For tranquility and Adventure – Manaus

Manaus lies in the middle of the forest of Amazon, on the Rio Negro or the Black River.

Best Time to Visit Manaus

The city is ready for tourists at any time of the year. When you want to visit this place also depends on what you want to do here. December to March is good to observe wildlife and June to November is when you can spot many birds here. This period is comparatively comfortable and good for outdoor activities.

Amazonas Carnivals comes in February and May, June and July too are festive months.

Getting to Manaus

The nearest airport of Manaus is the Momote Airport located on the Los Negros Island. You can fly here from any place in Brazil. Cruising to Manaus is an option too.

Manaus Attractions

Manaus is one of the best surfing destinations of South America and home to some of the most popular South American beaches. Some of the good beaches here are the Ponta Negra Beach, the Tupe Beach – accessed by boat, the crescent-shaped Moon Beach among others. Other scenic areas on Manaus are the Paricatuba Waterfall, the Love Cascade and the Lion Waterfall.

The Inland attractions of Manaus include museums such as the Reservatario de Moco, Museum of the Indian, the Custom House, the Palacio Rio Negro and the Museu do Homem do Norte.

For some cultural experience, visit the 1896-built Amazon Theatre in the center of the city – a venue for events like the Festival Amazonas de Opera held in April.

Of the historical landmarks – the Sao Sebastiao Cathedral built in 1875 is a major attraction for tourists.

You must include an adventure tour through the rainforests of Amazon in your Manus itinerary. The tour will take you through forests with valleys, hills, rivers like the Urubu River, limestone caves, waterfalls, unique flora and fauna and ancient pools.

Bird-watching tours and the fishing tours are other fun-filled activities that you can take up in Manaus.

For eco-travelers, many delightful experiences await at Manaus. There is the Primeval Forest, the largest one of the world – home to rare species of wildlife. This is a great camping site too around lakes and natural rivers. About 500 bird species, 2500 that of butterflies and monkeys, tapirs and other animals can be found here.

Visit the Manaus Zoo that’s managed by the Army of Brazil. Here you can spot the black and spotted jaguars, titi monkey, birds like the Blue-gray tanager, the Red-crested cardinal and the scarlet macaw, a giant aquarium and a variety of trees.

Among other nature-related attractions, the major ones are the Abufari Nature Reserve, the Jau National Park and Forest and the Janauary National Park.

The cities and villages of Manaus pull tourists with a charm of their own. Paritins is one such village here and a host for an annual folk festival – the Boi Bumba Festival.

Visit the Mercado Adolpho Lisboa, the oldest market place in Manaus, to get a sense of the local lifestyle and the Port of Cais Flutuante, a major tourist attraction here.

Cruise to the Avanhilhanas Islands – popular as a fishing destination as well as a good hiking place with rainforest walks and canoeing trips.

One of the most enchanting scenic sites here is that in Encontro das Aguas. This port is where the waters of Rio Negro and the Rio Solimoes meet and form the Rio Amozonas. The waters run parallel for a few kilometers due to a temperature difference before intermingling with each-other. This indeed, is an amazing sight.

Plan your itinerary around the festivals here, and there are a number of them throughout the year. Apart from the Carnival, there are music festivals such as the Ponta Negra Festival and the Amazonas Folkore Festival through the months of May, June and July.

The South America City of Manaus is just the perfect place if you are seeking tranquility, adventure, beaches, forests and parks for a holiday.