Amazon Travel Guide

States of the Amazon

The Brazilian Amazon is comprised of six states in their entirety and parts of three others. Most visitors arrive in one of the two major cities, Manaus and Belém, and strike out from there into the jungle.

Acre – Set in the extreme western end of northern Brazil, the state of Acre is best known as home of rubber-tapper, labor leader and eco-martyr Chico Mendes and his protégé, former Brazilian Environmental Minister Marina Silva. About 85% of Acre’s original forest remains in tact. Its topography is mostly flat, except for the Serra do Divisor highlands near the Peruvian border. That park unites the biodiversity of the Amazon and the Andes.

Amapá – In the far north of Brazil, Amapá consists mostly of rainforest covered plateaus, though there’s also a mountain range, an unusual geological feature in the Amazon. Many of Amapá’s natural attractions lie in protected areas like the Orange National Park, the Iratapuru Sustainable Development Reservation and the Tumucumaque National Park. Tourism attractions include the Araguari River’s pororoca (a fresh water tidal wave that attracts surfers), sustainable development reserves and local culture. Major cities include state capital Macapá and the border town Oiapoque. More about Amapá on the Ministry of Tourism official website.

Amazonas – Amazonas is Brazil’s largest state in terms of territory, and state capital Manaus is the largest city in the region, with a population of about 1.6 million. Manaus became a bustling metropolis with the rubber boom at the end of the 19th century. The city is located where the Negro and Solimões Rivers meet to form the Amazon. It is the main jumping off point for jungle lodges and riverboat tours. More about Amazonas on the official state website and more about Manaus on the official city website.

Pará – The state accounts for one-quarter of the territory of the Amazon region, and capital Belém is its second biggest city, with a population of about 1.4 million. The state includes Marajó, the world’s largest sea/river archipelago and home of the largest pre-Columbian civilization in Brazil. More about Pará on the official state website and more about Belém on the official city website.

Rondônia – Set in the middle of the South American continent, sharing a border with Bolivia, Rondônia is off the beaten track. The state has also been hit by deforestation, visible in satellite photographs. The state is known for the disastrous effort to build a railway, the Madeira-Mamoré, through the jungle into Bolivia in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. More about Rondônia on the official state website.

Roraima – In the far north of Brazil, bordered by Venezuela and Guyana, Roraima is Brazil’s least populated state. It combines a handful of different ecosystems, from flooded rainforests to relatively arid plains and the impressive Monte Roraima mountain. Roraima is home to the Yanaomami, one of Brazil’s best-known surviving Indian tribes. Only the most audacious tourists venture to Roraima as infrastructure is scanty. More about Roraima on the official state website.

Maranhão - Maranhão occupies a transitional region – a place where the sandy beaches and semi-arid sertão of the Northeast meet the hot and humid Amazon. The Cururupu region, in a marshland sanctuary, can provide visitors with an Amazon-esque experience. It includes Lençóis Island, a refuge for the remarkable scarlet ibis.

Mato Grosso – The Amazon extends into the northern part of the state. The biologically rich region is popular with bird watchers, wildlife spotters and sport fishers. More about Mato Grosso on the official state tourism website.

Tocantins –Tocantins is located on the border of the Amazon and the adjacent savannah of the Brazilian northeast. Its western border with Mato Grosso state features the Araguaia National Park which occupies the northern section of Bananal Island, the world’s largest island surrounded by rivers. Tocantins also boasts Jalapão – a region that, while not classically Amazonian, is popular with eco and adventure travelers because of its abundant waterfalls, rivers, dunes and lakes. More about Tocantins on the official state website.

Things to Do in the Amazon

Ver-o-Peso Market and the Estação das Docas (Belém) – With a name that warns “Check the Weight,” this fish and produce market by the river contains 2,000 stalls that sell just about everything that can be culled, extracted or fished out of the Amazon basin. The market’s hodgepodge architecture reflects a series of additions and expansions that date to the 18th century. Next door the Estação das Docas (Docks Station) benefited from a downtown urban renewal scheme and features a strip of fashionable bars and restaurants. The traditional Lá em Casa, reputably the best Amazonian cuisine restaurant anywhere, has opened a branch at the Estação das Docas. Both Ver-o-Peso and the Estação das Docas are on Boulevard Castilho França. Lá em Casa, telephone: +(55-91) 3212-5588.

Marajó Island (Pará) – A couple of hours by boat from Belém, Marajó has calm beaches with sand dunes. Small streams cut through and concentrations of colonial buildings dot the island. Buffalo are ubiquitous; they are raised for meat, cheese and even transportation. Also in evidence are flocks of scarlet ibis. The Marajó pottery and ceramics are known throughout Brazil. Many working farms, like the Fazenda São Jerônimo, offer lodging and a menu of outdoor activities. The island’s down-home eateries, often a wing of the cook’s house, are legendary – featuring both fish and buffalo meat. One good choice is Delicias da Nalva. Fazenda São Jerônimo: Rodovia Soure, Pesqueiro Kilometer 3, Tucumandaba; telephone: +(55-91) 3741-2016 or 3741-2093. Delicias da Nalva: Quarta Rua, 1051 (on the road to Pesqueiro), Macaxeira, Soure; telephone: +(55-91) 9141-6848.

