From Wikitravel

Manaus is a Brazilian city of about 2.5 million, located on the Rio Negro a few miles before it meets the Rio Solimões to form the Amazon River proper. The two rivers flow side by side for many miles, different in color, mixing in eddies: the "Meeting of the Waters." Legend has it that they never mix.

[edit] Understand

The wealth of the primeval forest becomes visible first of all in the architecture of the city. The city enriched and the rubber barons afforded the biggest luxury from Europe, a copy the Grand Opera de Paris - the Teatro Amazonas. Other monuments from this epoch are the Mercado Municipal, a copy of the famous market halls Les Halles in Paris, and the arts center Palacio Rio Negro, located among fascinating Portuguese facades. Today Manaus is a foreign trade zone. Foreign enterprises must pay here no import duties, what guarantees a certain income for the city and the region. Electronics, wood industry and oil refineries have settled in the outskirts in industrial areas. The harbour is the most important trading center for the care of the city with regional, national and international products.

The city is pleasant and friendly, although quite hot, and is still a major port, and a good starting point for river tours.

The Rio Negro (northern) branch of the Amazon is the color of strong tea, peaty brown and its comparative acidity means few mosquitoes. At Manaus the Amazon rises and falls almost twenty meters between seasons. In May and June it's at its peak, full and very wide, spreading way out into the trees. In November and December it's low; still massive but with sandbars.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By plane

Manaus is about 2200 km from São Paulo or Rio de Janeiro which takes about four hours by air. From North America, it's much faster if you go direct without backtracking via SP or Rio. From Europe, you first have to go North/Central America (which is too far west) or SP/Rio (too far south), so both ways are about the same distance.

• TAM [1] and United Airlines [2]are flying once daily direct Miami - Manaus which takes less than 5 hours in a Boeing 767-300.
• Copa Airlines[3] also does Miami-Manaus via Panama in an Embraer 190.
• Azul Airlines [4] has direct flights to Campinas.
• GOL [5] flies nonstop from Rio (6 days a week, except Saturday), Sao Paulo (2x daily) and Brasilia (3x daily).
• TAM [6] has direct flights to Belem, Brasilia, Boa Vista, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paolo, Santarem
• TRIP [7] has direct flights to Belem, Belo Horizonte, Porto Velho and other municipalities in northern Brazil.

[edit] By boat

Manaus is a major destination for boats on the Amazon River. From Belém on the Atlantic Coast, it takes about five days. Boats go to Porto Velho two-three times per week. Tabatinga on the border with Colombia can also be reached by boat from Manaus, with connections further on to Iquitos in Peru.

[edit] By bus

Due to road conditions, there is very little (if any) long-distance bus service originating from major cities in Brazil. There are daily buses to Boa Vista in the north and to destinations in Venezuela. The bus from Caracas in Venezuela takes about 36 hours, but it is air-conditioned, has comfortable reclining seats and a toilet.

[edit][add listing] See

• Opera House (Teatro Amazonas). n/n Praça São Sebastião, Center, +55 92 3622-1880. Everyday, starting time of shows may vary. The Opera House was built during the heyday of rubber trade, using materials from all over the world, and was once visited by all the most famous opera divas and maestros. Regular guided tours in English. There are frequent free performances; be sure to arrive at least an hour in advance to secure a seat. Prices vary.

• Mercado Municipal. n/n Rua dos Barés, +55 92 3234-8441. Every day, 8AM-10PM. The city's main market is modeled after the Les Halles market in Paris.

• Natural Science Museum (Museu de Ciencias Naturais da Amazônia). n/n Estrada Belem , Colonia Cachoeria Grande. Few locals visit this museum, know about it, or would even want to, considering that it's basically critters they'd find (almost) in their backyard. For visitors, though, it's a chance to see a live pirarucu and other fauna (mostly preserved) of the region. The museum was constructed single-handedly by a Japanese entomologist (specializing in butterflies) with his own money and resources. It's out of the way and about half an hour by taxi. The nearby INPA is a preserve and research center with birds and other wildlife.

