Coloured houses
From the diamond era.
Samory Santos from Salvador, Brazil — CC BY-SA 2.0 · MTur Destinos — Public domain · MTur Destinos — Public domain
Lençóis is a small town in central Bahia that grew in the 19th century with the diamond rush in the Chapada Diamantina, the Diamond Plateau, and it keeps its colonial atmosphere: coloured houses and stone streets along a small river. It is the main gateway to Chapada Diamantina National Park, created on 17 September 1985 over more than 152,000 hectares of eroded mountains, tablelands, valleys, caves and waterfalls, including the highest peak in Bahia. Gold and diamonds have been found in its ranges. The town has guesthouses, restaurants and guide agencies, and day tours to the surrounding sights start here. A small airport nearby serves it. It is best to stay several nights, as distances between the sights are long.
From the diamond era.
152,000 hectares.
Daily tours.
Lençóis, Chapada Diamantina, central Bahia
Three or more is best, as the sights are many and far apart; daily guided tours leave from the town.