Video: Boat trip up Rio Amazonas in Brazil

Sailing up the Rio Amazonas in Brazil was a dream come true. When you board in Manaus and head for Tabatinga (on the border with Peru) you are sailing up river and the trip is longer than vice-verse. We spent 7 days on the boat.

Make sure to see the boats in Tabatinga before you buy a ticket. There are big quality differences. I would highly recommend “Fenix” which is the boat we took. The food was good (if you eat meat…which I don’t) and the captain and crew very organised.

It is not that you see a lot of the Amazonas when you sail on the river, but the fact that you are on a slow boat and can do absolutely nothing except sleeping, reading, writing articles, making love (if you are a couple…which we were not) etc. makes it extremely relaxing to be on-board. And you also get an insight into life in the small towns along the river where the boat load and unload goods.

We paid to have a cabin for 7 days. This cost us 300$ for two – so 150$ each. The cabin was small, but cosy with wooden walls, air conditioner and bathroom inside (with brown river-water…but it was a bathroom :-))

To string up your hammock on the deck for 7 days would cost around 100$, so if you are two people it is well-worth your money to pay the extra 50$ each and have the luxury and security (for your things) of a cabin.

I absolutely loved the Rio Amazonas boat trip and highly recommend it.

The video above gives you an idea what a cargo boat trip on the Rio Amazonas entails.

Podcast: Isla de Ometepe & San Juan del Sur

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Isla de Ometepe and San Juan del Sur are two of the emerging tourist destinations in Nicaragua. We begin this podcast with sounds from the trip between Granada and Isla de Ometepe by boat, and finish up on the beach in San Juan del Sur via Maderas volcano & the jungle.

Tom standing on Maderas volcano, Isla de Ometepe

This podcast also contains sound clips from “Crazy Dave” himself, owner of Hideout Surf Camp on Maderas beach. If you’re looking for accommodation on Maderas beach and are thinking of staying there, we suggest you listen to this first :-).

Photos

Photos of Isla de Ometepe and the Maderas volcano.
Photos of San Juan del Sur & Maderas beach.