Formoso River Tubing (Boia-Cross)

Boia-cross is river tubing: a run down the Formoso River on an individual inflatable tube, through rapids and small waterfalls, with helmet, vest and instructors in the water. It is Bonito’s most accessible adventure: short, cheap compared with the river snorkels, and open to children from age 7. The best-equipped spot is at the Parque Ecológico Rio Formoso, 7 km from the town center, but other stretches of the same river are run by nearby river beaches.

What the tour is like

The group, of up to nine people, is given a tube, helmet and vest and listens to the instructions: how to sit, how to hold the handles, what to do if you flip. Then it walks about 900 meters through the riverside forest to the entry dock, upstream.

The run alternates calm stretches, where the tube drifts and you can look at the forest, with eight obstacles: short rapids, drops of under a meter and narrow passages between rocks. The instructors position themselves at the critical points and guide you into each one. Flipping is common and part of the fun; the river is shallow there and the vest does the rest.

The stretch in the water takes about an hour. At the exit, a 300-meter trail returns the group to the visitor center, where there is a restaurant, changing rooms and the park’s lagoon with kayaks and paddleboards, open as day use for anyone who did the tour.

Where to go tubing in Bonito

The Formoso has at least three tubing spots, all less than 15 km from the center: the Parque Ecológico Rio Formoso, described above and with the longest route; Eco Park Porto da Ilha, the former Ilha do Padre, with a shorter stretch and a river-beach base; and a circuit at a farm hotel near town that accepts children from 6. The activity is the same at all three; what changes is the number of obstacles, the price and the facilities for staying on afterwards. If the agency offers more than one, ask about the number of rapids and what is included in the day use.

Best season and time of day

Tubing is better with a full river: between November and April the rapids gain strength and the ride gets livelier. In the dry season, June to August, the river drops, the water cools and some obstacles turn tame. Heavy rain, on the other hand, can suspend operations for the day. Go in the early afternoon on hot days, when the water is welcome.

Price

Tickets are sold by Bonito’s licensed agencies under the single-voucher system, at the same price everywhere for each operator. The reference price, in Brazilian reais (BRL), is in the “At a glance” box on this page with the date it was checked, and refers to the Parque Ecológico Rio Formoso. Transport and lunch are quoted separately.

Is it worth it?

Yes, for anyone who wants a dose of adrenaline without the cost of the Anhumas Abyss or the full day at Boca da Onça, and for families with children from age 7. It is the ideal afternoon add-on after a morning river snorkel.

If the idea is to take in the river calmly, as a group, with younger children, the Formoso River raft tour suits better. If the goal is height, the canopy course and zipline circuit at Formoso Adventure leaves from the same park. Other options are in adventure tours in Bonito.