Last Easter I went to Petar for the first time, after hearing a lot about this destination and wanting to visit it. Petar is the Alto Ribeira Tourist State Park and is well known for its countless caves - some say there are more than 300 - and preserved Atlantic rainforest. But you only have to be there to know that the place is much more than that.
The road to the park is already very beautiful and at the entrance to the town of Apiaí, the first one we passed, I found these animal sculptures that I thought were hilarious.
And a real chicken, which was on the side of the road at the place we stopped for coffee. I thought it looked a bit shabby, but I sympathized with it.
On the way to the campsite, we stopped at the Boa Vista viewpoint, which, as the name suggests, offers the most privileged view of the Betari river valley, the stream that cuts through much of the park. In addition to its height and impressive beauty, the place is known by locals for its mysteries. Some say that at night it is common to see mysterious lights moving along the valley, especially in the treetops.
But regardless of any mysterious light, a visit to this viewpoint is a must to understand the size of the park and the immensity of the forest.
Arriving in Bairro da Serra, a rural community of residents, we went straight to the banks of the Betari River to cool off from the heat. The river has crystal-clear waters and small rapids and is also full of rocks, making it shallow and possible to swim in many pools. As I walked along the edge of the watercourse, I met these dogs who began to follow me and we soon became friends. I was extremely impressed by the beauty of this river. It was one of my favorite attractions at Petar. There I was also able to try a local fruit known as Ata for the first time and it was a delicious experience.
We pitched our tent at a local campsite and the beauty of the place also impressed me. I just love camping, waking up in front of nature and going to sleep under the stars.
Inside the Nucleo Santana gate - the park is so big that it has several different gates - we visited another viewpoint and, accompanied by a guide from the local community - we visited some caves. The first was the Santana cave and I can already tell you that it was also my favorite. I'd never been in a cave before, especially one without any lighting, and it was a peculiar experience for a somewhat claustrophobic person. But I found everything so beautiful and impressive inside that I didn't get too caught up in the detail of being underground.
All the formations in the cave are impressive and were only illuminated by our flashlights, as this cave has no light entrance.
Leaving Caverna de Santana we went to visit Morro Preto Cave and Couto Cave. Each one was very different from the other, which made me realize that each cave really is a completely unique experience. In the Morro Preto Cave, for example, there were several totally dark chasms inside.
After visiting so many caves, we had the chance to take another dip in the beautifully colored Betari River before drive back home.
This is definitely a place I want to go back to discover more. I hope you enjoyed it.