Introducing Alter do Chão
Alter do Chão, 33km west of Santarém, is justly the subject of a thousand postcards. A sandbar directly in front of the town forms a picturesque white-sand island, known as Ilha do Amor (Island of Love). The island is largest and most attractive when the water is low, usually June to December. In the wet season it’s greatly reduced, though still pretty.
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Besides its famous beach, Alter do Chão also stands at the entrance to a huge lagoon, Lago Verde, which you can explore in rented canoes. FLONA do Tapajós and other spots on the Rio Tapajós make for good boat tours. Also accessible is the lesser-known Rio Arapiunes, whose nickname, ‘the Caribbean of the Amazon, ’ is a forgivable exaggeration: the dry season reveals white-sand beaches and, on sunny days, transparent, even turquoise water. And don’t miss Arariba, one of the best indigenous art stores in the Amazon region.
Last updated: Oct 20, 2009
Thorn Tree forum discussion
Recent posts
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Re: Santarém vs Belém
by uulu10 15 May 2011
In Tabatinga, the Amazonas is not so huge (but still big), after Manaus, the Amazonas seems to be more a lake than a river. The view is…
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RE: 2 weeks in Brazil in March / April 2010
by pakoban 11 September 2009
to your amazon question: I like alter do chao very much. its situated on rio tapajos very close to santerem (which is also nice and much…
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Re: Not Rio, Sao Paulo, Salvador or Floripa. Where would you go in Brasil?
by KST 03 June 2008
I should add that close to Santarem is Alter do Chao -- a village on the clear Tapajos river with great sandy beaches, touted as the Caribbe…
Hotels & Hostels in Alter do Chão
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Albergue Pousada da Floresta
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Mirante da Ilha
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Belas Praias Pousada
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