Manacapuru

Manacapuru is a city of 102,000 people (2020)  on the banks of the Solimões River in Amazonas. Manacapuru is one of the biggest tourist destinations in the Amazon, receiving a large number of tourists who visit the nearby beaches, lakes and streams, which have several jungle hotels.

Understand
This small riverside city promises to grow as an alternative harbour for all boat traffic upriver Solimoes, i.e., towards Colombia and Peru, as it saves you a few hours compared with Manaus. Also, it is still a genuine "jungle town", compared to the cityscape of the state capital.

The culture of Manacapuru is rich in traditions and folk festivals that are very appreciated. Due to the Cirandas Festival, which attracts a lot of tourists to the city, Manacapuru is known as the "Land of Cirandas".

In music, the highlights are ciranda and forró.

Get in
It is 93 km from Manaus by land. The main access to the city is through the Manoel Urbano Highway over the Jornalista Phelippe Daou Bridge.

Buses from Manaus every hour: R$ 15, 2 hours. Shared taxis at R$ 20 take you to the city limit, and can take you further into the city for an additional fee.

By car
The only highways in Manacapuru are
 * the AM-070, which connects Manacapuru to Manaus, Iranduba and Manaquiri; and
 * the AM-254, which connects Manaus to Novo Airão, passing through Manacapuru.

Access from Manaus is done mainly by the AM-070 where the Jornalista Phelippe Daou Bridge is located. The trip takes about an hour by car.

Get around
All walkable. Mototaxis at R$ 2.50 within the city. Taxis charge up to R$ 10.

See

 * Cais do Porto, in the center of the city, is one of the main tourist attractions. It is a historic and regional port.
 * The centenary Igreja Matriz de Nossa Senhora de Nazaré is the best-known postcard of Manacapuru. The building underwent several constructions, which improved and expanded the structure over time. The canoe-shaped altar in the church was used in the mass given by Pope John Paul II, when he visited Manaus in 1980.
 * The City Council, which housed the headquarters of the Executive Branch during the 1930s, the State Collector's Office and the Justice Forum. In 1976, the City Council of Manacapuru settled permanently in the building, causing it to receive the name Palácio Antero de Rezende; Colégio Nossa Senhora de Nazaré, whose works began in 1946 and were completed in 1951. Its architectural design has a lot to do with the European style.
 * The Restauração building was inaugurated on January 1, 1898. The name is a tribute to the conspiracy movement started around 1640 by 56 Portuguese patriots, with the aim of freeing Portugal from the yoke of Castile (1580-1640). Restauração stands out, historically, as being, for many years, the most important trading house in Manacapuru. After decades of abandonment, the old building in ruins became part of a new project, now in the hands of the Social Service of Commerce. It underwent an intense renovation, gaining modern colors and accessories, in a new historical context. After the re-inauguration, in 2003, it hpuses several social projects in place, such as music and theater. The building has a library, an art exhibition gallery and an amphitheater.
 * Also worth visiting are the Tourist River Terminal and the Tourist Service Center; Municipal Market, one of the oldest in the city; Culture house; Ingá Park; Miriti Spa and 16th of July Square.

Ecotourism
Ecotourism attracts thousands of tourists to the municipality. Among the city's natural attractions, the following stand out:
 * Manacapuru Ecological Reserve, with typical floodplain vegetation, with gigantic trees, such as the Sumaúma. It is characterized as a migratory and poultry production area, and is also one of the best places for sport fishing, due to the variety of fish such as piranha and aruanã. It has a floating hotel and a bird, alligator and bird observatory. It is located on the left bank of the Solimões River.
 * The Sahu-Apé Indigenous Community is also a natural attraction of the locality, where indigenous spices are found. Santo Afonso Island, on the Solimões River, is also a much-visited natural attraction.

Do

 * The Rio Negro Right Bank Environmental Protection Area is a 1,140-km² sustainable use conservation unit that controls use of an area of Amazon rainforest along the Rio Negro above the junction with the Solimões River.

Go next

 * Consider Nova Airao to get close contact with pink dolphins.
 * Along the highway to Manaus you can stop at one of several small beaches for a dip and a beer, and then hail the next bus.