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Discover the Enchanted Aquarium in the city of Nobres, in the state of Mato Grosso. There you will have contact with an incredible blue lake.
You may have heard that Mato Grosso has a blue lake where you can swim with hundreds of fish. The place is called Aquário Encantado and is located in Nobres, 145 kilometers from Cuiabá.
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By the way, this and other attractions are located in Bom Jardim, in the Nobres neighborhood. However, I will explain this better later.
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Despite the many comparisons with Bonito, in Mato Grosso do Sul you will see that things in this region are still very simple and little explored, which can be a positive or negative point.
These factors affect the infrastructure as there is no cellular signal, mobile internet or internet connection in the area. Only when using a dedicated antenna.
This is one of those almost unexplored but very natural places. But people are free to enjoy nature.
These tasks are for later, when the hotel's Wi-Fi brings us back to technological reality.
Discover the Enchanted Aquarium
The Magical Aquarium of Nobres has amazingly blue lakes in the state of Mato Grosso.
You may have heard that Mato Grosso has a blue lake where you can swim with hundreds of fish. The place is called Aquário Encantado and is located in Nobres, 145 km from Cuiabá.
By the way, this and other attractions are located in Bom Jardim, in the Nobres neighborhood. However, I will explain this better later.
In this place, things are still very simple and little explored, which can be a positive or negative point.
These factors affect the infrastructure as there is no cellular signal, mobile internet or internet connection in the area. Only when using a dedicated antenna.
This is one of those almost unexplored but very natural places. But people are free to enjoy nature.
These tasks are for later, when the hotel's Wi-Fi brings us back to technological reality. It even looks simple.
Anyone who has been here cannot say what it was like when they saw the lake for the first time. He started to wonder if it was real.
About 40 species of fish swim freely in the Magic Aquarium, such as the orange piraputanga and the piquira that bit us.
Stays at Aquário Mágico are limited to 30 minutes and life jackets and sneakers are mandatory.
The complete route, including the descent on the Salobra River, takes approximately two hours.
Descent of the Salobra River
The descent of the Salobra River is a complement to diving in an aquarium. There are about 1,000 meters of buoys at the bottom of the river, where you can see snails, shells, schools of fish, stingrays and other animals.
Some of them can even be scary. My group (8 people in total) was accompanied by a local guide for the entire tour. Dé, as he prefers to be called, is a fearless Pantanal woman who doesn't hesitate to explain how the perfect trip is:
“I feel better when I see snakes and other animals. I've even seen crocodiles nearby. But since I'm in front, I scare the animals and don't let anyone get close. So when the tour is over, people even have no idea what I saw along the way,” he explained.
Lucky for us, someone has already gone through these moments, right?
How to visit the Magic Aquarium
A visit to the Enchanted Aquarium – including floating on the Salobura River – costs 90 reais.
You can hire tours through agencies or directly at Fazenda Recanto Ecológico Lagoa Azul.
This tour is on a first-come, first-served basis and there is no price difference for those who rent services at the farm.
In Bom Jardim there are several travel agencies that can offer tours for groups of up to 12 people.
The district of Bom Jardim is 145 km from Cuiabá, coming from Manso on the MT-351 highway. The entire road is paved, well sign posted and consists almost entirely of long straights.
Via Nobres, the entire 240 kilometers, the last 65 kilometers are dirt.
The best option is to own or rent a car as we will need it for all our travels.
By bus, departure from Cuiabá is made by TUT.
Fazenda Recanto Ecológico Lagoa Azul is 12 km from Bom Jardim, 7 km of land: on the road to Nobres, take the second entrance on the right.
When to visit the aquarium
The rainy season runs from October to March and the roads can be very smooth.
During the dry season, from April to September, the roads are better, but the heat will be your constant companion.
In winter, with lows of 10 degrees between May and August, be sure to bring a coat.
The highest temperature throughout the year exceeds 25 degrees, and often reaches over 30 degrees. After lunch is the best time to dive into the Magic Aquarium. At this time the sun hits more directly and the rays are intense.
Where to stay in Bom Jardim
The neighborhood of Bom Jardim is small — few streets and a few houses — and there are not many accommodation options: the hotels are basic and uncomplicated, like the rest of the village.
It's more fun to stay in the center and get in touch with the small movements that exist. This is where Bom Jardim services are located, such as restaurants, gas stations and travel agencies.
The main hotels are Pousada Serra Azul, Pousada dos Nobres, Pousada Recanto da Natureza and Pousada Cantinho de Casa.
Those who are more independent and like different things will love Chalé Container Asa Própria.
Nobres has more infrastructure, but is further away from the main attractions: waterfalls, lakes and rivers in the Bom Jardim district, 65 km away.
Even though it is more organized, lodging options in Nobres are few and far between.
Two hotels you might consider are Pousada Sonho Meu and Pousada Recanto das Araras.
