile local attractions abound, particularly local fazendas which organise treks to waterfalls and floating with snorkels and then provide wonderful buffet food and the chance of a siesta in the redario (hammock area) after. For the more adventurous there is rappelling and scuba diving- and for the less so visits to the magical Lago Azul (Blue lake) or the recently re-opened Lagoa Misteriosa- over 220 meters deep. There really is something for anyone who appreciates nature.
Just one word of warning though: decide which excursions you want and get the pousada to book them for you in advance in accordance with the sort of transport you want. All trips are guided and timed and have restricted numbers so need to be pre-booked, and transport is paid separately, so if you don't have your own car and are not going when one of the shared vans is going they can work out very expensive. This is really the only negative point I found in what is otherwise a superbly run and ecologically monitored destination
Floating with snorkel down the Rio da Prata and the Rio Sucuri
Trips to the Lago Azul and the Lagoa Misteriosa
Walking through the forest to the waterfalls and rockpools of the Rio do Peixe
Alligator sandwiches, ginger and tropical fruit icecreams
Picanha at Tapera restaurant and fish at the Casa do João
Birding
Bungalow accommodation in extensive grounds
Beautiful swimming pool
Own travel agency
Great restaurant
Try a different place if..
you want to be in the centre of town or you don't like visiting caves, lakes,waterfalls and rivers in guided groups.
Pousada Olho d'Água opened in the early 80s, one of the first of this type of accommodation to open in Bonito and indeed in Brazil. Set in beautifully landscaped grounds, surrounded by woods a few kilometres form the centre of town, what originally started as a place for Portuguese/Brazilian owners Henrique and Jane to put up family and friends now boasts 20 bungalow apartments, together with restaurant, travel agency and an especially inviting swimming pool.
Bonito is located in the Serra do Bodoquena, approximately 300 kilometres or a three and a half hour drive southwest of Campo Grande in Mato Grosso do Sul. For 9 years running it has been awarded the prize for best eco-tourism destination , beating places like Fernando de Noronha hands down for attractions, service and pousada accommodation options, so it is strange that it is gets so little international press relative to the southern Pantanal wetlands which are less than 2 hours drive away.
Floating with snorkel down the Rio da Prata and the Rio Sucuri
