Bosque das Águas, Bonito MS: a river water park with natural pools

Bosque das Águas is a day-use site near Bonito laid out as a park: natural pools, water play, green space and a short trail. It is the place for families with children who want a full day without a trail or a timetable.

What Bosque das Águas is

Bosque das Águas is a day-use site in the Bonito region set up as a park: natural pools fed by running water, water play equipment, a large green area and a short trail. The logic is to fill a whole day in one place, with activities for different ages.

It is a useful counterweight to the classic itinerary. After two or three days of floats, caves and trails, a day at a park solves the accumulated tiredness — especially with children in the group.

How to make a full day work

A water park is more tiring than it looks, and with children that hits around two in the afternoon. The way to avoid the afternoon collapse is to split the day: morning in the water, while the sun is bearable; an unhurried lunch; and early afternoon in the shade, on the short trail or simply still. The water is worth returning to after three.

It also pays to choose your base spot early rather than when the park is full: good shade runs out before the pools do.

Why it works for mixed groups

Most attractions around Bonito require the whole group to do the same thing at the same time: the float leaves together, the trail walks together, the cave descends together. That is a problem when the group is a grandparent, two adults and three children of different ages.

In a park, each person picks their own pace in the same space. That is the strongest argument for this kind of place, and the reason it appears so often in the itineraries of large families.

What the park has

• Natural pools of running water, at different depths.
• Water play equipment and leisure structures.
• A large green area with shade and space to rest.
• A short trail through the property forest.
• Food service, so there is no need to drive back to town.

When to go

This is a hot-weather outing: it is worth far more between October and March. In winter, with cool water and cold mornings, the facilities still work but time in the water drops sharply. On an overcast day the park loses much of its point.

Frequently asked questions

Is it only for children?

It works for adults too, but the design favours families. A couple without children will usually get more from a float or a trail.

Written by: Adriano Habermann Last updated: September 13, 2026