By air
Manaus (MAO), ~14 km
South America · Brazil
Manaus and the Amazon, Brazil
The rainforest by river
Getting there
Best time to visit
June to November — lower water, more jungle trails
Don't miss
The Meeting of the Waters
The Amazon Theatre
The Anavilhanas
The Janauari Ecological Park
Things to do
Jungle-lodge stays
Canoe trips at dawn
Piranha fishing
The Meeting of the Waters
Where to eat
What to pack
Long sleeves, insect repellent, a headlamp
A quieter corner
The Anavilhanas archipelago's flooded forests
Questions travellers ask
When is the best time for an Amazon trip from Manaus?
June to November, when the water is lower and there are more jungle trails. Pack long sleeves, insect repellent and a headlamp.
What can I do in the Amazon around Manaus?
Stay in a jungle lodge, take a canoe trip at dawn, try piranha fishing and see the Meeting of the Waters. The Amazon Theatre and the Janauari Ecological Park are worth a visit too.
Where can I see the Amazon's flooded forests?
Head to the Anavilhanas archipelago — its flooded forests are a hidden gem.
What local dishes should I try in Manaus?
Tambaqui fish, tacacá soup and tropical fruit.
About Manaus and the Amazon
- Riverside
- Forest
Where it is
Manaus, the capital of Amazonas state in northern Brazil, stands on the Rio Negro just above its meeting with the Solimões, the two forming the Amazon, deep in the rainforest far inland from the Atlantic. It is reached mainly by air or by river.
History
The Portuguese built a fort here in 1669, and the town that grew around it took its name from the Manaós people. The rubber boom of the late 19th century made Manaus one of Brazil's richest cities, paying for the Amazon Theatre and for electric lighting before many European cities had it, until plantations in Southeast Asia broke the Amazon's monopoly; a free trade zone, remodelled in 1967, revived it.
People
Many Manauaras are caboclos, of mixed Indigenous and European descent, and Indigenous peoples such as the Sateré-Mawé, Baré and Tukano live in and around the city. Tacacá soup, tambaqui fish and tucumã palm fruit are local staples, and the Boi-Bumbá festival of Parintins, downriver, is the region's great celebration.
Known for
- The Meeting of the Waters
- The Amazon Theatre opera house
- Jungle lodges and river trips
- The Anavilhanas archipelago
- Pink river dolphins
Did you know?
At the Meeting of the Waters, the dark Rio Negro and the sandy Solimões flow side by side without mixing for about 6 km, because they differ in temperature, speed and the sediment they carry.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.