Ilha de
Marajó is the size of Switzerland and the largest fluvial island in the world.
It is located around 50 miles from Belém.
After
spending a total of 11 days on various boats some r and r was required before I
made my way to Rio de Janeiro.
Boats to the
island take around 3/3.5 hours and there are two departures a day from Monday
to Saturday at 6.30am and 2.30pm. On Sunday there is only one boat a day at
10am.
Boats depart
from the Terminal Hidroviário on Avenida Marachel Hermes in Belém to Camará on
Ilha de Marajó. The main terminal is modern, has free WiFi along with some
reasonably priced cafes.
Tickets can
be purchased on the day and cost 20 Reals for a standard seat or 30 Reals for a
VIP seat in an air conditioned room.
About 40 minutes
before the boat was due to leave we were called through to the departure lounge
where all luggage gets put through an x-ray. When we were allowed to board it
is a bit of a free for all with everyone trying to push their way on.
The crossing
was pleasant, although the plastic seats aren't the comfiest. On arrival in
Camará depending on where on the island you wish to go there are numerous
minibuses waiting, each with various destinations on the front. I was headed
for Soure, which is the capital of the island and the biggest settlement.
I found a bus
destined for Soure run by a company called Edgar Transporte. This bus provides
a drop off service, you just let them know the address of where you are going.
The journey
cost 12 Reals, took around an hour and included the ferry trip across the bay
from Salvaterra.
I hadn't
booked anywhere to stay in Soure, but asked to be dropped off at one of the
hotels I'd found online before I left. Thankfully they had a room available for
me. There didn't appear to be any hostels in Soure, but there are plenty of
budget hotels and pousadas. I stayed at Pousada Asa Branca and an ensuite room
including breakfast cost 80 Reals.
As I had
arrived in darkness it wasn't until the next morning I got to see the island in
all its glory. Soure is a pleasant enough place to be based, the main streets
are paved and lined with mango trees. However, once off the main street the
roads reduce to dust and grit.
There is an
ATM in the Banco Brasil on Rua 3 between Travessa 17 and 18. The only thing I
did find difficult was finding anywhere that sold large bottles of water. After
trying several places I did eventually find a supermarket just off the main
drag near the church, which stocked some.
The majority
of people on the island either seem to get around by bike or motorcycle. There
is a place called Bimba's next to a fruit shop on Rua 4 between Travessa 18 and
19, which rents bikes. However, unfortunately my plan to rent one was scuppered
because the shop was closed both times I tried.
I noticed
that most shops on the island close at midday or just before, so if there is
something important you need it is best to head out early as I got caught out a
couple of times.
There are two
main beaches near Soure - Praia Pesqueiro, which is around 12km from the town
and Praia Barra Velha only 2km away. Praia Pesqueiro is the bigger of the two
beaches and there are lots of beachside bars and restaurants. However, I
preferred Praia Barra Velha, which also had a few bars and restaurants, but
didn't seem quite so dominated by them.
I went there
on a Friday and it was quite quiet and then again on Sunday when it was full of
families and groups of friends all enjoying themselves. There was music and a
really nice atmosphere and I'm glad I got to experience the two sides to the
beach.
Both beaches
have gorgeous white sand and the water is pleasantly warm. It was like
paradise.
To get to the
beaches I used mototaxis and there is a rank for these close to Banco Brasil. A
journey to Praia Barra Velha cost 6 Reals and I arranged a time for the driver
to pick me up again. The journey to Praia Pesqueiro was 15 Reals.
A trip to
Ilha de Marajó wouldn't be complete without trying some of the buffalo products
the island is famous for and it isn't uncommon to see buffalo randomly roaming
in the town.
On my last
day I treated myself to a lunch of buffalo steak at Pousada Restaurante Ilha
Bela on on Rua 1 at Travessa 13. It was delicious and I am not a fan of steak,
but this has to be one of the best I've ever had and at £6 it was a bargain
too.
On Praia
Pesqueiro I also tried some buffalo cheese, which is gorgeously creamy,
although my only complaint would be that there was a lot of it just for me.
I opted to
get the 6.30am boat back to Belém as I wanted to arrive there in daylight. I
was able to communicate this in very broken Portuguese to the owner of my hotel
and he arranged for Edgar Transporte to collect me at the ungodly hour of 4am.
However, the company also has an office in the town if you prefer to do it
yourself.
I spent three
full days on the island and it is definitely somewhere I would visit again as I
didn't explore the beaches near Salvaterra or Joanes. The people I encountered
were friendly and laid back. I felt quite safe walking around by myself.
After
visiting the island I spent three days in Belém, which I think is enough. The
city itself is a bit rough around the edges and it is important to take care
when you are out and about as petty thievery and muggings are unfortunately a
common occurrence. I met two people who had been mugged during my time in the
city.
I also didn't
wander around on my own after dark and if I did happen to go anywhere at night
I always took a taxi. That said
there are some interesting places in Belém and I found it had a weird charm
about it.
The Estação
das Docas at the end of Avenida Presidente Vargas is a good place to go for a
stroll along the waterfront and if you need some respite from the heat the air
conditioned buildings, which house numerous restaurants and bars, bring some
welcome relief. At night there is live music too. There is also free WiFi.
Ver o Peso
just along from the Estação das Docas is definitely worth a visit. It is one of
the best places in the city to sample some great regional fare at a decent
price. I had some amazing fried fish with feijão, rice and a tomato and
coriander salsa for 15 Reals.
Along from
Ver o Peso is Forte do Castelo and Catedral de Sé. Further up
Avenida Presidente Vargas is Praça Republica and the Teatro de Paz. The latter
is a gorgeous building with some art deco touches to the outside. For me the
park seemed a little sad, what statues there are, are covered in graffiti and
it could all do with a bit of a refresh.
I also
discovered some great value street stall eateries just off Avenida Presidente
Vargas on the corner of C&A and Big Ben.
I had Vatapá,
which is a typical dish of the Pará region. It consists of shrimp in a thick
sauce made from manioc paste, coconut and dendé oil. A full plate of Vatapá and
rice cost 6 Reals.
There isn't
an awful lot of choice when it comes to hostels in Belém and I stayed in the
Belém Hostel on Rua Ó de Almeida. It is a family run place and a bed in a 4 bed
dorm cost 45 Reals a night including breakfast. The hostel also arranges
transfers to the airport for 40 Reals.