Alter do Chão is a small town in the state of Pará, council of Santarém. It is located at the entrance of a lake formed on the right bank of the Tapajós river – one of the biggest tributaries of the Amazon and known for its dark-blue waters. When the level of the Amazon river is low, from July to January, a beach of fine and clear sands appears at the entrance of the lake, the praia do Amor. Alter do Chão is known as the Caribbean Amazon for its combination of clear waters and sand.

But beyond its famous beaches, what makes Alter do Chão a remarkable destination is the fact that it makes an ideal base for a perfect Amazon experience in the nearby Floresta Nacional do Tapajós. Community-based ecotourism at its best.

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1. HOW TO GET THERE:

Whether you arrive by bus or by boat, the entry point to Alter do Chão is the city of Santarém.

By plane, the nearest airport is Santarém’s. The main Brazilian airlines fly to Santarém from Manaus and Belém (flight time is approximately 1 hour from both cities). From Santarém airport to Alter do Chão, 25 km away, a taxi will set you back approximately R$90.

You can reach Santarém by boat from Manaus or Belém. Travel time is two days. From Belém to Santarém a cabin will cost you R$170. From Manaus to Santarém, R$125.

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2. WHEN TO GO:

Weather-wise, temperatures in Alter do Chão range from the warm to the hot. Rarely does the termometer fall below 20 degrees Celsius and maximum temperatures usually reach the 30′s. It rains heavily from January to July.

The best time to visit Alter do Chão goes from July to September, when the river levels begin to descend and the beaches appear. From January till June there’s heavy rain and the beaches are submerged. From October to December the heat is intense and the river level reaches the year’s low. The magic igapós (flooded forests) dry up.

If you don’t appreciate crowds, we would advice you to avoid Alter do Chão during the Brazilian bank holidays, when the village and the beaches are crowded with tourists coming from Manaus and Belém. The carnival period is particularly critical.

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3. CAREFUL WITH:

• trying to visit Alter do Chão during the Sairé festival during the second week of September; finding acommodation is next to impossible and prices shoot up.
• sting rays. They are found in most beaches, particularly when the river level is low. Accidents are numerous. Before entering the river you need to make sure there isn’t a ray hidden under the sand.
• entering the jungle on your own. It’s a definite no-no.

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4. WE LIKE THE MOST:

• the majestic Tapajós river
• the imposing jungle full of surprises
• the wide range of trips available from Alter do Chão
• the development of true ecoturism in the region
• to spend the day at the Ilha do Amor (literally, “love island”) eating snacks and drinking beer
• to watch the sunset from the new pier and end the night with a piracaia (barbeque fish) at the beach
• the remote and untouched character of Alter do Chão

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5. WE LIKE THE LEAST:

• noise pollution along the river front and the Praça Matriz
• the Ilha do Amor vanishes for several months
• Sunday trippers in Alter do Chão; fortunately, by Monday they are gone
• the unstoppable and destructive advance of men towards the jungle
• the incredible closure and neglect of the Museu do Índio
• the closure of the peixe-boi project, preserving the manatees on the Tapajós river

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6. FAVOURITE PLACES:

The Ilha do Amor, the Ponta de Cururu, the Floresta Encantada, the Canal do Jari, the FLONA, the Tapajós river

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7. PIECE OF ADVICE:

• there are plenty of things to do in Alter do Chão’s surrounding area: a quiet walk along the flooded rainforest and virgin beaches, river-dolphin watching; trekking at the National Parks; getting to know the natives; and even discover two typically American village built by the Ford company during the rubber fever (Fordlandia and Belterra)
• during the weekend Alter becomes the beach for the inhabitants of Santarem; the place is chock-a-block. During the week it is much quieter
• you can rent a kayak at the Praia do Amor
• there is a supermarket and several shops where you will be able to obtain supplies; however, there are no ATM’s in Alter do Chão
• Alter is an exceptional place if you want to purchase authentic indigenous crafts; some of the shops are real museums
• there’s a great travel agency at the main square, run by Argentinians: Mãe Natureza. They offer good advice and excellent juices and sandwiches
• stalls at the main square sell local food and sweets. A must!

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8. IS IT WORTH VISITING ALTER DO CHÃO JUST FOR ITS BEACHES?

