Amazon River & surrounds: How much is practical in 3 weeks?
 

Greetings,
We are starting to plan a three-week trip to Northern Brazil in 2015 and need some help getting a handle on realistically how much we can see. We are experienced travelers in our 60s.

We have been to Brazil two other times and are therefore focusing on the Amazon River area, ending up somewhere on a nice swimming beach for 5-7 days.

In my preliminary reading, it sounds like May is a good time to visit but we are flexible.

We are open to a several-night river cruise, suggestions for visiting places such as Fortaleza/Pipa, Fernando de Noronha and whichever other cities such as Belém, Santarém, etc. might be worth a peek. (It sounds like we might have to see Manaus transportation wise, but I am not positive that’s the case.)

Any input that would help us create a manageable itinerary would be most welcome. Thanks!

Can't help you with Amazon since I, like most brazilians, have not been there.

Fortaleza and Pipa are in different states (Ceara and Rio Grande do Norte). With one week, I would choose one or another.

If you choose Rio Grande do Norte, you could spend 2-3 nights in Pipa and the rest in Natal, the capital of the state, which has great beaches as well, such as Jenipabu. Or, if you choose Ceara, 2-3 nights in Fortaleza and 4-5 in Jericoacoara. Canoa Quebrada is a great beach as well, where you could spend 2-3 nights.

Fernando de Noronha deserves a whole week and it is a very, very expensive destination. It is very beautiful as well. May is not the perfect time to go there because of rain, but it usually does not last long. Most important is to check the tides forecast and go when there are low tides.

Another suggestion is the Pernambuco state. Recife is a nice city, where you may spend two nights and the rest in Porto de Galinhas and Carneiros, two great beaches. Again, I suggest you check the tides forecast, in order to enjoy the natural pools.

From Recife or Natal the flights to Fernando de Noronha are usually less expensive.

You can't go wrong in the brazilian northeast coast. All states are amazing.

Thanks...in a previous trip we had the pleasure of staying both in Recife and Porto de Galinhas thus will do a bit more exploring of the other areas you mentioned.

We are pretty flexible schedule-wise. What time of year would you suggest?

Hopefully other travelers can chime in on the Amazon portion since that would be the main reason for our third visit.

Cheers.

From august to november you'll find less rain and prices are less expensive, if you avoid national holidays. Since you're also going to Manaus, which is very hot and humid, I think that august is the perfect time to go. From october weather starts to get very hot.

Thanks.

May was in contention because it apparently is toward the end of the Amazon's high water season which several sources thought helped with being closer to the trees/animals or some such.

We've usually traveled in Brazil over the Christmas holidays which can be pretty nuts as you probably well know. Now we're retired, thus the travel flexibility.

I see, same is true about the Pantanal area. Well, you'll have to choose between a higher chance of seeing animals in amazon area and a higher chance of rain in the beaches area. Since the weather is actually unpredictable, may can be a good bet.

Yes, Christmas holidays are very crowded. Actually, I strongly advise against coming in any holiday and the months of july and january, because of school breaks. There are no national holidays in august and in may I recommend avoiding the labor day.

oregonian: if you wat to see the Amazon(Solimoes and Rio Negro), then do it. Those many NE Brazil towns are all quite beautiful and resorty. Instead, hire a launch with cook and captain and guide and get to the see the heart of the river country. We did this and found it to be more autentico than floating around resort area. Visit the villages especially, etc. I will post pics below to familiarize you with the area. The rubber barons opera house in Manaus is worth a visit. see pix.

Tower,
Thanks much...great pictures. How long were you on the boat, and how did you locate the particular one you chose?
OM

Hi - we had a great time in that area of Brazil 2 years ago - our itinerary was

- Toronto to Sao Paolo to Manaus/overnight Manaus - could have spent 2 nights there easily
- 3 nights at Uakari Floating Lodge (flight to Tefe then boat trip to Lodge - great place!)

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev..._Amazonas.html

- then we spent 5 nights in Pipa (flew to Natal/cab to Pipa). Lovely beaches and a fun, becoming chic town with some great restaurants. We stayed about 10 minutes by foot from the beach at this cute Pousada

http://moradadosventos.com/en/

- then we spent 4 nights in Salvador - fascinating city (beaches nearby). Stayed in a stunning penthouse apartment

http://www.flipkey.com/salvador-condo-rentals/p308630/

Oregonian: We were on the boat for 5 days. Found the boat through a Miami operative when they cancelled a standard 16-passenger riverboat. The guide's information I can send to you. He's based in Manaus and is excellent. That's him in the pix. Have just moved 60 miles to Ventura, Ca. after my wife passed away...still unpacking.

Found it!

Francisco "Chico" da Silva
Rua Da Paz #189A
Compensa #1 69-035
Manaus Tel: 625-1905

The company he had been with prior to that was:

Selene Tur
Av. Djalma Batista
385 Conjunto 104, Sao Gerardo, Manaus, Amazonia, Brasil
Tel: 233-7588 (They can put you in touch with him if necessary).

I have no email information on either, we did it all by phone, recommended by those people in Miami, information lost.)Look at the name of the motor launch and use it in your correpondence.

Tower and Elizabeth...
Thanks very much!
OM (PS Tower, sincere condolences on the death of your wife. Never an easy time no matter what the circumstances.)

Tower: my condolences on your wife's death.

Tower - please accept my condolences as well.

OregonMaiden

Here are a few links to our blog - it never quite got finished but there are some entries that relate to your itinerary

Amazon

http://lizandrichardsa.typepad.com/b...-from-rio.html

Pipa

http://lizandrichardsa.typepad.com/b...2/02/pipa.html

Salvador

http://lizandrichardsa.typepad.com/b...-favellas.html

Thank you all for your kind words of condolence.

Hi Liz,
Was Pipa a swimming beach?
Thx.
OM

Yes - lots of nice beaches although the in town ones were crowded. There were less crowded options a short walk/bike ride away though.

It seems like you alluded to the lack of beach cleanliness in one of your posts (or am I hallucinating :-) We love ocean swimming and are trying to sort out Pipa versus Natal, for example, regarding safety, cleanliness and just pure fun in the water...

Pipa is a touristic beach village, developed from a small fishing village. Natal is a city, a medium size coastal city with beaches. Difference is scale and ambience.