Boat Tours on the Negro River (Amazonas) – There are many excellent boat tours cum nature trips that leave from Manaus and include wildlife spotting, bird watching and visits to local communities (though generally not to Indian reservations which require special permission from FUNAI, the federal agency for indigenous affairs). The Rhode Island-based Ecotour Expeditions offers an eight-day trip up the Negro River on a comfortable 82-foot Amazon river cruiser with an observation deck and comfortable air-conditioned cabins. Knowledgeable guides run travelers through a full schedule of outings into the jungle by canoe or on foot. Swallows and Amazons, run by expatriate and BrazilMax contributor Mark Aitchison, also runs trips up the Negro River in a river boat for seven, 11 and 15 days. Swallows and Amazons can customize trips to include more adventurous activities like kayaking, trekking, canoeing, and camping. Ecotour Expeditions: telephone in the United States: 800-688-1822; Swallows and Amazons: Rua Quintino Bocaiúva, 189 - Sala 13, Manaus; telephone: +(55-92) 3622-1246.

Manaus City Tour – Riding the rubber boom in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Manaus was briefly one of the world’s richest cities. The most impressive monument to this period is the Teatro Amazonas, an opera house made of materials imported from Europe. Another period attraction, also still in use, is the floating dock designed by English engineers to compensate for the wildly shifting seasonal differences in the water level of the river. Teatro Amazonas: Praça São Sebastião, Centro; telephone: +(55-92) 3622-1880. Port of Manaus: Rua Marquês de Santa Cruz, 25, Centro; telephone: +(55-92) 2123-4350. Another “can’t miss” attraction is the “meeting of the waters” where the dark waters of the Negro River and the milky waters of the Solimões come together but, for reasons of density, water speed and composition, do not mix – painting a swirling mosaic in the water. The Brazilian agency Viverde runs excursions to the “meeting of the waters.” Rua das Guariúbas, 47; telephone: +(55-92) 3248-9988.

Sport Fishing – Peacock bass fishing is attracting huge numbers of anglers to the Amazon. US-based Highroller Adventures offers week-long fishing excursions out of Manaus utilizing a riverboat hotel, isolated lodges or mobile cabins that can penetrate into really hard-to-reach spots. Even out in the bush, the accommodations are first class. For a culturally authentic fishing trip, PepJo Amazon, run by an American ex-sales executive named Pepper Stebbins, takes visitors to a lake popular with locals, guided by a traditional fisherman. PepJo Amazon’s trips leave from Itacoatiara, about two-and-a-half hours out of Manaus. Highroller Adventures: US telephone: 877-205-1764. PepJo Amazon: Fileto Pires Barrio, 1587 Itacoatiara, Amazonas; telephone: +(55-92) 3521-5365.

Mamirauá and the Uacari Lodge (Amazonas) – There are ecolodges scattered about the Amazon, and many of them are very good. Uacari is a floating lodge set on a calm lagoon in the middle of the Mamirauá Sustainable Development Reserve, a state protected area run by a non-profit group. As a flooded rainforest, Mamirauá attracts more wildlife and birds than most other parts of the Amazon. In another part of the reserve, a fisheries management project aims to preserve the pirarucu, the world’s largest freshwater fish. Administrative office: Avendia Brasil 197, Tefé; telephone: +(55-97) 3343-4160.

Amazon River Cruise Ships – For the most part, the Amazon is not a very friendly destination for people with mobility problems. But several companies offer cruises with all the frills that include the Amazon River and, in some cases, the Negro and/or Solimões Rivers in their itineraries. Operators include Iberostar, Silver Sea, and Brazil’s CVC.

When to Go to the Amazon

“In the summer it rains every day and in the winter it rains all day,” goes the saying. That’s an exaggeration, but the Amazon is a rainforest after all, and things can get pretty damp during the rainy season, dubbed “winter” by the locals. The Amazon is huge, so the length and timing of the rainy season can vary by region, but in the major cities, Manaus and Belém, it runs roughly from December-May. Casual travelers who are not pursuing special interests might want to avoid the rainy season. The best time for fishing is during the last months of the dry season, generally September-October, when water levels are lower. Since foreign visitors outnumber Brazilians in the Amazon, the northern hemisphere’s summer vacation period brings a blip in arrivals.

Getting to the Amazon

Airports – The regional hubs are its two major cities, Belém and, especially, Manaus. All of the state capitals and some other major cities have decent airports.

Airlines – There are few direct international flights into the Amazon. The Brazilian airline TAM runs one from Miami to Manaus. Copa flies from Panama City to Manaus and has code sharing agreements with big name carriers like Continental and KLM for connections. Most domestic and international travelers fly into São Paulo and catch domestic flights to the Amazon.

Flight times – Miami-Manaus takes about five hours. São Paulo-Manaus takes about three-and-a-half hours.

Amazon Travel Tips

Get a Yellow Fever Shot – But don’t go overboard with the medication. For the most part you’re no likely to get sick in the Amazon than anywhere else. Malaria is extremely rare except way out in the bush. But a yellow fever shot is a good precaution.