• Rio Negro Palace. 1546 Av. 7 de Setembro , +55 92 3232-4450. Call for information on attractions. The Rio Negro Palace was built by German farmers in the "golden age". Nowadays it's a cultural center and theater. It's one of the city's postcards. Prices vary.

• Ponta Negra Beach it's a nice spot,and popular river beach. It has several bars and restaurants and is some distance west of the city.

• Praia da Lua Beach very clean and nice river beach a few kilometers from Ponta Negra upstream the Rio Negro. Access by shared motorized canoe from Estalagem de David.

• Paricatuba Waterfall is on the right bank of the Negro River, along a small tributary, is formed by sedimentary rocks, surrounded by abundant vegetation. Access is by boat. The best time to visit is from August to February.

• Love Cascade is in the Guedes bayou, with cold and crystal clear water, is accessible only by boat and, then, hiking through the Forest.

• The National Park of Jaú The Park is situated in the lowland plateau in the Western Amazon and North of Amazon state, it is one of the largest National Park in Brazil and in Latin America. It is 2,272,000 hectares in size and 1,250 km of perimeter. It was created on 24th September 1980. It is of paramount importance in ecological terms for its high endemism and richness of its wild flora and fauna. Part of the Park area constitutes of varzea denominated as Pluvial Lowland .Terra firme (formlands)is divided in two: (1) large flat tops separated by shallow valleys occupying the largest area, and (2) small hills on a higher level. There are small areas which are flattened by sand sediments in the Park central part. Open Forest is predominant throughout represented by either Tidal Flat Open Palm Forest especially in varzeas (wet lands) alongside Jau and Carabinani rivers, or Tidal Flat Canopy Dense Forests. In the tidal flat areas, frequently flooded, alongside the Carabinani and Jau rivers there are a great number of palm trees such as paxiúbas (Iriarte spp), cabbage palm (Euterpe oleraceae) and Jauaria (Astrocaryon spp). In older tidal areas, rarely flooded, the predominant palms are miriti and carana (Mauritia spp). Many other tree species are found in the Park area, some of them with commercial value such as Brazilnut tree (Bertholletia excelsa) and sucupira (Bowdichia virgilioides) and others.

For details on the Jaú National Park and other nearby attractions, see the Get out section below.

[edit][add listing] Do

[edit] Adventure trips to the rainforest

There are a number of companies operating jungle adventure trips from Manaus, but only a few seem to be more established and reputable. First you need to check if the Tour Operator has a valid Embratur (Brazilian Tourim Board) registry. Then you make up your mind what you really want. You need to travel at least 100km from Manaus to see virgin rain forest and the wild life you are looking for.

• Location of trip

There are basically two main areas which you can explore: the Rio Negro basin and the South of Rio Amazonas. Both of these regions are (sparsely) inhabited, so you will not be completely isolated from civilization. If you want to make a trip to a reserve or a remote area, ask for a special expedition package and plan to pay much more and spend a few days for the transfer to and from the reserve. Rio Negro is an area that is great for the jungle vegetation and for the lack of mosquitoes (due to the acidity of the river). Unfortunately, the lack of mosquitoes means there are a lot fewer animals that live there. The South of Rio Amazonas is a network of rivers, lakes and channels. There are mosquitoes and wildlife, however, there are quite a lot of houses and farms -- and thus civilization is a lot more visible. Most tours go to or through lake Mamori. There are quite a lot of jungle things to see around the lake, but do not expect pristine nature due to all the farming going on around the lake. There is a reserve nearby called Jurara. It also seems to be inhabited and there is not much difference between the reserve and lake Mamori. A better option may be a trip to lake Juma which is a special protected area.

• Time of travel

There are two seasons in the Amazon basin: wet season and dry season. During the dry season it's very hot (that means 40 C plus the humidity) and thus may be unbearable for some. As well, many channels and rivers dry out. On the other hand, fishing is much easier since all fish concentrates in the remaining water basins. During the wet season, it rains almost every day. When there is a storm, the amount of rain may be overwhelming. Thus, if traveling in wet season, be prepared to get wet and not dry out until the end of your trip. During the season the rivers and lakes rise several meters and many new channels are formed in the flooded jungle. Temperature-wise, the weather is more bearable and only the humidity will be a problem. The wet season lasts roughly January to July, with the best time to visit the jungle May to August.

