Centro de Recepcão de Visitantes

The Itaipú Dam is highly impressive; at some 8km long and 200m high, it is a memorable sight, especially when the river is high and a vast torrent of overflow water cascades down the spillway. The Centro de Recepcão de Visitantes is 10km north of Foz. From here, regular tours ( visita panorâmica; R$19) run daily at 8am, 9am, 10am, 2pm, 3pm and 3:30pm; more detailed ones ( circuito especial; R$36), which take you into the power plant itself, leave daily at 8:30am, 9am, 10:30am, 11am, 2pm, 2:30pm, 4pm and 4:30pm. There are extra visits at weekends (when there are also floodlit night viewings available), as well as a variety of other attractions within the complex, including a museum, wildlife park and river beaches.