Hotel Baiazinha

a very scenic area with friendly service and great food

Hotel Baiazinha sits on the banks of the Paraguay River, close to the Taiama Ecological Reserve, around four hours by road from Cuiabá airport.

The drive down was a real surprise on our visit, considerably more scenic than the Transpantaneira: open farmland gives way to the granite outcrops of the Amolar mountains, and the road feels wilder and quieter than the more heavily used route north.

The lodge itself is compact and more coherent than its remote setting and price point might suggest. The best space is the main communal area, open and mosquito-netted, with hammocks, a large television and a real social atmosphere that becomes the heart of the camp each evening.

A riverside dining area, was one of the nicest spots we ate at in the pantanal. The pool sits centraly to this main area with little privacy from it.

Food here was a highlight, consistently good throughout the stay and a step up from the standard North Pantanal buffet in preparation and care, with thoughtful touches like hot soup waiting after a cold morning on the water. Service was very warm throughout, even though English is limited.

Rooms

Rooms are simple, en suite and air-conditioned, with everything needed and nothing more. Some are located in the main building with two other blocks facing the river.

• En-suite Room : x6 : air-conditioned

Activities

Hotel Baiazinha provides the following guided activities, with two river safaris a day included in the room rate:

• Motorboat safari
• Full-day trip to the Taiama Ecological Reserve

On our visit, sightings were more sporadic than at Porto Jofre (this was early June, ahead of the main season), but a good encounter is realistic across a three-night stay, and from mid-July the sightings become much more regular as the water recedes further.

What sets Baiazinha apart is not volume but intimacy: on our best morning at Porto Jofre, we encountered many separate jaguar sightings, but the quality of a quiet, close encounter with only one or two boats present is not something Porto Jofre can reliably offer at any time of year.