• Equipment

If you travel during the wet season, keep your important things like documents in (tested) waterproof bags/containers. Cotton clothes let your skin breathe but there is no chance that they will ever get dry. Some people find nylon/synthetic clothes to work well. Long sleeves and long pants are not 100% necessary but you will not regret wearing them. A flashlight is necessary for the night, as the jungle is pitch-black. A machete most probably will not be required on short/casual trips but is essential for longer expeditions. A lighter and a pocket knife are a good idea. The pocket knife is especially important since it can provide the only defense against the boa and the anaconda (indeed, attacks do occur). A mosquito repellent is most probably a very smart idea. It keeps other bugs away too and it reduces the risk of being infected by a disease-carrying insect. However, the number of mosquitoes in the jungle is not completely overwhelming, so for longer expeditions you may consider getting used to them. Additionally, a good guide can show you some natural repellents available in the jungle. Sun block is needed especially during the dry season. Otherwise, keep your luggage to the minimum. Do not take things you do not really need.

• Dictionary of trip operators:
  • native people - people who live in the region. Most of the time that means, with Portuguese descend. These are not aboriginal inhabitants.
  • native guide - a guide who is a native (see native people). If at all, usually speaks only marginal English.
  • explore the meeting of the waters - a 10-second chance to glance at it while crossing the river on a speedboat.

[edit] Tour operators

If you take a river tour, go up the Rio Negro. From a three-night river boat trip from Manaus up the Rio Negro with a guide, you can expect to see some wildlife and visit some of the forest remnants, but two weeks or more are needed to reach untouched areas. Small two-story river boats carry five to ten people, sleeping in hammocks on the upper deck. Large boats carrying hundreds ply the river too, but the big boats don't stop between ports. The most popular place for jungle tours is Lake Mamori/Lake Juma about 100km south of Manaus. Other recommended areas are Rio Urubu about 200 km east of and Novo Airão about 100 km northwest of Manaus. Make sure that your travel agency has a valid Embratur (Brazilian Tourism Board) registration.

• Amazon BackPackers Tour, Rua Dez de Julho 679, (inside Hotel 10 de Julho), ☎ +55 92 9168-4543, [8]. Amazon Backpackers has been in business for over 15 years. They offer jungle excursions, boat trips, river tours, fishing tours and survival trips. They operate on Lake Mamori, Lake Juma, Rio Tupana and Parque Jau. They offer Hotel/Hostel booking and airport transfer service.

• Amazon Juma Tour, ☎ +55 92 9184-8452 [9]- Avenida Eduardo Ribeiro 629- Room- 212 above the Skina dos Sucos. They organize and do jungle tours to different areas of the Amazon (Juma Lake area, Tracajá, Rio Negro river)and Boat tours exploring different rivers of the Amazon. Their goal is to show the Amazon in its authentic way in small groups and with bilingual guides.

• Amazon Tree Climbing, ☎ +55 92 8195 8585 (info@amazontreeclimbing.com),[10]. Ecotourism, nature and adventure travel specializing in tree climbing and boat expeditions and working with small closed groups. Follows rigid safety protocols according to the Brazilian adventure tourism standards.The trees are previously inspected and the climb sites are carefully chosen – they opt for primary forest area, which gives a better chance of observing the wildlife in its natural habitat. Multilingual guides with solid cultural background, and top quality equipment. Trips vary from 1 day to longer customized boat expeditions at the Rio Negro basin.

• Amazing Tours Agency, Av.Getulio Vargas Centro N.694, (inside Natureba Hostel), ☎ +55 92 8165-1118, [11]. Young jungle guides, who will make your journey to the Amazon region interesting, enriching and with great fun. They support “Church of Compassionate Ministries“ and their local friends, who are working deep in the Amazon jungle to preserve wildlife, nature and the culture of indigenous communities.

