Things to do in The North
-
Museu do Seringal Vila Paraíso
The Museu do Seringal Vila Paraíso is a 25-minute boat ride from Ponta Negra, which is itself a 20-minute bus ride from the center. Fortunately, the trip there is part of the fun, and can be combined with a stop at Praia da Lua, Manaus's best beach. Guided tours include an opulent rubber baron's townhouse and a replica rubber tapper shack, and walking a short trail to see how rubber trees are tapped, and the latex processed in a thatch smoke house.
A bit gimmicky but still interesting, and the only place in Manaus to learn about this all-important history. Boats to the museum (25 minutes) leave frequently from Marina Davi, just past Ponta Negra. Take Bus 011, 012, or 120…
reviewed
-
A
Casa das Onze Janelas
Once the home of a sugar baron, then a military hospital, the Casa das Onze Janelas now houses an excellent art gallery and one of Belém’s finest restaurants, Boteco das Onze. The medium-sized gallery contains a mix of classical and modern artwork, plus a good photography exhibit upstairs. The café in back has a view of the mouth of the Amazon.
reviewed
-
Xicara da Silva
Plenty of people say this popular restaurant prepares the city's best pizza and pasta, and you won't find any arguments to the contrary here. With artful and comfortable dining areas indoors and on a raised patio, the atmosphere is just as appealing. For something smaller, try the quiche. Squeezed into a small leafy lot near the huge Lider Z mall.
reviewed
-
B
Ristorante Fiorentina
The pasta, fresh meats, sangria and homemade desserts are all first-rate, even at the per-kilo lunch buffet, but bring some extra moolah to cover your meal. The dining area features the obligatory Italian restaurant red-and-white checkered tablecloths; the upstairs area mixes things up a bit with blue and white checkers.
reviewed
-
C
Churrascaria Búfalo
There’s no better place in Manaus for rodizio, an all-you-can-eat meat extravaganza in which a cadre of tuxedoed waiters bring skewer after skewer of sizzling meat right to your table, accompanied by a full salad and pasta bar. There’s no chance of leaving here hungry.
reviewed
-
Lago Verde
This huge three-fingered lake is surrounded by forest, and has places to swim, snorkel, and spot birds and animals (including a resident family of monkeys). Tour operators offer enjoyable boat tours; if you go in the afternoon, the tour usually ends at Ponta de Cururú, a good spot to see the sunset and river dolphins. Freelance boatmen on the waterfront do the same for cheaper, but typically don't have the same service or equipment that agencies do.
You can also rent a kayak at the waterfront and explore the lagoon on your own; just be alert to for strong waves and currents. Stingrays are a concern in shallow areas of Ilha do Amor, Lago Verde and in the river. One of the…
reviewed
-
D
Parque do Mindú
Believe it or not, Manaus has its own endemic primate: the tiny Sanguinus bicolor, better known as the pied bare-faced tamarin. The species is critically endangered, with no known groups in the open forest – they seem to have evolved to thrive only in areas of secondary growth – yet notoriously difficult to breed in captivity. The best place to observe this curious and vanishing creature is Parque do Mindú, a 33-hectare park in a residential area of Manaus about 6km from the center. The park has a system of eight intersecting trails, including sections of elevated walkways and an orchid house. Volunteer guides can help visitors locate the tamarins (early morning and …
reviewed
-
Beaches
A good sandy beach, Praia do Cajuiero, faces the Rio Tapajós on the west side of the village. Beaches further afield are best reached in a car, including Pindobal (8km), Cajutuba (16km), Aramanai (26km) and Ponta de Pedras (28km). Tour operators in town also offer day trips that include stopping at isolated no-name beaches along the main channel.
Stingrays are a concern in shallow areas of Ilha do Amor, Lago Verde and in the river. One of their nicknames is 'Wish-You-Were-Dead Fish' if that's any indication of the painfulness of their sting. Fortunately, rays are very skittish and prefer muddy areas over sandy ones, which means they're fairly uncommon in busy areas of Il…
reviewed
-
Jungle Tours
Tour operators in town offer multiday jungle trips from Alter do Chão. Most are on riverboats, where you eat and sleep onboard (in hammocks or small cabins) and stop at different locations for outings. Prices vary, but expect to pay R$120 to R$250 per person per day for most trips, with a minimum of two people.
As anywhere in the Amazon, there is no guarantee you will see wildlife; in fact, this region is better known for its flora, like massive sumauná trees and Vitória Régia water lilies, than its animal life. That said, it is possible to spot dolphins, sloth, monkeys, crocodiles and numerous bird species.