We believe the beaches on the Tapajós river are a fantastic bonus to any visitor to the region. But given how costly it is to reach the region, they could never constitute the only reason for a visit to the area. There are much better beaches all along the Brazilian coastline.

You need to bear in mind the beaches only emerge from July to January. Visit Alter do Chão any other time and you will need a wet suit to see the beaches.

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9. ACCOMMODATION:

There aren’t many options of accommodation in Alter do Chão. Those with a web site are listed at hotels and pousadas in Alter do Chão. We stayed at the pousada Tupaiulândia. It has no website but offers an excellent value for money.

Some of the indigenous communities in the National Forest offer very basic acommodation to its visitors.

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10. HEALTH:

If you are visiting Alter do Chão you are adviced to get your yellow fever shot (more information at 10 facts about yellow fever in Brazil“>10 facts about yellow fever in Brazil). Malaria has not been an issue on the region for some time.

The high acidic level of the Tapajós river guarantees low proliferation of mosquitos. You will find them during your treks in the jungle.

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11. LINKS:

There are no specific pages on Alter do Chão worth mentioning. On Mãe Natureza‘s website, with a version in English, there are detailed descriptions of the activities that can be done in the region. IBAMA’s site devoted to the Floresta Nacional do Tapajós has maps of the region available for download in PDF format.

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12. WEATHER FORECAST:

The weather in Alter do Chão (Santarem) for the next 10 days

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13. CLIMATE:

Average temperatures and rainfall in Alter do Chão (Santarém) at msn.weather.

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13. GOOGLE MAPS:

Alter do Chão in Google Maps.

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14. PHOTOS:

Our Alter do Chão photo album in Flickr.

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15. OTHER BLOG POSTS ON THE AMAZON REGION:
destination: Algodoal
destination: Belém
destination: Ilha do Marajó
destination: Manaus
the Meeting of the Waters and the Janauary Ecological Park, near Manaus

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We hadn’t visited a restaurant for a while here at the blog. Today we are presenting a 100% off-the-beaten track food experience we had during our trip to Manaus.

We learned about the peixaria do Jokka Loureiro on a blog review (you’ll be pushed hard to find a mention to it on a printed guide, whether in English or in Portuguese) and thrilled with what we read we headed to the fish restaurant, in the São Raimundo neighbourhood, Manaus west (exact location of the restaurant on Google Maps).

The restaurant is at the end of a cul-de-sac. You ring the bell and someone will open the gate for you. The interior of the restaurant couldn’t possibly be more spartan: chairs and tables and hardly anything else. Well, not entirely true, from the height of the restaurant you enjoy a fantastic view of the river Negro which by itself would be a good enough reason to go as far as the São Raimundo neighbourhood.

In Manaus, do as the locals. We went to Jokka Loureiro to feast on some Amazon fish. There is no printed menu, and the options available are truly basic: tambaqui, pirarucú or tucunaré, the finest of the Amazon fish. We had heard of the awesome costillas de tambaqui (tambaqui ribs) and that was what we ordered.

Along with the fish we had some beer and rounded up the meal with dessert. The final bill for 2 reached R$55.

Jokka Loureiro is on Rua São José, 9. The safest and less stressful way of getting there is a cab. Approximately R$20 from the centre of Manaus. The restaurant only opens for lunch, from 11:30 to 15:30, Monday to Saturday. It seemed really popular with the locals.

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Teatro Amazonas, Manaus
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The Teatro Amazonas in Manaus is one of those unmissable spots in a city that has lost the charm of times gone by. More than the grandour or luxury of the building, what really makes an impression on the visitor is the way the theatre recalls times of splendour that led to the building of such a massive theatre in the middle of the Amazon jungle.

The Teatro Amazonas was built during the rubber boom that turned Manaus into one of the most prospeours cities in the continent. Construction began in 1884 and the building opened in 1896. Externally, one of the most oustanding features of the building is its dome, covered with 60.000 ceramic tiles that were brought in from the Alsace.

The rest of the materials used on the construction of the theatre were also imported from Europe (iron from England, bronze from Belgium, crystal from Italy). Even Brazilian wood went to Europe to be carved and sent back to Brazil.

The Amazon Opera Festival takes place at the theatre during the second fortnight in April.