[edit][add listing] Eat

Local cuisine is rich and varied and can be found in many restaurants and stalls. You may try tapioquinha, a glutinous pancake made from manioc starch, usually buttered and filled with tucumã palm fruit and farmer’s cheese. Or tacacá, an Amazon local soup. Or pamonha, made from green corn and coconut milk boiled in corn husks. Or bolo de macaxeira, a tasty glutinous translucent cake made from manioc. Or sugar cane juice, a favorite drink among locals. The region is also known for its exotic fruits like creamy white cupuaçú and iron-rich açaí.

• Restaurante da Charufe- Address: 26 Maceio Street - beside the Ministério da Agricultura (Rua Maceió, 26, ao lado do Ministério da Agricultura). Best lebanese food in town, the famous paella and special local homely fish dishes. The famous chef opens her restaurant at home only for lunch from Mondays to Fridays. Feijoada (delicious black beens stew) on Saturdays at previous reservation. Phone nr. 55 (92) 9128-4628. E-mail: charufenasser@hotmail.com. All credit cards accepted.

• Açaí e Companhia, Address: Rua Acre, 98 - Vieiralves, phone number (Phone: 55-(92) 3635-3637). Open 10AM to 12AM. Nice atmosphere. Regional dishes. Good service. Sometimes live musi
• Canto da Peixada, Address: Rua Emílio Moreira, 1677 - Praça 14, Phone: 55-(92) 3234-3021. Great local fish selection.

• Scarola Restaurant and Pizzaria: [12] Traditional Restaurant near the Amazon Theater open for lunch with self service buffet and dinner a la carte. Famous for their Pizza and Barbecue Grill. Delivery service available. Rua 10 de Julho, No. 739 at the corner with Av. Getulio Vargas.

• Casa da Sopa, Soup buffet. Highly recommended.
• For international food in Manaus, the Miako and Suzuran offer Japanese food; there’s a Korean restaurant on the “Boulevard”, superb Italian food at Gianni's, and there is a home that serves delicious Peruvian dishes downtown near Cortez Casa de Câmbio.
• Peixaria Morongueta, Rua Jaith Chaves, 30 - Porto da Ceasa, ☎ 3615-3362. 11:00-23:00. Open-air seafood restaurant with a fantastic view of the Meeting of the Waters. Moderately priced, offering fresh local (i.e., Amazonian) fish and traditional Brazilian dishes. $$.  edit

[edit][add listing] Drink

• Bar do Armando, Largo do São Sebastião (Acros the square from the Theatro Amazonas). Every evening until midnight. Lively crowd, simple setting, excellent location. Prices are a bit stiff, and for snacks they are downright ridiculous. Large beer R$ 5, small sandwich R$ 7.  edit
• Upscale dancingat the Tropical Hotel.

Middle class: Tukannu’s, Coração Blue near the Ponta Negra. General public: Deus Me Livre, Municipal, Meu Dengo, Kitabom.

• Tuesdays(!) and Fridays have hundreds and hundreds of people gather at a string of drinking shacks known as Calçadão da Suframa. Some have live music, often forró. One spot is Casa do Terror, a cobwebbed hole-in-the-wall where a shirtless Cearense in a cowboy hat spins old LP’s of boleros and bregas. R$ 20-30 by cab from the centre.

Crocodillo in O centro is a dance club with decent music and reasonable drink prices.

• Festivals Festivals are usually held in the Sambódromo, a huge stadium on Rua Constantino Nery. Carnaval is held here as well as many other festivals, including Manaus’s popular Boi.
• Gay: The two main clubs are Humps and A2, both located in the city centre.

[edit][add listing] Sleep

[edit] Budget

Lots of cheap hotels and pensões can be found around Av. Joaquim Nabuco. Private rooms start at 30 Reais. Pay 30-50 Reais more for a room near the Teatro Amazonas.

