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More easily accessible than many of Goias's attractions, the adjacent thermal resorts of Caldas Novas and Rio Quente, around 185km south of Goiania, are incredibly popular with Brazilians from beyond the state. Taken together they lay claim to being the world's largest hot-spring aquifers, a massive and very hot natural subterranean reservoir. The healing reputation and the sheer joy of relaxing in the natural spa resorts lure plenty of people from the urban sprawl of the Sao Paulo region. CALDAS NOVAS sometimes gets crowded in the dry season, from May to September, but there are thousands of hotel beds and over seventy hotels (which is over half the hotels in the entire state) within the relatively small town of only around 40,000 people. The therapeutic properties of the waters are said to include reduction of blood pressure, dissolving of kidney stones, reduction of blood viscosity, improved digestion, analgesic effect on rheumatic symptoms and even, it is claimed, the stimulation of endocrine glands and sexual vitality. While some people do come for long expensive courses of treatment, most visitors are simply on holiday, relaxing, sunbathing and taking the waters for a few days or a week. Reservations are best made in advance, usually from Goiania. Among the better hotels , Thermas di Roma, Rua Sao Cristovao, Solar de Caldas, on the exit for Morrinhos (tel 062/453-1718, fax 453-1945; half board $70-90), has a beautiful location out of town with panoramic views, nine thermal pools, and a sauna. On the whole, it's excellent value, as is Taiyo Thermas, in the town itself at Rua Presidente Castelo Branco 115 (tel & fax 062/453-1334, www.hoteltaiyo.com.br; $50-70), with three pools and a sauna. Slightly less expensive, although singles are the same price as doubles, is the smaller Hotel Roma, Praca Mestre Orlando 368 (tel 062/453-1335, fax 453-1340; $50-70), with six thermal pools. Cheaper still is Hotel Triangulo, Av. Orozimbo Correia Neto 157 (tel & fax 062/453-1709, triangulo@internetional.com.br; $35-50), with only one pool, but the waters are no doubt just as efficacious. Poolless, but with reasonable rooms, is Hotel Santa Clara, Rua America 226 (tel fax 062/453-1764; $10-20). For camping , CCB-GO-2, 4km along the road for Ipameri (tel 062/223-6561), is in a beautiful location. The better hotels have their own restaurants or you could try the Restaurante Papas at Praca Mestre Orlando 12, which serves a wide variety of Brazilian dishes. Tourist information is available from the Sebrae office (daily 9am-6pm; tel 062/453-1868), on the Praca Mestre Orlando. The Banco do Brasil is at Rua Santos Dumont 55. Nearby RIO QUENTE consists of a huge hotel complex attached to a small service town of only 2000 inhabitants. The main feature, the dominant Pousada do Rio Quente complex (tel 062/452-8000, reservations tel 061/224-7166, www.rioquenteresorts.com.br; $90-125), offers superb-quality accommodation in two hotels: the four-star Hotel Pousada and the five-star Hotel. The whole complex is arranged around a natural hydrothermal spa, and in high season the minimum stay is two nights, with cheaper (but still $90-125) four-day packages offered Sunday to Wednesday.
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