Brazil > Lençois

Top Things to Do

Cachoeira da Fumaca is one of the most famous sites of the park, whose name translates to Waterfall of Smoke because its chute disappears into the mist before you can see it hit the ground, somewhat like smoke. Hire a car to get there and hike the roughly 2.5 hour trail to see it, or take a tour.

Poço Encantado is a truly surreal piece of nature and those who do not understand the Portuguese explanation that is provided upon arrival will take a few minutes to figure out exactly what it is they are seeing. Best viewed between April and September when the sun swings around creating an electric blue flash surrounded by a rainbow of colours. The optimal time for this site is in the month of June between 10:00 - 11:00am.

The site was discovered in the l940s by a young local boy named Gustavo who is now living in Salvador. Note that the drive to this site is extremely long and difficult given the poor conditions of the road. It is best to take a tour to get here. Lentur provides a good day in groups of 6 or 8 which includes Poço Encantado and Poço Azul as well as a stop in Andarai which is a picturesque little town.

Although Poço Azul was always known by the locals, this little gem went relatively unnoticed until the early '90s when a Brazilian soap opera, Pedra Sobre Pedra, was filmed here and Brazilians started to take notice. Only recently did some researchers find the bodies of four 'Preguiças' or small animals native to the Bahia region, one of which was removed to São Paulo for research. The rest remain deep down in a hidden cave.

This is one of the remaining pools where visitors can still swim, but please remember to shower beforehand so as not to pollute the waters with bug spray or tanning lotion. Getting here is half the fun - your car is transported across a river on a raft contraption that is propelled by the current.

Stop in to Encontros, on Rua Benjamim, where Jennekin, a Dutch woman of Brazilian origin has organized a community for children to hear stories, based on the tradition of an old Afro-Brazilian woman who used to do the same thing in this exact location.

Listen for the music of the Philharmonic, which has been around for over 100 years teaching youngsters to play musical instruments. Some early mornings you can hear them in a loud round of Happy Birthday, serenading one of their peers on their big day...

Take a walk from town to the natural swimming pools surrounding Lençois along the Mucugezinho River. These pools, including the Poço de Diablo, are extremely popular with the local children on hot days.