Barra do Sucuri

Apart from snakes, you might be able to see alligators or giant otters. We were fortunate to see see both. It might be against your instinct, but the latter is actually an animal to be more afraid of. These otters are very territorial and not afraid to use their sharp teeth and nails to attack, especially when protecting their young. However, in our opinion, this wildlife is amazing and nothing to worry about. Just keep a safe distance if you get to see any of these great creatures. Besides, there are many birds, monkeys and at the grass field where the tour starts there are some cutias.

The whole tour is accompanied by a local guide. Knowing how to swim is not required. Before the boat trip starts you get to practice snorkelling and if you still have difficulties snorkelling, the guide will hold you in front of the boat like a mermaid on a Viking ship. The snorkelling is easy and smoothly takes you along its mild current. The underwater landscapes change continuously and the plants are plenty and colourful.

Of course the main attraction is the fish and plants in this amazingly clear river. Our tour guide Gilmar spoke English well and provided us with great information; the fish with red fins is the Piriputanga and the Dorado fish eats this Piripitanga! Then there’s the Curimba; a black fish that eats using its sucking mouth and which can get some 60 cm long and the Piau fish which is lighter in colour than the Curimba.

There are many more species, such as the little red Mato Grosso fish and lots of other small fish, sometimes hidden between the plants and usually close to the surface. Here we saw a fish that we didn’t see on any of the other snorkelling tours; the Juanina with golden spots twinkling between the plants, about 10-15 cm in length.

Both our guide Gilmar and Paulo whom we met at the wetsuit counter were very helpful and friendly. We could stay in the garden (with volleyball field and hammocks) and in the Rio Formoso all day.

The staff and nature itself provide for an outstanding experience. The scenery above and under water are both incredible and the great thing compared to the ‘Rio Sucuri tour’ (provided by another farm on the same river) is that Barra do Sucuri includes the upstream boat tour which gives another perspective of the river, which is a huge advantage.

It was so beautiful that we wanted to come back another time and that time we even had great sun, which makes the experience even more colourful.