Eco Park Porto da Ilha, Bonito MS: every Rio Formoso activity in one place

Eco Park Porto da Ilha gathers on one Rio Formoso property the activities that are usually scattered around Bonito: rafting, river tubing, inflatable kayaks, stand up paddle and a swimming area. You can build a whole day by choosing how much adrenaline you want.

What Eco Park Porto da Ilha is

Eco Park Porto da Ilha is a property on the banks of the Rio Formoso, near Bonito, set up as a water activity park. The stretch of river there alternates rapids and calm pools, and it is that alternation that allows it to offer, at one address, both a lively raft descent and a quiet swim.

For visitors this solves a practical problem in Bonito: most attractions run a single activity with a fixed time and their own drive. Here, a group with different appetites fits into the same place.

The activities, one by one

All of them happen on the same stretch of river, but they ask for different things.

Several operators sell combinations covering more than one activity on the same day. Check what is included before booking, because the format changes how long you spend at the park.

How to choose between them

The question that settles it is not which is best but how much control you want. In the raft you take part in steering alongside the group. In the kayak you steer alone. On the paddleboard the effort is balance, on still water. On the tube you control nothing — and for some people that is exactly the point.

For a group, the combination that usually works is one rapid activity and one calm-water activity, split between morning and afternoon. Two rapid activities back to back are more tiring than they look.

How to plan the day

• Morning for the rapid activity, while you are fresh and the sun is weaker.
• Lunch at the park, without driving back to town.
• Afternoon for paddleboarding, kayaking or swimming, at a slow pace.
• Leave late: the light on the river improves and the crowds thin.

When to go

The heat from October to March favours any water activity, and a fuller river makes the rapids stronger. In exchange, heavy rain can suspend rafting and tubing for safety. In the dry season the river runs lower and clearer, with gentler descents and more predictable days.

Frequently asked questions

Can I do every activity on the same day?

It depends on the package and the time available. Doing three properly usually beats rushing five.

Is this the same as snorkelling?

No. Snorkel floats are contemplative, with a mask and a wetsuit, on calm water. Here the point is movement. If you want to see fish, book a float on another day.

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