51 Best Sights in The Amazon, Brazil

A guided tour (call 48 hours in advance to reserve an English-speaking docent) begins in the early-18th-century baroque Igreja de Santo Alexandre (St. Alexander's Church), which is distinguished by intricate woodwork on its altar and pews. The church was abandoned for 40 years, resulting in much of the wood ceiling being lost to termites and water damage, but the areas that were restored are spectacular. On the second half of the tour, you see the museum's collection of religious sculptures and paintings.

The Indian Museum is maintained by Salesian Sisters, an order of nuns with eight missions in the upper Amazon. It displays handicrafts, weapons, ceramics, ritual masks, and clothing from the region's tribes. Although small, it is well-organized, and English-speaking guides are available. The gift shop sells traditional crafts such as necklaces made from seeds and feathers and baskets.

Founded by a naturalist and a group of intellectuals in 1866, this complex contains one of the Amazon's most important research facilities. Its museum has an extensive collection of indigenous artifacts, including the distinctive and beautiful pottery of the Marajó tribes, known as marajoara. A small forest has reflecting pools with giant water lilies. But the highlight is the botanical zoo, where you can visit a variety of Amazon wildlife, including jaguars, panthers, manatees, anacondas, macaws, sloths, and monkeys. As of this writing, the aquarium is closed for renovation.

The Pará State Museum is in the sumptuous Palácio Lauro Sodré (circa 1771), an Antônio Landi creation with Venetian and Portuguese elements. Consistently outstanding visiting exhibits are on the first floor; the second floor contains the permanent collection of furniture and paintings.

Nelsí Sadeck is a local guide with a wealth of information on cave paintings. He's a civil engineer by trade, but has assisted archaeologists in the region. Nelsí doesn't speak English (though you can email him in English), but he's still the best guide around. Contact him a few weeks in advance. Wear comfortable hiking clothes, sturdy shoes, sunscreen, and take lots of water, a light lunch, snacks. A full day tour costs R$450 for up to six people, and includes transportation in a four-wheel-drive vehicle. It's customary to tip the guide and driver. Plan to leave around 6:30 am and return at 8 pm.

The extravagant Rio Negro Palace was built at the end of the 19th century as the home of a German rubber baron and was later used as the official governor's residence. Today it houses some of the city's finest art exhibits and a cultural center. The Centro Cultuak Rio Negro, on the same property, has three daily screenings of art films and documentaries Tuesday through Friday and four screenings daily on weekends. Don't miss the cultural exhibits out back, which include a caboclo home (an indigenous home) and a cassava-processing house.

For decades this was the official residence of the governor of Pará; now it provides office space for the Secretaria de Cultura (SECULT; Executive Secretary of Culture), as well as public space. Within the park are a 400-seat theater, an orchid conservatory, an ice-cream parlor, a restaurant, and shaded spots to relax and soak in the atmosphere.

At this square you'll find a large statue that commemorates the proclamation of the Republic of Brazil, an amphitheater, and several French-style iron kiosks. On Sunday, vendors, food booths, and musical groups create a festival-like atmosphere that attracts crowds of locals.

Named after its crescent-shaped beach, Praia da Lua is on the Rio Negro, and is located 10 minutes away from Ponta Negra in Manaus. Avoid this beach on the weekends when the warm waters are overcrowded and noisy. Don't expect any frills here, just wooden tables and benches to eat your food at, and small restaurants selling pricey food and drinks from tents. Catch boats from the Marina do David at the end of Coronel Teixeira Avenue in Ponta Negra near the Tropical Hotel and expect to pay R$10 round-trip, per person. Amenities: food and drink. Best for: sunsets; swimming.

Known as the Copacabana of the Amazon, this beach is next to the Hotel Tropical and has restaurants, bars, sports, and nightlife facilities. The water is not always clean, so it's not great for swimming. But it's a good place to soak up a bit of the city's bustle. Amenities: food and drink; parking; toilets. Best for: partiers; sunset.

Coconut trees line the 8-km (5-mile) length of this beach, about 20-minutes (a 4-km/2-mile taxi ride) northeast of Soure. Here you may see flocks of scarlet ibis that appear out of nowhere. This beach tends to be much emptier than the nearby Praia da Barra, and you can swim in the small tributaries away from the main river. Amenities: none. Best for: solitude; sunset; swimming; walking.

This lovely, clean beach on the Rio Negro is popular with locals and tends to fill up on Sunday and holidays. Calm waters make it a good choice for children. Visitors will sometimes be greeted by members of a local tribe dancing, but beware that you will be charged for taking part in the festivities (around R$10 per person). A selection of simple beach kiosks serves fresh grilled fish, rice, and salad for lunch. Expect to pay around R$25–30 per person round-trip to get here from Manaus (30 minutes each way). You can hire boats either from the main port in Manaus or from Ponta Negra. Amenities: food and drink; toilets. Best for: swimming.

The shoreline may be eroded and dirty in places, but the swimming at Praia Outeiro, a river beach near Belém, is good if you can handle muddy water. Restaurants line the beach with tables under trees. These are great places to have a cold drink and snack on freshly boiled crabs, quail eggs, and salted shrimp. Because of its proximity to Belém, Praia Outeiro is generally crowded throughout the year. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking; showers; toilets. Best for: partiers.

This beach is lined with trees and has soft white sands and clear emerald waters that stretch for miles. If you can't bear to leave at day's end, consider a stay at the Hotel Fazenda Paraíso. Amenities: food and drink; toilets. Best for: solitude; sunset; swimming; walking.

A half-km (quarter-mile) boat ride across the narrow Rio Paracauari, the village of Salvaterra is smaller than Soure but equally charming. Boats called rabetas cost R$1. Don't miss the idyllic beach, and be sure to try an extra-sweet, locally grown pineapple.

Belém's old prison began as a monastery, became a brewery, then an armory, a nunnery, and eventually the final stop for many criminals. Today, it is one of the best places to pick up traditional Marajoara ceramics and local handcrafts and jewelry. There is also a small precious-gem museum and a tranquil central courtyard.

With almost 20,000 people, Soure is Ilha do Marajó's largest town. Its many palm and mango trees, simple but brightly painted houses, and shore full of fishing boats make it seem more Caribbean than Amazonian. Make sure to try the local white cheese, called queijo de Marajó, made from buffalo's milk.

Greek-style pillars line the front and sides of this 1878 neoclassical theater, modeled on Milan's La Scala opera house; inside, note the imported details such as Italian marble pillars and French chandeliers. Classical-music performances are also held in the theater, which seats more than 800 people. The Teatro often hosts plays, philharmonic concerts, and dance recitals.

In an early-20th-century sewage-treatment plant that never functioned, this cultural center on the banks of the Rio Negro features interesting permanent exhibitions that explore Amazonian tribes, the illegal exploitation of the Amazon's flora and fauna, and the essence of famous fragrances such as Chanel No. 5. English-speaking guides are available and there are interactive sections for kids. Its elegant neo-Renaissance–style interior, with hardwood floors and massive wood beams, is reason enough to visit.