Manaos Brazil Tourism & Travel Information Hotels Tours Airport Transfers

Manaos					Brazil

Manaos Travel Information

About Manaus

Manaus is the capital of the State of Amazonas, in the heart of the Brazilian rainforest and 1,500 Km. (1,450 mi.) away from the Atlantic Ocean (see map). Located in the north, in the confluence of rivers Negro and Amazon, it is one of the most important river ports in the country.

Manaus impresses with its natural beauty, ecological parks, river basins, and countless green areas (see photos). It is the starting point for adventure tourism in exotic Amazonia (see customers’ reviews).

Manaus is a colorful city, with a modern and an old shopping center, near the fluctuating port, where visitors can live and breathe its history. In the outskirts, different neighborhoods have been settled, and to the east, a high-technology industrial hub was established.

Manaus has a rich culture, fueled by rubber production and export in the late 19th Century. It features mansions and monuments of this period, in contrast with new buildings. Nightlife is concentrated on Av. Ponta Negra, parallel to Negro River, and in several restaurants and bars that offer music and artistic shows.

Manaus has a Free Trade Zone that has furthered the area’s development. The main Brazilian industries of electronic products, watches, glasses, bicycles and motorcycles, computers, and toys are present in this area and supply the domestic market.

The climate in Manaus and in the whole Amazon region is equatorial. In summer, from December to May, there are constant rainfalls and riverside areas are flooded. In winter, from June to November, the weather is rather dry -although with high temperatures-, particularly in September.

Hotels in Manaus

Hotels and apart hotels in Manaus are mostly concentrated downtown. They provide high-class facilities, and moderate rates, suitable for both business and pleasure travel.

In Ponta Negra, on the bank of Negro River, Tropical Manaus Hotel is located; this is a high-level hotel resort that offers excellent services and convention facilities.

There are hotels and inns right in the middle of the Amazon rainforest, available to adventurous travelers, which are accessed by boat. They provide full services: transportation, full board (except drinks), tours and guides. Buildings are safe, set in a quiet natural environment, without affecting the existing ecosystem (see packages).

Tours in Manaus

Tours in Manaus offer an opportunity to see the Amazon rainforest, enjoy the peace and quiet of the natural environment, and go sightseeing around the old buildings of the golden period, traces of its cultural relevance.

Manaus features several public beach resorts, such as Punta Negra, Tarumã, Tarumãzinho, and Cachoeira das Almas. More attractive, wilder beaches can only be accessed by boat. The most famous ones are Tupé Beach and Lua Beach.

Rivers and their tributaries in Manaus sometimes form waterfalls, such as Cachoeira do Leão, of cold, crystal waters, allowing visitors to bath and discover passages and paths within the grove.

Anavilhanas, the world’s largest archipelago of fluvial islands, is 100 Km. (62 mi.) away from Manaus, on Negro River. Its almost 400 islands are covered with native flora making up a real labyrinth, with white sandy beaches.

Waters converge some 10 Km. (6.2 mi.) away from Manaus, when the dark waters of Negro River meet muddy Solimöes River, running side by side without mingling, all along almost six kilometers (3.7 mi.), to later become Amazon River. This is an awe-inspiring phenomenon, caused by the differences in water density, temperature, and speed of the two rivers.

Other interesting places to travel around and learn about Amazon nature are the Adolpho Ducke Botanic Garden, Hindú Municipal Park, Bosque da Ciencia (Science Forest), and Zoológico do CIGS (CIGS Zoo).

In Manaus, the visits to Palacio Río Negro (Negro River Palace), the Customs House, Floating Port, Church of Our Lady of Conception, and Municipal Market, which offers most of the exotic products in the area, are bly recommended. The Amazon Theater is a magnificent building, of renaissance style, built in marble and ceramic tiles brought from Europe.

There is a large luxurious cruise, the Iberostar Grand Amazon, with capacity for 150 people, that leaves from Manaus and sails on Negro River and Amazon River. There are stops in several spots of the Amazon rainforest, which are explored on smaller boats.

Transportation and Car Rental in Manaus

The service of car rental in Manaus can be hired at the airport or downtown offices. Making reservations in advance is recommended.

Air access to Manaus is through Eduardo Gomes International Airport, 14 Km. (8.5 mi.) away from downtown. From there, visitors can hire shuttles, taxis, or buses, or rent a car.

Land access is rather complicated because visitors must first reach Belém (capital of the State do Pará) and then, on boat or raft, sail off to Manaus. Manaus has few roads connecting to neighboring cities.

The most popular option in Manaus is river transportation, with boats of various sizes and kinds, adapted for carrying cargo and/or passengers.

Tourist Information in Manaus

Tourist Information in Manaus can be obtained at the Secretaría de Estado da Cultura (Culture State Secretariat) or at the Tourist Information Center in downtown, at the Amazonas Shopping, and at Eduardo Gomes Airport Tourist Office.

Drinking mineral water, bringing comfortable and light clothes, shoes suitable for walking, insect repellent, and sunscreen is bly advised.