GUIDED VISITS

There are several guided visits to the building conducted in English. They last for 1/2 hour. From Monday to Saturday, but do confirm the times if you are going to spend just the one day in Manaus (teatroamazonas@culturamazonas.am.gov.br). The cost of the visit is R$10.

LOCATION

The theatre is located north of the centre of Manaus and can be reached on foot easily.

View larger map

MORE PICTURES OF THE THEATRE

You can take pictures inside the building for as long as you don’t use your flash.

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the Meeting of the Waters and the Janauary Ecological Park, near Manaus

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1. Jungle Lodges in the Amazon are for rich foreign tourists.

The name itself used by many hotels, “Jungle Lodge”, in English, says it all. Most jungle hotels cater for the foreign English-speaking crowd and quote their services in dollars or euros. Reaching Manaus and staying at a jungle lodge is not within the reach of most Brazilians. And those Brazilians that could afford it are frankly not too interested on nature experiences, they’d rather spend their holidays at a luxurious pousada at the beach or shopping in Miami.

Unfortunately, Jungle Lodges do not have the backpacking crowd in mind.

2. Location, location, location.

It pains me to say so, but there are some beautiful jungle lodges, highly recommended in many guides, that are just a few miles from that eyesore that it is Manaus. Anyone staying at those hoteles will see the city lights at the end of the day, will hear the boats up and down the river and even the planes approaching Manaus international airport. If they wander too far from the hotel they might hit a paved road.

Few hotels give precise details of their location. For that reason I decided to spend some time researching the location of most hotels and making it available on a Google Maps mash-up. I haven’t been able to locate precisely some hotels (either because there aren’t high-res images available or simply because the information I could gather didn’t help me find the hotel). For those hotels I’m just giving its approximate location.

View jungle lodges on a bigger map.

I recommend you open the map on a full page.

The hotels for which I’m giving their accurate location are: Acajatuba Jungle Lodge, Amazon Ecopark Jungle Lodge, Amazon Rainforest Adventure Station, Ariaú Amazon Towers, Amazon Mainan Lodge, Pakaas Palafitas Lodge, Pousada Uacari and Tiwa Amazonas Ecoresort.

If you are going to spend a small fortune to turn your Amazon dream a reality it might help knowing where you are heading too. Needless to say, the further away from civilization, the likelier you are to encounter wildlife and experience a true jungle holiday.

3. Packages

As you can imagine, nobody turns up at a remote jungle lodge asking whether there are any rooms available. Most hotels offer packages to their guests, including accommodation, meals (you won’t find any bars or restaurants near jungle lodges!) and jungle trips. When you purchase your package, make sure you understand what it is and it is not included. Likewise, most hotels include the transfer in/out to and from the hotel on their packages, but do make sure this is included.

4. Not all jungle lodges are the same.

For the reasons explained at number 1, a few jungle lodges have developed a business model that will not thrill those seeking a jungle experience as authentic as possible. We are talking about hotels with plasma TVs and DVD players on all rooms, gyms, spas, business centre, internet café, souvenir and jewelery shops and the likes. Outstanding among them are the Ariau Towers hotel and the Jungle Othon Palace.

A jungle lodge for which I’ve only heard praise – coming from people with environmental concerns I trust – is the Pousada Uacari at the Mamirauá ecological reserva. Although it is not, by any means, a luxury resort, its remote location makes it a costly choice. It would definitely be my choice if money wasn’t a problem and you were after a genuine Amazon experience.

If you have stayed at a jungle hotel and want to send me your opinions, you can use this blog’s contact address.

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RELATED POSTS:
destination: Manaus
the Meeting of the Waters and the Janauary Ecological Park, near Manaus
Destination: Belém
Destination: Alter do Chão
Destination: Algodoal
Destination: Ilha do Marajó

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Our collection of photos taken on our recent trip to Manaus can be seen at our Flickr album Manaus. Here’s a small selection:

the outside of the Teatro Amazonas

the inside of the Teatro Amazonas

wildlife at the Bosque da Ciência

the mighty river and its boats

the spectacular Meeting of the Waters

the Janauary ecological park

the precarious living conditions

And quite a few more things.

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destination: Manaus

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A few days ago we learned of the closure by the authorities of the floating port of Manaus. It is at the floating port where all the liners and cruise ships dock. The reason for the closure is lack of safety due to negligent maintenance of the premises (you can read the full story in Portuguese at the Estado de São Paulo).