• Hotel Brasil Av. Getúlio Vargas, 657 - Centro Manaus, Phone: 55 92 xx 30824732, Email: E-Mail. Central location. about 75-80R per night

• Hotel Colonial: [13] 12 Rooms for up to 6 people in historic building recently reformed. All rooms with private bathroom, frigobar and cable TV, wireless Internet and complementary breakfast. Rua Quintino Bocaiuva, 462, Centró. Tel: +55(92)3233-3216.

• Continental, Rua Coronel Sergio Pessoa 189, 233-3342. A few blocks removed from the main strip; pleasant and economical.

• Hostel Natureba (20), Av.getuio vargas N.694 (Manaus amazonas), ☎ (55)92 91315548, [14]. checkin: 12:00pm; checkout: 12:00pm. Rooms are extremely basic and the hotel is a bit falling apart, but it's a good deal and you can't beat location. Free wifi in some rooms and common areas. 50/60 Rs double with fan/ac (,5) edit

• Estrela, Center, Rua Pedro Botelho, 162, Phone (55-92-xx) 3233-4538, clean and cheap: Us$ 15/single, good place to find amazon jungle tours and trips in and out of Manaus.

• Jangada, Rua dos Andradas, opposite Rio Branco. Rooms with private bathroom, a/c and tv for 35 reais. Very clean.Brazil Phone: 55 92 xx 30824732 Email: E-Mail

• Rio Branco, Rua dos Andradas 484, 233-4019. A real backpacker dive. Rooms are tiny and in some cases without windows. Cheap clean rooms with Frigobar, Phone, Air condition, Safe service, breakfast and room service.

• Pensão Sulista: [15] Traditional Hotel in historic building from 1904. Rooms with Fan and TV. Complementary breakfast, wireless Internet access and private parking. Rates start at R$30 for single room, Hostel option R$ 25/person. Av. Joaquim Nabuco, No.347, Centró. Tel: +55 (92) 3234-5814.

• Amazon Hostel: [16] Located 5 minutes from the Amazon Theater. 20 Rooms with A/C and cable TV up to 4 people. Free breakfast, wireless Internet and other facilities. R$ 15 - US$ 9 per person. Rua Dez de Julho, 685, Centro. Email: amazonhostelmanaus@gmail.com.

• Mamori Lodge: [17] Family run Jungle Lodge on Parana de Mamori about 60km south of Manaus. Chalets with A/C, private rooms with fan and dormitory. 3 meals daily and bilingual guides for jungle tours available.

• Juma Adventure Lodge: [18] Family run Jungle Lodge on Rio Juma about 80km south of Manaus. Private rooms with fan and private bathroom and dormitory. 3 meals daily and bilingual guides for jungle tours available.

[edit] Mid-range

• Ariau Towers, Amazon Rain Forest - Manaus, Brazil, ☎ 305-371-7871, [19]. High above the Amazon Rainforest - 35 miles from Manaus, Brazil, Ariau Amazon Towers is a luxury, eco-friendly treetop hotel in Brazil, built in the treetop canopy of the Amazon Jungle, with unique treetop suites, elevated catwalks and Amazon vacation packages.  edit

• Continental Hotel, Estrada dos Japoneses, n.238, Parque 10, Phone:92-3642-6232 E-Mail. Rooms have Minibar, cable TV and Broadband Wifi Internet Service, 24 hour Room service, Single with breakfast US$29.99.

• Manaus Jungle Hostel (45), Av.Getulio vargas N.694 Centro (Manaus Amazonas), ☎ (92)91867133 -81651118, [20]. checkin: 08:30; checkout: 17:00. The Manaus Jungle Hostel is a budget lodge 70km from Manaus at the Ariau River close to the Ariau Towers Hotel, popular with backpackers. Prices include pickup from airport and downtown hotel/hostel, transfer with hostel boad from Manaus, accommodation and full boarding, all jungle activities with bi-lingual guides R$95. (78,5 days) edit

• Tiwa Amazonas Ecoresort, [21]. Clean, comfortable, air conditioned cabins over a private lagoon. Buffet-style meals included (typically traditional Brazilian dishes and local fish), as well as a program of guided tours in English and other languages. $$.  edit

• Camu Camu Lodge, Rio Tupana, BR 319, km 175, Phone:92-3213-8891 92-9168-4543 [22] New jungle lodge on the Rio Tupana 180km south of Manaus. Chalets with private bathroom and Restaurant with panoramic view. Jungle tours in the Tupana reserve, known for rich fauna and flora, primary rain forest and fishing resources.

