Ilha de Marajó

Introducing Ilha de Marajó

The 50, 000-sq-km Ilha de Marajó, slightly larger than Switzerland, lies at the mouths of the Amazonas and Tocantins rivers. It was the ancient home of the Marajoaras indigenous culture, notable for their large ceramic burial urns. Today, Marajó’s friendly residents live in a few towns and villages and on the many fazendas (ranches) spread across the island. This is a world apart, where bicycles outnumber cars and water buffalo graze around town. Legend has it the buffalo are descended from animals that swam ashore from a French ship that sank while en route from India to French Guiana. The island is well-known for its buffalo cheese, buffalo steaks and buffalo-mounted police force.

Only the island’s eastern shore is easily accessible to tourists, and has three small sleepy towns: Joanes and Salvaterra have the best beaches and most interesting accommodations, while Soure has better restaurants and all the services. A number of fazendas are open to visitors, and make for interesting though somewhat pricey day-trips. Much of the island’s interior is wetland, and is home to tens of thousands of birds, including the graceful scarlet ibis (guará in Portuguese), with its long, curved beak.

It’s a good idea to bring extra cash from Belém, as credit cards are rarely accepted and the one ATM in Soure does not recognize all foreign cards. Also be aware that Marajó is very wet from January to June, with almost daily rain.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009