In the meantime, the situation is quite confusing. The news report quoted above mentions that an American liner was diverted by the Brazilian navy to the port of Chibatão (a merchant port on the outskirts of Manaus). Then a local jugde granted the ship the right to dock at the floating port – next to the center of the city.

We got in touch with Embratur to find out more about the situation. Through its Flickr profile (@VisitBrasil) we were told that work is in progress at the floating port and that it is estimated it will reopen in January.

In the meantime, our advice is, if you are heading to Manaus, get in touch with your travel agent for more up-do-date information of the implications of the port closure.

P.S.: smaller boats and regional transport continues to operate as usual at the improvised harbour near the market of Manaus.

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The Meeting of the Waters

One of the most important sights in Manaos and its area is the Meeting of the Waters (Encontro das Águas in Portuguese), the point where the river Negro (that flows through Manaos) and the river Solimões (known to the world as Amazon river) meet, downstream from Manaus. From the Meeting of the Waters downstream, the new river is known to Brazilians as the Amazonas. The reluctancy from both rivers to join creates a beautiful natural phenomenon, two distinct streams of water flowing along for miles and miles as it can be seen on the picture I took from the plane window.

On the left, the river Negro, its dark-coffee waters due to the presence of vegetation in decay and high acidic levels. On the right, the river Solimões, its muddy waters due to the presence of Andean mountain sediments. The river Negro is warmer than the Solimões; the Solimões, in return, flows faster than the Negro.

To fully enjoy your time at the Meeting of the Waters you need to make a phenomenal effort to abstract yourself from the landscape around you: forget the tankers anchored in the middle of the river Negro, the Brazilian navy ships, the refinery, the iron and steel works, the port, the containers and the floating rubish on the river. No mean feat!

There are several ways you can reach the Meeting of the Waters:

• for those on a tight budget, take the 713 bus from the centre of Manaus to the CEASA port. There you can take a ferry crossing the river and the Meeting of the Waters. Bear in mind it is not a tourist ferry, you will cross the Meeting of the Waters but the boat will not stop there.
• the CEASA port is also the departure point for motorboats (voadeiras) that you can hire to take you to the Meeting of the Waters.
• similar boats leave from the centre of Manaus. Make sure you pay attention to the state of the boat and also to the presence of life jackets on board.
• finally, there are six-hour trips leaving from the centre of Manaus and visiting the Meeting of the Waters, first, and the Janauary Ecological Park later. They cost around R$100 and several agencies in town offer a similar package..

If you are a photographer, the higher the boat, the better the perspective on the river. A traditional two-deck boat is better than a plain motorboat.

The Janauary Ecological Park

The Janauary Ecological park is located in a small peninsula between the river Negro and the river Solimões. It is a pocket of rainforest not far from the big city. Depending on the level of the rivers, the park is accessed on the very same boat that took you to the Meeting of the Waters or on smaller boats better suited for navigation when the river is low.

Navigation towards the park will take you through some river communities, where you will be able to see the harsh living conditions they have to endure.

There are a few floating restaurants near the park -where lunch is had, a buffet of Amazon fish. During the dry season a system of elevated catwalks allows tourist to enter the jungle. During the rainy season the river is so high that covers the catwalks – small motorboats enter the jungle with the tourists instead.

On a lagoon inside the park the magnificent victórias-régias (giant lillies) await the visitor. During the dry season they don’t look their best, though.

Is the trip worth it? I couldn’t tell for sure. I didn’t regret embarking on it but to be able to enjoy it I had to detach myself physically and mentally from the rowdy crowd of tourists embarked along. If you don’t have much time in Manaus you will kill two birds with one stone: you will get to see Manaus from the river (very interesting perspective) and will visit both the Meeting of the Waters and the Janauary park where you will get a remote taste of what a true Amazon experience must be like.

If, on the other hand, you are heading to a jungle lodge, forget the Ecological Park bit and stick to the Meeting of the Waters.

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To complete the information given at destination: Manaus we are publishing the following map prepared with the help of Google Maps. You will find on the map the location of the most important sights in Manaus.