[edit] Splurge

• Tropical Manaus Eco Resort - Av Coronel Teixeira, 1320, phone 00-XX-55-92-3658-3899. mailto:info@manaus-hotels.travel. In the Amazon Forest, on the banks of the Negro River. It has 588 apartments and a large complex of hotel, events, sports, and tourism and leisure services. It is 10 km from the Brigadeiro Eduardo Gomes International Airport and 16 km from downtown Manaus.

[edit] Stay healthy

The climate is very hot and humid. Packing thin, light-colored clothing will help you suffer the least during the day. There are also many mosquitoes known to carry malaria, so wear long sleeve shirts and pants and insect repellent. There is little cotton or natural fiber clothing available in Manaus, so don’t count on being able to pick up something on short notice. People seem to prefer synthetic materials, which have the advantage of drying easily without molding.

[edit] Stay safe

Violent crime against tourists in Manaus is highly uncommon. However, avoid robbery by avoiding crowded or deserted places. From 5-7AM and 7-8PM, the buses are packed with people going to and from work, so avoid public transportation during this time. Pick-pocketing takes many forms: it could be a well-dressed teenager on a crowded bus, or 2 middle-aged women pretending to look at wooden spoons in the market. Avoid the east zone, it has a really bad reputation in Manaus for being dangerous

Be very careful of other drivers, because of the bad traffic in the city they drive for a long time to reach their destination (thus very fast).

Do not buy tours from people at the airport or on the street in Manaus. Not only are you likely to get ripped off, you will never get your money back. The best guides are hired by the best companies; the best shysters don’t work for the best companies. If you don’t want to book a tour before arriving and want to book a tour in Manaus use a reputable published guidebook first or just look for the official tourist information center (CAT), they'll help you out and even make free calls if required. Tour companies are relatively easy to find in downtown Manaus and many will meet you at no charge.

The tour companies (even the ones in Lonely Planet) tend to trick the tourists sometimes, they ask you "may I do the reservation?" if you say yes and later cancel they will want to charge you 25%. It is not legal unless they let you know about it and make you sign something, so remain alert. Ask other tour operators to check prices. Do not believe agents who claim to work in partnership. It's also not true. Prices vary, so take your time to search.

[edit] Get out

• Presidente Figueiredo – 105 km from Manaus, offers archaeological grottoes and caves, waterfalls, and native scenery.
• Sao Gabriel da Cachoeira - Home of many Indian tribes and the Pico da Neblina, the highest mountain in Brazil.
• Barcelos - Small town up the Rio Negro famous for white beaches, sport fishing and the highest waterfall in Brazil.
• Aruba, Curacao - TAF flies on the weekends to those destinations, 650 USD return.
• Boa Vista - By bus or with the national airlines, from Boa vista you can fly to Guyana and Suriname.
• Praia do Tupé – nearby white sand beach
• Manacapurú – Paraiso d’Angelo chalets on black water
• Parintins – boi festival in June
• Mauês – guaraná festival
• Venezuela by bus, 16 hours, Caracas 36 hours, TAM flies to Caracas (indirect route) 500 USD return.
• Jau National Park - Jungle expeditions leave Manaus for this huge park located between the cities of Novo Airão and Barcelos. The Park is a World Heritage site and stands out in the state of Amazonas. The closest city is Novo Airão, which is 150 km from the capital. The park itself is 220 km on a straight-line from Manaus.
• Manaus also offers Eco Tours for Mamori River AND Mamirauá at the south of the city near the Amazonas river reached by the Transamazônica road (an extension of the Pan-American road), for good Rainforest Tours.

This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!