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The Chapada Diamantina - Natural abundance and breathtakingly beautiful landscapesTourists going to Brazil are usually looking to relax on the beach. And when it comes to beaches, Bahia is the place to be. Most visitors to the area can probably spout all about the wonders of Salvador, which pop up frequently in guidebooks and travel sites on the Internet. Ok, Bahia is beautiful. But there's a lot more to the region than just pretty beaches. Ever heard of Lençóis, Itaitê, Mucugê, Ibicoara or Xique-Xique de Igatu? They're just a few of the towns that make up the Chapada Diamantina National Park. Situated in the heart of Bahia, 430km from the capital, the park was opened just 20 years ago, to protect the area's unique ecosystem. There you can climb 1700m-high mountains and come across over 50 different species of orchids and bromelias. Leave no stone unturnedThe 152 thousand hectares of the Chapada offer a wide range of different treks. Nature lovers will come across beautiful landscapes composed of rocky mountains and limestone grottos full of stalactites and stalagmites, as well as canyons, waterfalls of all sizes, crystalline wells and breathtaking scenery. The area's beauty and diversity is such that local tour guides guarantee that you can spend six months in the Chapada and take a different walk everyday. But be prepared: the most interesting spots are generally a few kilometres from the towns themselves. To reach them, you'll need the help of an experienced local guide and a jeep to drive across the area's dangerous, potholed roads, which require a lot of caution. Sound too complicated? Then get in contact with a reputable travel agency to organize your trip so that you can concentrate on just enjoying the ride. These boots were made for walking…Walking, walking and more walking. If you're heading off to the Chapada, bear in mind that you'll spend most of your time on foot. But this is a breeze, especially given the fact that you'll be breathing in lungfuls of fresh air. What's more, after a long drive cooped up in a van or a minibus, you'll feel like stretching your legs a bit. And there's no way around it: walking is the best way to reach the area's principal tourist attractions. On the first day, after having spent hours getting there by plane, head over to the Morro do Pai Inácio, a 1120 metre-high mountain, to watch the sunset. The climb won't take more than 20 minutes and it's not that tiring. And believe me guys, the view from the top is unbelievable – a true reflection of the Chapada's beauty. Make sure you visit the Cachoeira de Fumaça, the area's highest and most inaccessible waterfall. It will take you about two-and-a-half hours to get there (and the same amount of time to get back!). Everything there is so exotic and mysterious that many people have claimed to have seen strange coloured lights floating around in the sky. Locals and tour guides believe that they're UFOs. I'll leave you to make up your own minds… To begin with, the trail is uphill, and you'll need to be reasonably fit, but afterwards, the path is level and the trip is so pleasant that you'll never want it to end. The landscape from atop the peak is so grandiose that even the guides themselves are left speechless. To see the waterfall from up above, you'll have to overcome your fears and lie down on the edge of a rocky crag that looks as if it could crumble at any point. The 400m high waterfall barely touches the ground due to the wind blowing the droplets in another direction. Seen from afar, it looks like smoke ( fumaça in Portuguese), which gave the waterfall its name. It seems strange to be perched over the cliff top, but you shouldn't feel afraid. The view is terrific; the scenery is immense and beautiful. And if you get a bit panicky, don't worry: there's always someone holding onto your feet to pull you back from the cliff edge. The world is blueIt's worthwhile making every effort to see all the beauty the Chapada has to offer, and the Enchanted Well is another must. Despite being 65m deep, the spring's waters are so clear that you can see the tree trunks that have fallen to the sandy bottom. To make your way down, you'll need to wear a helmet and carry a lantern or a torch to light your way as you carefully tread along the rock-hewn steps holding onto a rope. To begin with, the well looks like a mirage and it can be hard work differentiating between the water and the rocky floor. But the show doesn't end there – the best part's yet to come. At a certain time of the day, the sun enters through a fissure in the cavern, which makes the rays and the crystal clear waters appear turquoise blue. To top it all off, the roof reflects the dazzling show to breathtaking effect. It's simply stunning. A similar spectacle takes place at the Blue Well. The water is so clear that you can see the rocky formations beneath the surface. And what's more, unlike the Enchanted Well, where swimming has been prohibited since 1990 due to the slow circulation of the waters, tourists can take a delightful dip in the Blue Well's pool and dive down to the bottom of the cordoned-off swimming area. Diamonds are foreverDuring the 18th and 19th Centuries the principle activity in the Chapada was prospecting. Precious stones and diamonds were collected on a daily basis by hard-working labourers. At the beginning of the 20 th Century, the local boom came to a sudden end, but you'll still come across prospectors and, who knows, maybe even a precious stone lying about on the ground somewhere… Lençóis is the region's main town and a favourite tourist haunt. On arrival, you come face to face with a colonial city dotted with old-fashioned mansions and cobbled roads that were built by slaves. Lençóis was considered one of the three most important cities of Bahia during the prospecting boom. Today, the city depends on tourism to keep afloat, but it hasn't lost any of its charm. Just ask Jimmy Page, of Led Zeppelin fame, who lived there for a while… What's more, he's not the only one who decided to leave the rat race behind. The owner of one of the town's most charming guesthouses is Swiss. He moved to Brazil some years ago because he couldn't bear to be far from Lençóis. It's good to know that the city is protected as an area of Historical and Artistic National Patrimony, and that it will be there waiting for you during your next trip. Getting your hands dirtyA while back, I mentioned getting close to nature. But the Chapada Diamantina also has a lot to offer extreme sports enthusiasts. The Lençóis/Caeté-Açu/Andaraí trail, for example, takes eight days to complete and is 90km in length, cutting across the National Park and passing through the Vale do Capão and the Vale do Paty, considered one of the most beautiful valleys in Brazil. Energy and predisposition are basic requirements for anyone thinking about trekking for hours on end. And it's not the type of walk for people looking to sit on a rock and have a picnic. You have to respect the area's ecosystem and be very observant so as not to disturb the local flora and fauna. Patience is another keyword, since the Chapada has some incredible hidden attractions that you'll simply miss if you're in a rush to get to the end. In other words ladies, leave your high heels at home! As well as the area's more traditional tourist attractions, there are also mountain crossings that take in grottos and unexplored waterfalls and bring you into contact with isolated local communities. Natural beauty, swimming and open air camping will more than make up for the effort and discomfort of travelling. Stop-offs at local guesthouses for lunch and a snooze in a hammock add the finishing touch to this unique type of adventure. And what could be better than sitting down at the end of the day for a chat and a drop of cachaça?
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