When visiting Brazil, many people want to challenge themselves with exploring the mysterious Amazon rainforest, or immersing themselves in the ocean waves, participating in the colorful and fun Carnival festival in bustling cities like Rio de Janeiro or Salvador...
But it would be a mistake if you missed the opportunity to visit Poco Encantado Lake, also known as Fairy Lake - a magnificent, luxurious landscape located in Chapada Diamantina National Park, in Bahia province, northeastern Brazil.
With a famous history, having been a diamond mining site in the mid-19th century, Chapada Diamantina also has countless vivid wild natural landscapes. That is why Chapada Diamantina has attracted hundreds of thousands of international and local tourists to visit every year since its creation in 1980.
Chapada Diamantina National Park has many beautiful lakes but the most prominent is probably Poco Encantado Lake. Poco Encantado Lake is also known as the Fairy Lake.
Legend has it that in 1940, some people discovered the cave and lake Poco Encantado. When they reached the lake, they were overwhelmed by the clarity and the shimmering, enchanting blue color of the water.
One of the group brought some water back to show off to his friends, however, when he left the cave, he was surprised to see that the water no longer had that mysterious blue color. That is why many people believe that the water in Poco Encantado Lake has been "enchanted" and named it the Fairy Lake.
When the sun reaches its peak, light filters through the gap and shines down on the water, creating a shimmering scene of blue sky mixed with sparkling water. Anyone who has the opportunity to admire this scene must be stunned by the rare and impressive beauty that not every lake has.
A special thing about Poco Encantado Lake is that the water in this giant sunken lake with a depth of more than 41m is so clear that you can clearly see the rocks of many shapes and ancient tree roots preserved quite intact at the bottom of the lake.
Not only sparkling when the sun shines through the water, at night, under the full moon, Poco Encantado Lake seems to put on a new coat. The moonlight spreads, seeping through the cracks in the rocks and shining on the lake surface, making Poco Encantado look like it is covered with a layer of silver white.
With its incredibly rich flora and fauna, Lake Poco Encantado is also home to the blind catfish, endemic to Chapada Diamantina National Park.
In addition, through testing, scientists said that the water in the Fairy Lake is rich in minerals, especially calcium and magnesium.
However, in order to protect the extremely rich and rare ecosystem here, visiting the Poco Encantado lake area is very strictly controlled.
Local authorities have imposed strict regulations, such as queuing and limiting the number of people in the magical lake. Since 1992, no one has been allowed to swim here. Even viewing and taking photos must comply with special conditions. Despite such restrictions, the number of visitors to Poco Encantado has not decreased.
If you have the opportunity to visit Chapada Diamantina National Park, don't miss the chance to admire the unique beauty of Poco Encantado Fairy Lake.
