Bonito, Mato Grosso do Sul
Encyclopedia
Bonito is a municipality
located in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul
. Its population was 17,275 (2007) and its area is 4,934 km²..Bonito is in the middle of a region which is being discovered as "Caribe do Centro-Oeste" (Caribbean of the Central-West) due to the unbelievable blue colour of its waters.
Owing to the enormous quantity of limestone in the ground, the water of these rivers passes through a real natural filter where impurities are deposited at the bottom of the river bed, leaving the rivers to be some of the clearest and most transparent in the world. A number of fish and plant species have adapted to this high calcium environment, so that all rivers teem with life. The government of the region has consciously aimed to promote tourism and develop infrastructure for receiving and directing tourists, while strictly controlling the numbers of tourists allowed. These limitations are aimed at preserving the rich natural beauty of the area, maintaining popular tourist sites as close as possible to their natural state.
, which had an area of 10.5 square miles (27.2 km²) and was acquired by Mr. Euzébio Captain Luiz da Costa Leite Falcão in 1869. He is considered the pioneer of Bonito, and was also its first Registrar and public notary.
State Law No. 693 of June 11, 1915, initially established the District of Paz de Bonito, with an area taken from the Municipality of Miranda
and made administratively subordinate. With the creation of the Federal Territory of Ponta Porã, by Decree-Law No. 5839 on September 21, 1943, it was annexed to the District of Paz de Miranda.
Under the Constitutional Act of the Transitional Provisions of the Federal Constitution, it was restored to the state of Mato Grosso
, together with the district belonging to the Municipality of Miranda. Finally State Law No. 145 of October 2, 1948, made it a municipality, with its seat in the town of Bonito.
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
located in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul
Mato Grosso do Sul
Mato Grosso do Sul is one of the states of Brazil.Neighboring Brazilian states are Mato Grosso, Goiás, Minas Gerais, São Paulo and Paraná. It also borders the countries of Paraguay and Bolivia to the west. The economy of the state is largely based on agriculture and cattle-raising...
. Its population was 17,275 (2007) and its area is 4,934 km²..Bonito is in the middle of a region which is being discovered as "Caribe do Centro-Oeste" (Caribbean of the Central-West) due to the unbelievable blue colour of its waters.
Owing to the enormous quantity of limestone in the ground, the water of these rivers passes through a real natural filter where impurities are deposited at the bottom of the river bed, leaving the rivers to be some of the clearest and most transparent in the world. A number of fish and plant species have adapted to this high calcium environment, so that all rivers teem with life. The government of the region has consciously aimed to promote tourism and develop infrastructure for receiving and directing tourists, while strictly controlling the numbers of tourists allowed. These limitations are aimed at preserving the rich natural beauty of the area, maintaining popular tourist sites as close as possible to their natural state.
History
The community that would become the center of the Municipality of Bonito, started with land of the Rincão Bonito FazendaFazenda
Fazendas were coffee plantations that spread into the interior of Brazil between 1840 and 1896. They created major export commodities for Brazilian trade, but also led to intensification of slavery in Brazil.- Creation of fazendas :...
, which had an area of 10.5 square miles (27.2 km²) and was acquired by Mr. Euzébio Captain Luiz da Costa Leite Falcão in 1869. He is considered the pioneer of Bonito, and was also its first Registrar and public notary.
State Law No. 693 of June 11, 1915, initially established the District of Paz de Bonito, with an area taken from the Municipality of Miranda
Miranda, Mato Grosso do Sul
Miranda is a city and municipality located in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, named for its location on the river by the same name. Its population was 24,781 and its area is 5,479 km².-References:www.explorepantanal.com...
and made administratively subordinate. With the creation of the Federal Territory of Ponta Porã, by Decree-Law No. 5839 on September 21, 1943, it was annexed to the District of Paz de Miranda.
Under the Constitutional Act of the Transitional Provisions of the Federal Constitution, it was restored to the state of Mato Grosso
Mato Grosso
Mato Grosso is one of the states of Brazil, the third largest in area, located in the western part of the country.Neighboring states are Rondônia, Amazonas, Pará, Tocantins, Goiás and Mato Grosso do Sul. It also borders Bolivia to the southwest...
, together with the district belonging to the Municipality of Miranda. Finally State Law No. 145 of October 2, 1948, made it a municipality, with its seat in the town of Bonito.
Tourism
There are more than 30 tours available in and around the Bonito area. The majority of the tours are based around exploring the ecology and natural environment of the area. Almost all of the tours need to be booked through an official tourist agency in the town and require an accredited guide, although this will be organised at the time of booking. Some of these most popular tours include:- Abismo Anhumas (Anhumas Abism) –
- Rio da Prata (Silver River) – This award-winning snorkelling tour features crystal-clear water, lots of fish,a walk through the forest and a delicious lunch.
- Aquário Natural (Natural Aquarium) – The tour starts with a 25 minute walk through the jungle, followed by a 900 m snorkel, where you float with fish and appreciate the underwater vegetation. After starting the trek where you can see varieties of animals of the region, you can finish with a visit to the museum of natural history.
- Circuito Arvorismo (The trees circuit) – The adventure trek allows you to walk through the treetops on a suspended steel walkway installed in native trees such as Aroeira and Mahogany. The walkways have platforms fixed in the trees, varying in height from 10 to 20m.
- Gruta do Lago Azul (Blue Lake Cave) – The tour starts with a 10 minute walk to the entrance of the cave, which was discovered by a local Indian in 1924. In its interior, after descending 100 meters, it is possible to see the lake of crystal clear water and depth of approximately 90 meters, which makes it one of world’s biggest flooded caves.