Manaus is a city of legend in the heart of the Amazon. But beware, "the heart of the Amazon" does not mean we landed there in the jungle ... Visit Manaus is to discover a metropolis of more than two million people, with its infernal traffic, shopping centers , skyscrapers ... the city experienced its heyday in the nineteenth century with rubber cultivation. Today is one of the main industrial centers of Brazil with its free trade zone status.
Manaus is an amazing city, seductive, tiring. Moist heat is stifling. Every 100m you have to find refuge in a supermarket or pharmacy conditioned to cool off. But it's worth it to go to there! Emily, this is where we started our journey of three months in Brazil. My top 10 with all my tips for visiting Manaus!
1/Opera Teatro Amazonas or Amazon
The auditorium of the Teatro Amazonas in Manaus
Built in the golden age of the rubber at the end of the nineteenth century, the most surprising of Manaus building. An Opera in the middle of the Amazon, directly inspired by the Opera Garnier in Paris and built with materials imported from Europe. Outside, the dome is covered with tiles in the colors of the Brazilian flag. Inside, the theater can accommodate 700 people. Some tapestries adorned with jaguars remember that we are in the Amazon. We would have liked to see a performance, but unfortunately there was no program during our week there ... We had to catch up with the tour.
2/The Mercado Municipal Adolfo Lisboa
Two very nice surprise to Manaus directly across the Floating Harbour, the municipal market, with a market in the Eiffel type steel and beautiful stained glass windows. The perfect place to hang out, go shopping for souvenirs or local products. I recommend including Andiroba oil, which serves as a repellent against insects and helps healing after bite and guarana powder, which restores energy when it's hard to get used to the heat humid Amazon. It's also the perfect place for lunch at noon, with lots of small local restaurants with very cheap fish.
3/The jungle street art on the walls of Manaus
Street-art inspired by the jungle in Manaus Rua Prof. Marciano Armond
Manaus is in the middle of the Amazon, but there are few signs that recall the presence of the rainforest just outside the city. For cons, the jungle is displayed on the walls due to street performers. It can come across beautiful jaguars, macaws, giant water lilies and fish out any rights of the Amazon. It's worth venturing out of downtown to fall on frescoes unexpected street art.
Street-art on the walls of Manaus, av Getulio Vargas
4/The shopping center and Praça Tenreiro Aranha
It's very nice to walk in the shopping district of Manaus, around Praça Tenreiro Aranha, with its craft stalls and a little run kiosk Art Nouveau. Be careful not to come there on Sunday, it's completely empty! And beware the dark. Stores close early and the streets empty quickly. After it sucks a little ...
5/Palacio Rio Negro
Beautiful palace reminiscent of the wealth of the city at the time of the rubber. It was the former residence of the Governor of the State of Amazon. Nice interior and magnificent staircase in the lobby. In addition, the visit is free!
See also: Provincial Palacete
Another beautiful house in Manaus, interesting for the exhibition of works by local artists and theaters on the history of the city. Nice collection of old currency. True most are young students who give tours with great application and kindness. Also free.
6/The Igreja Sao Sebastiao
The Sao Sebastiao Church in front of the Opera Manaus
Beautiful church right in front of the Opera. Rather unusual characteristic: it is an air-conditioned church! Although with the intense humid heat of Manaus, it feels really good. The perfect place to take a break from a tiring day of sightseeing.
7/Le Museo do Seringal Vila Paraiso
It's a bit out of Manaus, but it's worth getting there. It is the former home of a rubber baron converted into a museum. Very nice house and tour for understanding how the rubber was cultivated. The working conditions of the workers were close to slavery. Many died of yellow fever or scurvy because of their vitamin deficiencies. As for the rich owners, they sent their laundry to clean up Europe because they do not want to wash it in the brown waters of the Amazon ... Same for water baths, which they imported from Europe!
To get there, you have to go by bus to the Marina Davi, then take a boat. The ideal is to combine this visit with that of Praia da Lua (below) which is next. Very good program for a Sunday in Manaus !!
8/Praia da Lua
This is one of the finest beaches in Manaus! You can swim in the tea colored Rio Negro (which is just after the Amazon Manaus) water and enjoy the sun (weather permitting) on the white sand beach. We were there at the end of the rainy season, so the beach is small because the water is high (the low flow period is rather between September and December). There are plenty of restaurants in huts on the beach where you can eat delicious fish of the Amazon or drink a cold beer with almost the waterfront.
Access: like the Museo do Seringal, take a bus to Marina Davi, then a boat.
Variation: to go to the beach a little closer, there is also that of Ponta Negra. It's a pretty classy 45 minutes from Manaus residential area, with a nice stroll along the river.
9/Excursions dans la jungle
A fisherman's house on the banks of the Amazon
Manaus is the ideal location for a trip to the Amazon rainforest. Conventional packages are two to five days, with a night in the lodge or hammock, jungle trekking, boat rides, piranha fishing and night observation of alligators.
Most tours also allow you to see the phenomenon "Encontro das Aguas" where the dark waters of the Rio Negro meet those, clearer, the Rio Solimoes to form the Amazon River. Because of their difference in temperature and density, the waters of the two rivers do not mix right away and run side by side for several kilometers.
Emily, we toured three days / two nights in the jungle about 140km south of Manaus, to the Juma lake. We left with Amazon Riders agency (295 dollars for three days / two nights with a night in a lodge and one night in hammocks in the jungle).
By Hicham Bichr
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