Cenote Swimming in Rio Sucuri, Brazil

The Crystal-Above-And-Below of Rio Sucuri

Life’s real noises creep in. So does stress. The natural world can be a quiet place that offers shelter for this. Rio Sucuri in Brazil, the brightly clear waterway of the southern state Mato Grosso do Sul is a popular choice among many for escaping and finding outright peace. It is a natural rival to the Caribbean islands from the sky and from underwater. You find life in Rio Sucuri alive in two spaces, literally.

The Two Worlds of Rio Sucuri

Rio Sucuri is a river that appears to be cloudlessly blue, with humans emerging from the water vapor. The river, without artificialities, runs into a watery cavern — a natural sinkhole — that people call a cenote. The cenotes are formed by the collapse of limestone bedrock, exposing underground rivers or pools. The river's surface level is a gateway to another world. The journey of the clear waterway leads to rocks protruding from one end, where water leaves and it seems like a stream. The river runs through the southern state of Mato Grosso do Sul, but the freshwater springs are located in the state of Paraná in southern Brazil. The water is clear and deep. In some places, Rio Sucuri is shallow, allowing a view of the bottom.

Floating above and below

The defining experience is the water. You will find the difference between the riverbanks and the sinkhole. The riverbank has 360 degrees of lush vegetation. It sets the perfect shiny blue water bed, with a deep end. The ground around it gets wet, and you don’t wear shoes or even feel them on your feet. No mud, no stones, no slighest deformity. The river also doesn’t have a five-second cloudy part anywhere. It is a hundred percent clear. To see the underwater, you’ll go in shallow. On one side, the water is clear, in some places shallow, deep, and requires swimming. And there is a neighboring cenote, where you can find a first time swimming experience. You see different plants in the flow.

Treasures Above Water

The Rio Sucuri is one of the main rivers in Bonito, Brazil. Bonito is known for its outdoor tourism. The exact trip is a drive from the city center, and there’s a short walk into the woods. The river is around 20,000 meters long. On the ground, you’ll notice green vegetation, no humans and no artificial sounds. You can go in the time you’d spend in a five-star hotel. As you walk up to the water you’ll notice plants, trees and fish, even birds going in and out, sometimes sleekly into the water.

Simultaneous Swimming

Rio Sucuri's water is so clear that you could mark out a path underwater. You might try snorkeling as a must. You’ll see fish swimming around you, rooting in the bottom and the endless length of the river. The water is clear, and you’ll hear sounds that are mixed with bone-chilling and soothing beat. The water is clear enough that you can have a drowned yet not loud conversation, without your hearer’s feeling a little underwater. Swimming there is a time-traveling experience. And you'll never know if it was over.

Life Below The Surface

The underwater experience is tranquil. You’ll see schools of fish, trees, and balls. The fish are bare brown. They swim very fast. They don't seem to bite. You can look underwater and see a few plants, very different shades of green. The water gets an almost organic, non-carbon feel. It can be a cool experience, as you can swim in the clear water and see the water change under the surface. The river has a chaotic part, and the river bed has sand and silt. And the rocks provide an awesome surface to hold onto and dip your legs in. It is like swimming in a lake. Water is beautifully clear and shimmering. The Rio Sucuri’s water is even too good for drinking, maybe. If you get dehydrated, you don’t need to carry a bottle, you get to drink water from the water bed.