Hall of Pearls
Crossed barefoot.
MACRIMM — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Aolobo71 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · MACRIMM — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Erickson Lima dos Santos — CC BY-SA 4.0 · MACRIMM — CC BY-SA 3.0
The São Mateus complex is a network of caves inside Terra Ronca State Park in São Domingos, Goiás. At about twenty and a half kilometres long, it was until recently considered the longest cave system in Brazil, before being overtaken by the Toca da Boa Vista in Bahia. The São Mateus River flows through the caves, forming underground sandy beaches and leaving a succession of halls along its course. The complex is among the richest in the country for its formations, most famously the «Hall of Pearls», which visitors are asked to cross barefoot so as not to carry in sediment and spoil its formations. Typical cave fauna lives in its waters, including the blind catfish. A trip into São Mateus is a long adventure that involves wading and sometimes crawling, so it suits people in good shape. It is visited only with an accredited local guide who provides the equipment, preferably in the dry season when the river is low.
Crossed barefoot.
Sandy beaches.
Cave life.
Terra Ronca State Park, São Domingos, Goiás
Yes, it involves wading and some crawling, so fitness is needed.