13 Best Sights in Manaus, The Amazon

Used as a research station for the INPA (Instituto Nacional de Pesquisa da Amazônia), the 13 hectares of tropical forest here are home to a great diversity of flora and fauna. Highlights include manatee tanks, caiman ponds, turtles, a museum, a botanical garden with an orchidarium, and nature trails where you can spot monkeys. It's a great place for a walk in the shade and as an Amazonian introduction for kids.

The largest freshwater tropical reserve in the world, Mamirauá is about 1,050 km (650 miles) west of Manaus on the Rio Solimões. The reserve is known for its abundant wildlife, including the endangered red-faced uakari monkey. It is also a pioneer at successfully integrating sustainable tourism into a protected nature area. The reserve and its associated projects are managed by the renowned Mamirauá Institute, which is dedicated to furthering biodiversity preservation and monitoring humans’ impact on the Amazon. Research stations are set up throughout the reserve. For visitors, a trip to Mamirauá is a rare opportunity to participate firsthand in an organization that is making a difference in the preservation of the world’s greatest natural resource. To get to the reserve, you'll need to fly to Tefé (a one-hour flight from Manaus) and take Mamirauá's boat one hour up the river to Pousada Uacari. It's a bit of an effort, but well worth it.

Outside Manaus, the slow-moving, muddy Amazon and the darker, quicker Rio Negro flow side by side for 6 km (4 miles) without mixing. If you run your foot in the water at the meeting place, you can feel the difference in temperature—the Amazon is warm and the Negro is cold, the consistencies of the rivers are different, and the experience is magical. The most comfortable way to experience this phenomenen is to book a day trip organized by a recommended tour operator, departing from Porto de Manaus. However, if you are short on time or want to skip the additional activities, head to the CEASA port, where you can rent a boat, or go with a tour company. It takes about an hour to go from CEASA to the Meeting of the Waters, spend some time there, and return. A taxi to CEASA from downtown is about R$30.

Built during the rubber boom of the late 1800s, the grandiose Teatro Amazonas was financed by wealthy Brazilian rubber barons who wanted a cultural gem rivaling those in Europe. All the bricks for the building were brought over in ships as ballast from England, and the crystal chandeliers and mirrors were imported from France and Italy. Don't miss the impressive ceiling murals in the main hall, painted by renowned European artists of the time.

Built originally in 1695 by Carmelite missionaries, the Cathedral of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception (also called Igreja Matriz) burned down in 1850 and was reconstructed in 1878. It's a simple, predominantly neoclassical structure with a bright, colorful interior.

With its charcoal-gray exterior and medieval style, this neoclassical church (circa 1888) seems foreboding. Its interior, however, is luminous and uplifting, with white Italian marble, stained-glass windows, and beautiful ceiling paintings. The church has a tower on only one side. No one is sure why this is so, but if you ask, you may get one of several explanations: the second tower wasn't built because of lack of funds; it was omitted as a symbolic gesture to the poor; or the ship with materials for its construction sank. As you stroll through the church plaza, note the black-and-white Portuguese granite patterns at your feet. They are said to represent Manaus's meeting of the waters.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.