Alter do Chão
06-04-2021
Alter do Chão (PA), the Caribbean of the Amazon
Alter do Chão, known as the Caribbean of the Amazon, is a region of Santarém in the state of Pará in northern Brazil. There the rivers Amazonas and Tapajós meet and do not mix for more than 5 kilometers due to the different temperature, density, and amount of sediment of their waters, which offers a unique spectacle for the eyes. In this place of great natural beauty, the Brazilian oil company Petrobras discovered a gigantic underground water reservoir in the 1950s that could supply mankind for 250 years. In the period from August to February, tourists and backpackers from all over the world visit one of the most famous places in Alter do Chão, the Ilha do Amor, a 10 kilometer long island surrounded by the Tapajós River and still little known by many Brazilians, that offers not only the beauty of its landscapes, but also delicious typical freshwater fish dishes from the north, such as tambaqui, pirarucu and surumbi and various artisanal souvenirs of the inhabitants of Flona, ??a municipality in the region.
Picture: Alter do Chão, CC BY-SA 3.0 Wikimedia Commons