Laguna Cejar

Cejar is one of a group of sinkholes on the northern edge of the Salar de Atacama where the salt crust has collapsed into the brine beneath, leaving deep blue-green water in a white rim. The salinity in the bathing lagoon is high enough that swimmers float without effort, which is what made it famous. That popularity did damage: sunscreen, insect repellent and sheer numbers altered the water chemistry, and the Atacameño community that administers the site closed bathing at Cejar itself for a period and moved it to the adjacent Piedra lagoon, with washing before entry and limits on numbers. Rules here change, so checking before going matters.

What you'll find

• Collapsed sinkholes in the salt crust - deep water in white rims.
• Salinity high enough to float - the reason it became famous.
• Damage from sunscreen and numbers - which closed the main lagoon.
• Bathing moved and regulated - by the community that administers it.

When to go

Year round; late afternoon avoids the worst heat. Half a day.

Practical notes

Which lagoon you can bathe in changes - check before going rather than assuming. Washing off creams before entry is required. The salt dries hard on skin and there is limited fresh water. Numbers are capped in some periods.

Nearby

Ojos del Salar are next to it; San Pedro is north-east.