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Voykit pocket guide · Brazil
Caldas Novas
Go for 2–3 nights if you want hot springs and water parks; skip if you want culture or beaches — this is a resort town, not a sightseeing city.
Caldas Novas is a Goiás resort town built around thermal springs, with hotels, pools and water parks as the main draw. Allow 2–3 nights for a pool day, a park visit and time in the centre. May–August is the drier season; the town is busiest during Brazilian school holidays and major events. Stay near the centre for dining on foot, or near your chosen park to reduce transfers. A daily budget excluding lodging is a 2026 estimate; check current prices.
- Country
- Brazil
- Best months
- May–Aug (drier season; check)
- Avoid
- Dec–Feb (rainier season and school holidays; check); Carnaval and Caldas Country Show dates vary
- Stay
- 2–3 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- BRL
- Money
- Currency is the Brazilian real (BRL, R$). About R$5–5.8 per US dollar in 2026 — check. Cards and tap-to-pay are accepted almost everywhere, even at beach kiosks.
- Daily spend
- Budget R$150–250 excl. bed · Mid R$250–450 excl. bed · High R$450+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Vivo, Claro and TIM cover the country; buying a prepaid SIM needs a passport and sometimes a CPF — an eSIM before you fly is easier.
- Emergency
- Police 190 · Ambulance 192 · Fire 193
- Plugs
- Types N, C · 127 V (Rio, São Paulo) or 220 V (Brasília, much of the Northeast) · Check the voltage on the socket; most chargers are dual-voltage.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 10% service (serviço) usually on the bill; optional but normal.; Beach kiosk / bar: Often included; round up.; Taxi / Uber: Not expected; round up.; Guide: US$5–15 per person per day.; Hotel staff: Small tip for porters.
- Water
- Do not drink tap water; filtered water is provided in most homes and hotels.
- Toilets
- Put toilet paper in the bin, not the toilet, in most places.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee or açaí snack | 2026 estimate; check |
| Self-service lunch by weight | 2026 estimate; check |
| Empadão goiano portion | 2026 estimate; check |
| Churrasco dinner, per person | 2026 estimate; check |
| Beer, bar / supermarket can | 2026 estimate; check |
| Water-park day ticket | 2026 estimate; check |
| Taxi across town | 2026 estimate; check |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- CLV · Nelson Ribeiro Guimarães Airport
- Small terminal; check current service before booking — flights from Goiânia and Brasília have been listed but are not confirmed
- GYN · Goiânia Santa Genoveva
- About 165–190 km (103–118 mi) by road; the usual gateway if CLV flights do not suitAbout 103–118 mi (165–190 km) by road; the usual gateway if CLV flights do not suit
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The centre is walkable. For water parks, the state park and Rio Quente you need a car, taxi or moto-taxi; an intermunicipal bus runs to Hot Park and back. Distances between clubs are short in km but not walkable in the heat.
See and do
Known for
- Hot springs and thermal pools
- Water parks, including Hot Park in Rio Quente
- Serra de Caldas State Park
- Empadão goiano and churrasco
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Rio Quente and Hot Park | Intermunicipal bus or car to Rio Quente, about 31 km (19 mi)Intermunicipal bus or car to Rio Quente, about 19 mi (31 km) | About 45 min each way (check) |
| Lagoa Pirapitinga (Hot Lagoon) | Car or taxi, road to Pires do Rio, km 6 (mile 4)Car or taxi, road to Pires do Rio, mile 4 (km 6) | Check |
| Serra de Caldas State Park (PESCAN) | Car or taxi, 3 km (1.9 mi) from the centre, then guided trailCar or taxi, 1.9 mi (3 km) from the centre, then guided trail | Half day |
| Lago de Corumbá | Car, dam lake about 65 km² (25 sq mi)Car, dam lake about 25 sq mi (65 km²) | About 30–45 min |
| Goiânia | Car on BR-352/GO-139, 165–190 km (103–118 mi)Car on BR-352/GO-139, 103–118 mi (165–190 km) | Check |
Sleep
- Centro (Praça Mestre Orlando)
- Walkable core: church, square, restaurants and banks; best if you want to walk to dinner.
- Bairro do Turista / Av. Orcalino Santos
- Hotel and water-park strip; most resorts with their own hot pools are here.
- Rodovia GO-139 and Portal das Águas Quentes
- Highway clubs and larger resorts; you will need a car or taxi for everything.
- Rio Quente (31 km)
- Stay here only if Hot Park is the main reason for the trip; it is a separate town.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Good morning | Bom diabom JEE-ah |
| Thank you | Obrigado / Obrigadaoh-bree-GAH-doo / -dah |
| How much is it? | Quanto custa?KWAN-too KOOS-tah |
| The bill, please | A conta, por favorah KON-tah por fah-VOR |
| Where is the hot pool? | Onde fica a piscina de água quente?ON-jee FEE-kah ah pee-SEE-nah jee AH-gwah KEN-chee |
| Can I pay by card? | Posso pagar com cartão?POH-soo pah-GAR kon kar-TOWN |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake, hug or cheek kiss (one in São Paulo, two in Rio); avoid: Being stiff with new acquaintances
- Gestures: Use thumbs-up freely; avoid: The OK hand sign (it is rude)
- Language: Try Portuguese; say obrigado/obrigada; avoid: Defaulting to Spanish
- Time: Expect relaxed social punctuality; avoid: Being late for tours and flights
- Beach: Bring only a towel, cash and a copy of your ID; avoid: Leaving things unattended
Scams and watch-outs
- English is limited outside hotels and larger parks; keep destination addresses in Portuguese.
- Check whether pool and water-park access is included in your hotel rate before buying separate admission.
- Serra de Caldas trails require a guide; confirm the current booking process and visitor conditions before going.
- Opening hours and current services at individual businesses need checking.
- Use care on wet pool surfaces and keep valuables secured.
Use normal precautions in town, secure valuables, and take care on wet pool surfaces. For police, ambulance or fire in Brazil, call 190, 192 or 193 respectively.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Caldas Novas yet. Suggested stay: 2–3 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Hot springs and thermal pools
- Water parks, including Hot Park in Rio Quente
- Serra de Caldas State Park
- Empadão goiano and churrasco
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Caldas Novas city government: www.caldasnovas.go.gov.br
- Wikivoyage: Caldas Novas, revision 5242133 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5242133
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Caldas Novas
Para este endereço, por favor
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassy information for Caldas Novas is available here; check your country's official travel advice for consular contacts in Brazil.
Save this card offline for use where mobile data is unavailable.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/caldas-novas). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.