View Manaus on a bigger map

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Few Brazilian cities conjure up the mysticism that surrounds the name Manaus. Its remote location and the fact that it is the entry point to the never-ending Amazon forest make of Manaus a very special destination. It is a pity that decades of neglect have turned Manaus onto a necessary evil on your way to the jungle. Here’s a few tips to make the most of the city.

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1. HOW TO REACH MANAUS:

Manaus international airport, on the outskirts of the city, receives regular flights from the most important Brazilian capitals, as well as a handful of direct international flights (you can have a look at the full list of them at direct flights on our D Airfare blog. There isn’t a shuttle bus connecting the airport to downtown. You can either take the regular bus or grab a taxi (will cost you approximately R$50).

A popular choice to reach Manaus is a boat ride from Belém. There are several boats doing the trip, it takes five days and the boat makes numerous stops along the way. It is not a daily service so do find out more about the schedules before your trip. Prices start from R$250 for a hammock on the lower deck – it would be the equivalent of a third class, very noisy due to the engine nearby and always crowded. If you want a cabin you’ll have to fork out at least R$200 more. The trip has been described by many as quite boring – at least in terms of the landscape you see – and music plays non-stop.

Bus company Eucatur travels from Manaus to Venezuela.

There are also boats going from Manaus to Tabatinga, next to Leticia in Colombia . The trip takes 5 days. There is also a faster boat that covers the distance in 32 hours (one day per week). Airline Trip flies from Manaus to Tabatinga.

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2. WHEN TO GO:

Manaus, like most of the Amazon, has two distinct seasons: a dry summer, from June to November, and a wet winter, from December to May. It is hot in winter; extremely hot during the summer.

An excellent time to visit Manaus is the beginning of the summer season, between July and August, when the rain has just stopped but the rivers still carry an extraordinary amount of water. Mosquitoes are more frequent during the rainy season. River beaches appear during the dry season.

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3. CAREFUL WITH:

Heat and humidity, prevent dehydration. Air conditioning is a plague, as well as the bunch of unscrupulous and notorious travel agents (not all Manaus travel agents, by all means) that have been cheating foreign tourists for years.

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4. WE LIKE THE MOST:

Delicious varieties of fish. The immense river Negro. The proximity of the jungle.

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5. WE LIKE THE LEAST:

Unchecked urban growth, the state of decay of many historic buildings, dirt and rubbish, poor attention given to foreign tourists by the authorities, the gigantic bridge being built across the Negro river.

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6. FAVOURITE PLACES:

Teatro Amazonas. The Bosque da Ciência. The Meeting of the Waters.

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7. PIECE OF ADVICE:

• there are guided tours of Teatro Amazonas, in the city centre, from Monday to Saturday. English-speaking guides are available. We have devoted a blog post to this unmissable Manaus sight: Teatro Amazonas, Manaus.
• Praça São Sebastião, the square right in front of the theatre, is a very pleasant space dominated by the wonderful Portuguese mosaic decorating the square. Around the square, craft shops, ice-cream parlours, fresh juices and the popular Tacacaria da Gisela, where from 4 pm you can taste the very typical tacacá, a thick broth made from traditional Amazon ingredients.
• the riverside and its docks with passenger ships coming and going is a very interesting place. The main dock is referred to as “floating dock” and it was designed by British engineers at the beginning of the XX century. It can operate both during the dry season and the wet season – bear in mind the differences in river height can reach 14 meters! The port area is not safe after dark.
• one of the most beautiful buldings in Manaus, the Mercado Municipal Adolpho Lisboa, suffers as a result of neglect. It is closed, abandoned and no one can tell for sure when it will reopen again. In the meantime, the market stalls have taken up all the space around the market building. If you want to experience all the bustle of the freshly caught fish being brought into the market you will have to set your alarm clock early. 4 am is the right time to be at the market, by 6 am the movement is coming to an end.
• Manaus has several interesting parks, including the Bosque da Ciência and the Parque do Mindú.
• the most traditional trip departing from Manaus takes you to the Meeting of the Waters, the place where the rivers Negro and Solimões meet to form the Amazon river. You will find plenty of information and details at the Meeting of the Waters and the Janauary Ecological Park, near Manaus.
• during the dry season the popular Ponta Negra beach emerges at the residential suburb of the same name. The famous Tropical Manaus hotel is located nearby.
• you can’t leave Manaus without eating the delicious local fish. Tucunaré, tambaqui and pirarucu are three names of fish where you can’t go wrong.
• you will find the popular Glacial ice-cream parlours all across the city, with exotic fruit flavours.
• on 24 October, the local sambodrome is host to the Boi Manaus festival, to celebrate the anniversary of the city.

