Balneário do Sol River Beach

Balneário do Sol is Bonito’s no-commitment river outing. It is 11 km from the town center, on the banks of the Formoso, and works like a country club: you arrive whenever you like, pick a kiosk, get in the water when you feel like it and leave when you have had enough. It is also one of the cheapest tickets in town and one of the few places where you can bring your own food. (A “balneário”, in Brazil, is a day-use bathing spot; here that means a river beach with club facilities.)

What it is like

There is no guide and no program. The park covers a stretch of the Formoso River with grassy banks, docks and natural pools with rock and sand bottoms, and greenish, clear water. The current is weak along most of the stretch, which lets you float or dive in with a mask to see the piraputanga and pacu that hang around the docks.

On land, the facilities are those of a club: kiosks with covered barbecue grills, tables, a restaurant and snack bar, a flowing-water pool for children, a playground, a games room, sand courts. Wild animals wander across the lawn. Changing rooms, showers and restrooms round it out.

The typical visit is half a day, but some people spend the whole day: lunch at the restaurant or the grill and back to the river in the afternoon.

Best season and time of day

Like every river beach, it works best in the heat: from September to April a river swim is the relief of the day. In the cold months, June and July, the river is for the brave and the visit loses some of its point. Afternoon is the natural time, after a guided tour in the morning. After heavy rain the Formoso can be murky for a day or two.

Price

Tickets are sold by Bonito’s licensed agencies under the single-voucher system, at the same price everywhere. The reference price, in Brazilian reais (BRL), is in the “At a glance” box on this page with the date it was checked, and is usually the same in low and high season. Transport and meals are quoted separately.

Balneário do Sol or the Municipal River Beach?

Both are river swimming on the Formoso, cheap and unguided. The Municipal River Beach is closer to the center and has the prettier stretch of river, with fish in large numbers; Balneário do Sol has more club facilities (barbecue grills, pool, games room) and lets you bring food. For a quick afternoon, the Municipal; for a family day with a barbecue, Balneário do Sol. The other options are in river beaches in Bonito.

Is it worth it?

Yes, for anyone wanting a cheap plan with no schedule, for families with small children and for a rest day in the middle of an itinerary full of guided tours. In our guide to Bonito on a budget it appears as one of the best cost-to-river-time ratios in town.

It is not worth it for anyone with few days who wants to see the best of Bonito’s water: in that case, the money goes further on a river snorkel such as the Sucuri River. For ideas with kids, see Bonito with kids.