Things To Do in Manaus

You won't need more than 2 days to see Manaus. Start your exploration at the port. The new Riverboat Terminal is a little too air-conditioned and anodyne, but the Mercado Adolpho Lisboa is a great place to see local fish and produce, not to mention local folk remedies. Farther down, the Feira do Produtor has every Amazon product imaginable, and the waterfront out front where boats load up is a fascinating glimpse of Amazon frontier. The Opera House is an extravagant, impressive testament to the legacy of the rubber boom. A half-day trip out to the Meeting of the Waters is a worthwhile afternoon excursion. In the evening, head to the beach at Ponta Negra, and stop for a cold beer or an exotic ice cream as you watch the river. And then get thee out into the Amazon. There's wild stuff to see.

Architectural Highlights

The square and the buildings around the opera house -- the Largo de São Sebastião -- have been restored almost to their original condition. In the evenings, the city often programs free concerts here.

The pretty neoclassical Public Library, Rua Barroso 57 (Mon-Fri 8am-5pm), on the corner of Avenida Sete de Setembro, dates from 1870. It's worth climbing the grand central staircase to the top floor to see a large oil painting marking the end of slavery in the Amazon. Done in the best overwrought allegorical style, it positively overflows with bare-breasted Amazon princesses, each a symbolic representation of some aspect or another of the province. Farther east along Avenida Sete de Setembro (toward the Museu do Indo) stands the grand Palacio Rio Negro, Av. Sete de Setembro 1546. Built by a Manaus rubber baron in the early years of the 20th century, the main palace is wonderfully ornate, with rich tropical hardwoods used for floors and doors, and banisters and moldings. The building has been transformed into an excellent cultural center, but unfortunately it is closed for renovations (no foreseen opening date). The old Customs house, or Alfândega, on Rua Marquesa da Santa Cruz, was prefabricated in England, shipped to Manaus in 1912, and re-erected block by block. The tower on the water side of the building was once a lighthouse.

Neighborhoods to Explore

Downtown Manaus is a fun place to explore. Check out the waterfront behind the Feira da Produtor on Avenida Lourenço da Silva Braga to see riverboats discharging passengers or loading up with everything under the sun for the next trip up or down the river. Two blocks inland, Rua dos Bares is full of chandleries and hardware shops; it's also a good place to buy a hammock. Small and picturesque, Praça Tenreiro Aranha contains an informal outdoor crafts fair. The Artindia store in the center of the square is housed in a small iron-and-glass structure reminiscent of London's Crystal Palace, though on a tiny scale. The covered pedestrian mall Rua Marechal Deodoro is the center of Manaus's thriving downtown shopping bazaar. The triangular plaza at the corner of Avenida Presidente Vargas and Avenida Sete de Setembro is a pleasant place to relax in the shade for a spell. Like so many Brazilian squares, it goes by two names: either Praça da Poliçia or Praça Heliodoro Balbi. The city's most famous sight, the Opera House or Teatro Amazonas, is but a short walk from here.

Plazas, Parks & Gardens

Mindu Park, Avenida Perimitral (tel. 092/3236-7702; Tues-Sun 8am-5pm; bus: 511), is a 33-sq.-km (20-sq.-mile) forest reserve that is also one of the last remaining habitats of the Sauim-de-Coleira monkey, a species found only in the Manaus area. The park has walking trails with interpretive signage, a suspended treetop walkway, and an interpretation center with a library.

The Bosque de Ciência or Ecological Park, Rua Otávio Cabral (tel. 092/3643-3293; Tues-Sun 9am-3pm; bus: 511), was created by INPA, the National Institute for Amazon Research, to promote ecological awareness. There's a small aquarium on-site with river otters and manatees.

Clubs & Bars

In downtown Manaus, the best spot for an evening drink is Bar do Armando, Rua 10 de Julho 593 (tel. 092/3232-1195). Located on the square in front of the Opera House, this venerable drinking spot is the nighttime home of Manaus's artists, intellectuals, journalists, and other ne'er-do-wells. The conversation is always interesting and the beer is served icy cold (closed on Sun). Farther down near the Praça da Matriz, Manaus's downtown nightlife scene degenerates into the sleazy mix of sailors and prostitutes traditional in a large port. Praça da Matriz itself remains reasonably safe, but it's best to stay off side streets like Rua Visconde de Mauá.

The city's best nightlife spot is out near the Tropical Manaus at Ponta Negra Beach. People stroll up and down the wide boulevard, there are regular concerts and events at the amphitheater, and a number of bars have live entertainment in the evening. The most popular is Laranjinha (tel. 092/3658-6666; Mon-Sat 5pm-3am, Sun 5pm-5am) which has a great patio and stays open until the wee hours of the morning. Lower down close to the river there's a bunch of barracas (beach kiosks) during the day when the beach is crowded and open at night for a causal beer or snack. Most places open at 5 or 6pm on weekdays and stay open until at least 1 or 2am. On weekends many venues open at 11am and stay open until 3 or 4am.

Centro has two popular Manaus gay bars: Turbo Seven (TS), Rua Vivaldo Lima 33, Centro (tel. 092/3232-6793; Sat and Sun 11pm), features drag shows and go-go boys; and Planeta A2 (Rua Saldanha Marinho 780, Centro; tel. 092/3673-0112; www.a2manaus.com.br), open Thursday to Saturday from 11pm to 6am.