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9. ACCOMMODATION:

At our Accommodation in Brazil blog we have a complete listing of hotels and pousadas in Manaus.

As well as that, you can search for accommodation in Manaus through our Hotels Combined search engine, a unique free tool that searches multiple hotel reservation websites simultaneously to help you find the lowest rate instantly. It eliminates the need to search major websites one by one in order to compare prices and availability. An amazing time and money saver!

The results open on a new page.

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10. HEALTH:

If you are visiting Manaus you are adviced to get your yellow fever shot (more information at 10 facts about yellow fever in Brazil). Malaria is also an issue on the jungle areas and the way you prevent yourself should be discussed with your doctor.

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11. LINKS:

Visita Amazonas is the official tourism site by the government of the state of Amazonas. It’s got quite a lot of information on Manaus.

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12. WEATHER FORECAST:

The weather in Manaus for the next 10 days.

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13. CLIMATE:

Average temperatures and rainfall in Manaus.

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14. GOOGLE MAPS:

Our anotated map of Manaus.

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15. PHOTO ALBUM:

Manaus photo album (click on the link to see the album)

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RELATED POSTS:
map of Manaus
photos of Manaus
Teatro Amazonas, Manaus
peixaria do Jokka Loureiro fish restaurant in Manaus
the Meeting of the Waters and the Janauary Ecological Park, near Manaus
Alter do Chão
Belém

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[This post is part of a series devoted to tourism in five remote Brazilian states - the other entries include Acre, Amapá, Roraima and Tocantins.]

Rondonia is on the northwest of Brazil, west of the state of Mato Grosso and south of the state of Amazonas, sharing a border with Bolivia. The relentless advance of the timber merchant, the cattle ranchers and the plantations over the rainforest has had devastating effects. In spite of that, the state of Rondonia still mantains wide expanses of Amazon jungle. Rondonia has a population of 1 million and a half and its territory includes 28 different Indian ethnic groups.

Enlarge map

Unsurprisingly, Rondonia has a tropical climate, with a rainy season from November to April and a dry season from May to October.

The capital of Rondonia is Porto Velho, on the banks of the Madeira river. A few miles from Porto Velho, upstream, construction work is taking place for the gigantic and controversial Santo Antônio dam – one of the largest engineering projects in the planet.

As it is the case for the remaining states we are presenting on this series, one of the main obstacles to the development of a tourist industry are the high transportation costs. A flight from the southern regions of Brazil to Rondonia can cost as much as a ticket to the States. Airlines Gol, Ocean Air and Tam fly to Porto Velho.

The Brazilian Ministry of Tourism has included a tourist route in the state of Rondonia, called Aventura e Charme na Pérola do Mamoré. Pedra do Mamoré is found between the cities of Porto Velho and Guarujá-Mirim, near the border with Bolivia. The route includes river trips, hikes at the Parque Natural dos Parecis and visits to local Indian communities. There is accommodation at a jungle hotel near the meeting of the rivers Pacaás Novos and Mamoré. Among future plans for the region, the reactivation of the mythical railway Madeira-Mamoré, that will allow visitors to get close to the Santo Antônio dam.

Rondonia is home to one of the most remote national parks in Brazil, the Parque Nacional de Pacaás Novos. The park is under constant threat from timer merchants. It is not opened to visitation and there are no roads leading to the park. It is a rich biodiversity lab but completely devoid of any meaning for the tourism industry.

The Brazilian Ministry of Tourism hasn’t elaborated any videos to popularize the tourist attractions of the state of Rondonia (videos were preparaded for most Brazilian states). In the Ministry’s tool for travel professionals, Brasil Network, there is no information on Rondonia. It would seem that there is no intention whatsoever of selling Rondonia as a tourist destination.

Links:
Portal Oficial do Turismo de Rondônia
Prefeitura Municipal de Porto Velho

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undiscovered Brazil: Acre
undiscovered Brazil: Amapá

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