There are various options including visiting rubber tapper co…
reviewed
-
E
Mercado Ver-o-Peso
A symbol of the city, this waterfront market's name comes from colonial times, when the Portuguese would ver o peso (check the weight) of merchandise in order to impose taxes. The market's four-turreted iron structure is known, aptly enough, as the Mercado do Ferro. It was brought over in parts from Britain, and assembled and inaugurated in 1901. A profile of the turrets is commonly used as a symbol of Belém.
The four-turreted iron structure inside the market (visible from well outside of it) is known as the Mercado do Ferro. It was brought over in parts from Britain, and assembled and inaugurated in 1901. A profile of the turrets is commonly used as a symbol of Belém.
reviewed
Advertisement
-
F
Encontro das Águas
Downriver from Manaus, the 'black' (actually reddish-brown) water of the Rio Negro meets the 'white' (light brown) water of the Rio Solimões, but owing to differences in speed, density and temperature, the waters don't immediately mix. Instead, they flow side by side for several kilometers, an occurrence known as the Encontro das Águas.
The phenomenon, which occurs in several places along the river, was the inspiration for the wavy black-and-white tile work in front of the Opera House, and borrowed again for Rio de Janeiro's famous beach promenade. Boat trips to see the meeting of the waters are typically combined with a highly packaged tour of Parque Ecológico Janauar…
reviewed
-
Jardim Botânico Adolpho Ducke
Spanning over 100 sq km on the eastern edge of Manaus, this massive park and protected area is reportedly the world’s largest urban forest. Its namesake was an Italian-born botanist and entomologist who spent decades studying the Amazon rain forest, especially its complex tree systems. The park has long been used for ecological research, but the city is working hard to make it accessible to casual visitors too. There’s a network of eight short trails (3km in all) and plans to build a nature museum, observation tower, and canopy-level walkway – even an aquarium – are well underway. To get there and back, take bus 448 ‘Ciudad de Deus’ from Praça da Matriz; it’s a solid 90 m…
reviewed
-
River Trips
The broad Rio Madeira forms the western boundary of Porto Velho. Measurements of the length of the mud-brown river usually include its main tributary, the Rio Mamoré, and its tributaries, which originate in the Bolivian Andes, making the Madeira 3200km long. With an average flow of 1.4 billion liters a minute, the Madeira has the sixth-greatest volume of all the world's rivers. It enters the Rio Amazonas 150km downstream from Manaus.
From about 09:00 to 19:00 daily, riverboats make 45-minute cruises along the Rio Madeira from the dock in front of the Madeira-Mamoré train station While not exactly thrilling, this is a reasonable way to idle away an hour or so - with luck …
reviewed
-
Praia Grande
A tawny sandbar beach emerges on the far bank of the Rio Branco, opposite Boa Vista, during low water, roughly December to April. Known as Praia Grande, it is indeed big and beachy, and makes for a pleasant afternoon visit. Its transitory existence means there is no shade - bring an umbrella or consider waiting until the afternoon. Porto do Babazinho offers ferry service for R$4 roundtrip, and can provide food and drinks.
Be careful of stingrays, especially in low-water season. The sting hurts like a mother; fortunately, rays are quite skittish and you have to actually step on one for it to sting you. Shuffle your feet when entering or exiting the water - the cloud of san…
reviewed
-
G
Praia da Lua
Manaus's best beach is a short boat ride up the Rio Negro and can be coupled with a visit to the Museu do Seringal for a nice city escape. The sand is surprisingly fine and the water good for swimming, despite the tea-color. Like all river beaches, Lua is biggest when the water is low (November and December) and smallest when it's high (June and July). Trees provide some shade, but the midday sun can be intense. Semi-permanent eateries serve fish and beer at tables set up along the water.
The big drawback: no toilets. Catch a boat to Praia da Lua (10 minutes) from Marina Davi. just past Ponta Negra. Take Bus 011, 012, or 120 (20 minutes) to the turnaround and wait for the…
reviewed
-
H
Porto Flutuante
Officially called the Estação Hidroviária de Manaus, the Porto Flutuante is where you'll disembark if you come to Manaus by boat. Inaugurated in 1902 and designed by the British, it was considered a technical marvel because it rises and falls with seasonal water levels, which can vary as much as 14m (annual high-water points are marked on the wall beside the bridge leading to the dock). It's quite a scene, with cargo and passengers being loaded and unloaded.
