BONITO

Since 1990, Bonito is becoming known worldwide for its natural ecotourism vocation. Old agricultural or cattle raising farms discovered rivers of pristine water and many caves in their areas. Soon, this traditional town in the interior of Brazil, with little more than 15 thousand inhabitants, would become an important ecotourism center. Brazilian, English, French, German, Italian, Japonese, Israeli tourists, besides others of different nationalities, have already come to check the wonders of Bonito.

All this development would not help if there was not a special care in the manner of “using” nature. It is very common to know wonderful places that, few years later, are destroyed by the predatory tourism. That’s why Bonito is different from other tourism cities in Brazil and got the reputation of “ecotourism capital”. The region offers over 40 tours related to ecotourism. Jardim and Bodoquena, two neighbouring municipalities, present the same natural characteristics and are also investing heavily in the industry, which nowadays employs 58% of the population economically active in Bonito, or around 2,5 thousand direct jobs. In fact, some of the tours (such as Rio da Prata/Silver River and Lagoa Misteriosa/Mysterious Lagoon) done by tourists “in Bonito” are in those other municipalities.

The tourism management in Bonito assures the sustainable character of the operation in such sensitive areas. It also assures the satisfaction of everyone who searches for a perfect preserved nature. Everything here is controlled and involves a huge number of professionals so that tourists can have the desired season. The obligation of having tourism guides or specialized monitors (as in the case of the Abismo Anhumas) accompanying all the groups of visitors was the most important step to achieve the professionalism of ecotourism with quality and security.

All the tours have the intermediation of local tourism agencies. They help visitors to choose the best programming according to their interests, age, time and money, book tour schedules and hire guides to accompany the groups. Every tour has a limited number of visitors per day, as well as the guide, who serves a certain number of visitors per tour, thus assuring the best use and quality of services. Therefore, it is very important to book tours in advance, particularly in the high season (December, January, July and national holidays).


Serra da Bodoquena National Park
In 2000 the State government created the Serra da Bodoquena National Park, what significantly increased the scientific research in the region. The park comprehends an area of 76,481 hectares, which became of public interest by the Decree of Foundation. The park is divided into two fragments: one in the north, with an area of 27,793 hectares, and another in the south, with 48,688 hectares. Its creation aims to protect the largest continuous area of “Atlantic forest” in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul. The soil of the National Park presents special geological characteristics, with minerals of limestone, uranium, copper, lead and dolomite. The biodiversity is also gigantic. Birds, fish, mammals, reptiles, insects and countless plants and trees attract researchers from the all over the world. Many areas in the park are still being studied, so they are not open to public visitation.