A Jungle Mermaid’s Brazilian Adventure
From a lagoon with “no bottom” to rivers that feel like swimming through an aquarium, Brazil gave me the closest thing to a magical mermaid adventure I’ll probably ever have.
Imagine you’re on your way to swim in a magical mermaid lagoon in Brazil. (Yes, it’s basically the moonpool from H2O.) Now, imagine you get there and they casually mention that the lagoon has “no bottom” and they have “no idea how deep it is” and who really knows “what’s down there”.
When I saw Lagoa Misteriosa on our itinerary, I figured it was just a neat little swimming hole in the jungle. Quick hike, blue water, hopefully no snakes, and obviously an incredible photo op. Now, all of these things are true, but when our guide started to mention that you REALLY needed a wrist strap for your cameras and there was NO chance of getting it back, I realized there was more to this “neat little jungle swimming hole”.
Known as the Mysterious Lake, Lagoa Misteriosa allegedly has no bottom. It’s been explored down to 600 meters with no end in sight. You can scuba dive into the depths or float along the surface, but the two tunnels push downwards into dark blue nothing. As our guide said, “if you drop your phone, it might end up in Japan.”
Around halfway into the hike, I realized I had heard of this lagoon before—from a TikTok series called “Spooky Lakes.” I mean, a lake with NO bottom? Seriously, have we not seen any movie ever? The chances of there being a kraken, the Loch Ness monster, or the lost civilization of Atlantis are HIGH. However, ignoring all the final girl signs, I decided to get in and swim. After all, this could be my one shot at turning into a mermaid. I’m sad to say I did not grow a tail, however it did feel incredibly magical.
With crystal clear water and creeping trees trailing overhead, Lagoa Misteriosa had all the makings of a mysterious supernatural lake. When you peer down from the surface, you’ll see little baby fish nipping at your toes, and further beyond, trails of bubbles marking divers a hundred feet below. With a submerged staircase and a few underwater trees, the photos are wild—very 2014 adventure travel blogger chic. Every few minutes I scanned around the depths just in case a tentacle reached out to snatch my ankle and drag me down...but nothing got me.
But wait, there’s more. In case you didn’t have your fill of enchanting mysterious water activities, there’s also a visit to Rio Da Prata in the afternoon. If you’ve ever wanted to jump into a tank at an aquarium or perhaps Bass Pro Shops, this is your chance. After grabbing a snorkel and a life jacket, you float down the Olho d’Água and Prata rivers, nose to nose with hundreds of fish. Not to mention the underwater springs, which look like mini sand volcanoes, bubbling and silty to the touch.
If you need a break from fish spotting, just roll over on your back—drifting underneath tree canopies with drizzling rain and warm misty water felt exactly like a scene from The Jungle Book or Tarzan. A little cold due to our unique circumstances of a cold weather advisory, but insanely memorable nonetheless.
This is by FAR the most adventure jungle mermaid experience I’ve ever had, and arguably my favorite day we had in Brazil.