You used to be able to just wander around, but it is now restricted to passengers only. A bridge just to the right of the port entrance leads to a very pleasant shopping and eating area with good views of the docks…
reviewed
-
I
Teatro Amazonas
Manaus’s famous opera house, the Teatro Amazonas, was designed in eclectic neo-classical style by engineers from Lisbon and a team of interior designers at the height of the rubber boom. Opened in 1896, this beautiful theater symbolizes the opulence that once was Manaus. The artists and most of the materials (Italian marble and glass, Scottish cast iron) were imported from Europe. The wood is Brazilian, but even some of that was sent to Europe to be carved. One truly homespun feature is the roadway outside the entrance; it is made of rubber, so that late-arriving carriages wouldn’t create too much noise. The theater has been restored four times (most recently in 1990).…
reviewed
-
J
Estação das Docas
An ambitious renovation project converted three down-at-heel riverfront warehouses into a terrific commercial and gathering center. Estação das Docas has restaurants, artsy shops, a small theater, plus a post office and ATMs. There are also interesting displays, in Portuguese and English, about the founding of Belém and the growth and importance of the shipping trade here. The waterfront promenade is lined with attractive yellow cranes, further reminders of Belém’s port-town roots, and outdoor tables with great lunchtime views. There’s live music most nights, performed from a moving platform up in the rafters, slowly rolling the length of the dining area.
reviewed
-
K
Museo do Círio
From the discovery of a tiny statue of Mary in a riverbank in 1700, to idiosyncrasies of the massive procession of today, the handsome new Círio Museum breaks down Belém’s famous religious festival, the Círio de Nazaré. There’s the story of how, in 1855, a rope was used to steady the statue’s carriage, and has since become an integral part of the march, with the faithful jostling for a chance to pull or touch it. The rope was banned by the church for being ‘unsanctified,’ then brought back by public demand. It’s grown along with the festival – at last measure, it was 400m long and weighed over a thousand pounds. Explanations are in Portuguese only.
reviewed
-
L
Palácio Antonio Lemos & MABE
This rubber-boom palace served as the city hall between 1860 and 1883. By the early 1990s the palace was virtually abandoned, with animals roaming around inside, but it underwent renovation and once again houses the municipal government headquarters as well as the Museo de Arte de Belém (MABE).
Constructed in the Brazilian imperial style, the building has a grand central staircase of Portuguese marble. The museum upstairs has gorgeous wood floors - cloth slippers are provided at the entrance - and a fine collection of Brazilian 20th-century paintings, including Cândido Portinari's 1957 oil Seringal.
reviewed
Advertisement
-
M
Open-Air Food Court
A busy open-air food court occupies part of the long narrow park between the split lanes of Av Capitan Garcez. A slew of mom-and-pop restaurants have tables set up under a high awning, serving cheap tasty Brazilian fare. There's occasionally live music, but the lively, family-friendly ambiance is the real draw here.
At the top end of the same park are a restaurant quartet: a pizza joint, upscale Italian restaurant, midrange churrascaria, and Bob's, the ubiquitous fast-food burger chain. They occupy top and bottom floors of identical side-by-side buildings, and are open for lunch and dinner. Take your pick!
reviewed
-
N
Centro Cultural Palácio Rio Negro
The former home of eccentric German rubber baron Waldemar Scholz, the Centro Cultural Palácio Rio Negro was built in the early 1900s, and served for many years as the state capital and governor's residence. Converted into a cultural center in 1997, it now hosts temporary art exhibits and occasional concerts and performances in the eclectic main house. Other buildings contain a fine art gallery, a ho-hum coin museum, and a sound-and-image museum.
Free guided tours are available, usually in Portuguese, though you may get lucky and find an English-speaking docent.
reviewed
-
O
Lá em Casa
A little-known fact is that this Belém institution is in fact two restaurants side by side, neither of them called Lá em Casa. That's the old name, but the owners haven't bothered to take down the sign, and besides, you'll only get funny looks asking for the real names: ‘Vero-o-Pesinho' (per kilo R$29; open for lunch, closed Saturday) has a tasty self-serve spread in a casual bistro-like setting, while ‘O Outro' (mains R$16 to R$50; open for lunch Sunday only) is a formal glass-walled restaurant with international fare and expert service.
reviewed
-
Museu do Seringal Vila Paraíso
This museum is a 25-minute boat ride from Ponta Negra, which is itself a 20-minute bus ride from the center. Fortunately, the trip there is part of the fun, and can be combined with a stop at Praia da Lua, Manaus’ best beach. Guided tours include an opulent rubber baron’s townhouse and a replica rubber-tapper shack, and walking a short trail to see how rubber trees are tapped, and the latex processed in a thatched smokehouse. It’s a bit gimmicky but still interesting, and is the only place in Manaus to learn about this all-important history.
reviewed
-
Museu de Santarém
Housed in a large yellow waterfront mansion, the Museu de Santarém is also known as the Centro Cultural João Fona, after the Pará artist who painted the frescoes on its interior walls. The building dates from 1867 and has been a jail, city hall and courthouse. In addition to several paintings and documents related to the city’s founding, the museum features a small but excellent collection of stone pieces and pottery, including burial urns and ceremonial figurines, from the Tapajoara culture that flourished locally more than 6000 years ago.
reviewed
