Pará

If you came to the Amazon to see primary rainforest, look no further than the Floresta Nacional do Tapajós. Wildlife is a possibility – from birds to primates and even the (very) occasional jaguar – but it's the sense of deep forest and some of the largest trees anywhere that are the real drawcards here. Access is from either Santarém or Alter do Chão.

The floodplains east and southeast of Santarém are among the Amazon's most rewarding excursions. Flooded for much of the year, the plains are home to fabulous birdlife (including toucans and macaws), pink dolphins, howler monkeys, sloths and anacondas. The sunrise and sunset views are pure magic and there's a real sense of tranquility out here. Take an overnight boat trip, go canoeing through the flooded forest and relax far from the tourist hordes. Gil Serique organizes especially enjoyable excursions here.

Alter do Chão, 33km west of Santarém, is an appealing, languid riverside town that's popular with visitors from Santarém on weekends and during holiday periods. It's best known for its Ilha do Amor (Island of Love), a picturesque island ringed by a white-sand beach directly in front of town.

But Alter do Chão is much more than a beach town. The lagoon it fronts (Lago Verde) can be explored by canoe or stand-up paddle board. It's also the departure point for boat tours to nearby forest reserves and isolated communities, and has one of the best indigenous art stores in the Amazon region.

The eastern gateway to the Amazon region and a destination in its own right, Belém is worth at least a couple of days of your life. It's a rewarding city, with streets and parks shaded by mango trees, the pastel facades of once-decadent mansions now fading in the tropical sun, as well as a number of fascinating museums, pungent markets and decent restaurant-bars. It's also a launchpad for overnight trips to Algodoal and Ilha de Marajó, both appealing coastal destinations.

The small fishing village of Algodoal on Ilha de Maiandeua exchanges cars and paved roads for expansive views over firm, windswept beaches and a sometimes turbulent sea. A popular getaway for young belenenses, Algodoal is jam-packed during a few frenetic months in the summer and over certain holidays, and quiet and virtually abandoned during down periods. If you catch it when it's quiet, it's one of northern Brazil's best hideaways. It's 180km northeast of Belém.

The hills close to the dusty provincial town of Monte Alegre shelter one of the Amazon's most important archaeological sites – the rock paintings here, which may date back more than 13,000 years, have changed the way that historians understand the human history of the region. You'll need at least a two-day round-trip from Santarém, which is 120km upstream, to make the trip here worthwhile. The town itself is a fairly unappealing place, and it sees very few tourists.

This small kiosk just west of the center serves the best tacacá (local soup with shrimp) we've tasted in Brazil. A late-afternoon bowl of this local favorite will set you up nicely for the night ahead.