Patience is a Virtue - Travel within the Amazon can be tricky. Distances are great, flight schedules to some outposts are sparse, and boat travel – the most common form of transportation for locals – is time consuming. Patience is truly a virtue for travelers in the region. It is generally best to not plan too many activities. The best strategy is probably to book one major destination and map out some sight-seeing en route. This would likely include quality time in one of the two major gateway cities, Manaus and Belém.

Check Out Your Boat Operator – If you use local boat transportation, make sure you go with a reputable company that follows safety regulations. Accidents with fatalities are not uncommon.

Try Amazon Cuisine – With its indigenous influences, Amazonian fare is the most unique in Brazil. Street vendors in many cities sell tacacá, a spicy indigenous soup. Ask a local to suggest a clean and reliable kiosk and try it. Regional fish, like tambaquí and pirarucu, are prepared in several ways. Another specialty is a duck stew called “pato no tucupi”. The pirarucu, nicknamed the codfish of the Amazon, is good as grilled fillets.

Wear the Right Clothes – Even though it is hot, long pants and even long-sleeve shirts are recommended on jungle outings lest you want the bugs to chew you up. A good pair of boots is also welcome. Some locals prefer cheap rubber fishing boots to expensive hiking boots. Sun glasses and a cap are also useful.

Pack Protection – Don’t forget the insect repellent and sunscreen.

Be Careful What You Bring Back - It is illegal to take live animals and many products made from animals outside the country. This includes many Indian feather headdresses. You can help protect endangered species by reporting anyone who offers to sell you such items to the Brazilian Network to Combat the Trafficking of Wild Animals.

Watch Out for Those Drugstore Indians - Permits must be obtained by the Bureau of Indigenous Affairs (FUNAI) to visit indigenous reservations. These permits are very difficult to obtain. No reputable tour operator will offer to take you to visit an Indian tribe. Some companies hire people to dress up in costumes and dance around and shoot bows and arrows for the tourists. If someone offers you such a tour, run in the opposite direction.

Beware of the Barkers at the Airport - Especially in Manaus, the arrival area of the airport is full of unscrupulous tour guides who will offer to show you around. Only hire guides through reputable Brazilian or international companies.

Responsible Travel - If you want to save the rainforest, start by giving your travel business to tour operators that act responsibly. For instance, visit the Mamirauá Sustainable Development Reserve or take one of the smaller boat trips instead of a cruise ship (see listings above). The Brazilian Sustainable Tourism Certification Program has compiled a list of responsible travel companies.

Amazon Events Calendar

Parintins Ox Festival (Parintins, Amazonas) – The Carnaval-esque Parintins festival takes place during the last weekend in June. Two rival groups compete for the favor of judges in a marathon pageant based on a myth transplanted from the Brazilian Northeast about the death and reincarnation of an ox. Thousands of people converge on the city of 100,000 for the event. Many visitors sleep in the boats that brought them. More about Parintins and the Ox Festival on the Ministry of Tourism website.

Ornamental Fish Festival (Barcelos, Amazonas) – This is not an aquarium trade show. Generally held in late January, it is a spectacle akin to the one in Parintins. More about Barcelos and the festival on the Ministry of Tourism website.

Círio de Nazaré (Belém, Pará) – Brazil is the world’s biggest Catholic country and this event on the second Sunday of October is reputed to be the world’s biggest Catholic celebration. More than a million people flood the streets of the Pará state capital for a procession to honor the miracle-working Virgin Mary. Many come to “pay back” debts to the Virgin whom they believe has performed a miracle on their behalf. More about Círio de Nazaré on the official website of the event.

Festival do Divíno (Guaporé Valley, Rondônia) – This festival honoring the Holy Spirit is celebrated throughout Brazil. But this manifestation is unique. A boat visits all of the region’s communities during a 40 day period in May and June.

Çairé Festival (Santarém, Pará) – This religious and secular festival attracts thousands of visitors every September to an island called Alter-do-Chão about 30 kilometers outside of Santarém. The activities reveal a mixture of Portuguese and indigenous influences. More about Santarém on the Ministry of Tourism website.

Pororoca (Araguari River, Amapá; São Domingos do Capim, Pará and elsewhere) – Pororoca are fresh water tidal long-running tidal waves that are attracting increasing numbers of surfers. In Amapá the phenomenon kicks in during the full and new moons and is strongest from January-May and in September. In Pará, the biggest waves are in January and February.

Amazonas Film Festival – Every November in Manaus.

Amazon Trivia

InterContinental Hotels & Resorts (initially named International Hotels) was created by Pan American in 1946 and became the first international hotel brand. The first property opened in 1949 in Belém. The airline, already flying throughout Latin America, was urged by President Franklin Roosevelt to build hotels in the area. The president wanted to develop trade with the Americas to the south, which required hotels as well as transportation, as a way of improving intra-American relations. Early hotel development followed Pan Am’s routes. (Excerpted from Travia: The Ultimate Book of Travel Trivia, copyright 2008 with permission of The Intrepid Traveler.

Amazonian Reading list - tips from BrazilMax contributor Mark Aitchison.

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