Pictured: Incredible lake in Brazil looks like it’s made from COCA COLA

Pictured: The incredible lake in Brazil that looks like it’s made from COCA COLA (and visitors can’t beat the feeling of swimming in it)

  • Araraquara Lagoon is a hidden gem in the Rio Grande do Norte region of Brazil
  • Its ‘Coca Cola’ hue comes from a mixture of iodine, iron and tree root pigment 
  • The lagoon is clean and safe for swimming and is a popular tourist destination


These incredible pictures show a lake that looks like it’s made entirely from a rather famous soft drink.

It’s located in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Norte, and perhaps unsurprisingly, is known as the ‘Coca Cola Lagoon’, though its actual name is Lake Araraquara.

Coca Cola’s iconic hue comes from caramel, but the lagoon’s dark brown waters are the result of a high concentration of iodine and iron, combined with pigment from the area’s tree roots.

Araraquara’s dark brown waters come from a high concentration of iodine and iron, combined with pigment from tree roots

Despite its unusual appearance, the lagoon, near the town of Baia Formosa, is clean and safe for swimming, according to Visit Brasil, and locals even claim the waters have healing properties.

Needless to say, the lagoon has proven a popular tourist destination, with travellers journeying from far and wide to capture a selfie in the translucent tawny waters.

While there, tourists can paddle in the shallow lagoon, or relax on the white sandy shore, and listen to the Guariba ‘brown howler’ monkeys in the surrounding Mata da Estrela nature reserve.

The water in the 'Coca Cola Lagoon' is clean and locals even claim it has healing properties

The water in the ‘Coca Cola Lagoon’ is clean and locals even claim it has healing properties

Many have taken to Tripadvisor after their visit to compliment the lagoon, with one recent adventurer writing: ‘It really looks like the colour of coke. The nuances of colours are fantastic! The sand is white as snow.’

Another wrote: ‘The Lagoon really resembles Coca Cola. It’s dark water but it doesn’t smell bad and the water is fresh.

‘Surreal, beautiful and enchanting’ and ‘an ideal place for a good bath and to relax’ are two more descriptions of the quirky body of water posted to the site. 

Visit Brasil advises travellers to double-check with their guide whether it is a good time to visit the lagoon, as there are times of the year where the pool of water almost dries out.

The ‘Coca Cola Lagoon’ isn’t the only body of water on earth with a surprising hue – Australia has a candyfloss pink lagoon that has proven a hotspot for Instagrammers.

The unusual lagoon is located near the city of Baia Formosa

The unusual lagoon is located near the city of Baia Formosa

Many have taken to Tripadvisor after their visit to compliment the lagoon, with one recent adventurer writing: ‘It really looks like the colour of coke. The nuances of colours are fantastic!'

Many have taken to Tripadvisor after their visit to compliment the lagoon, with one recent adventurer writing: ‘It really looks like the colour of coke. The nuances of colours are fantastic!’

Australia's Hutt Lagoon, pictured, is vibrant pink due to the presence of the carotenoid-producing algae

Australia’s Hutt Lagoon, pictured, is vibrant pink due to the presence of the carotenoid-producing algae

The Hutt Lagoon is a six-hour drive north of Perth and situated at Yalabathara on the mid-Western Australia coast.

Its vibrant colouring comes from the presence of carotenoid-producing algae, a source of beta-carotene, a food-colouring agent and a great source of Vitamin A.

It is recommended holidaymakers visit the site in summer between 10am and 2pm, as the pink colour is at its most vivid when the sun is angled directly over the water.

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