Amapá: Rainforest, Rivers and Coast

Community and Nature in the Amazon Rainforest

In the Amapá National Forest, residents organize community-based tourism. Within their community, they provide transport, meals and overnight stays in their homes. Visitors can explore the two main rivers, the Araguari and Falsino, discover the forest, observe wildlife, swim in rapids and walk forest trails. Confirm arrangements before your trip using ICMBio’s current visitor information.

During visits with residents, you can sample local cuisine, fish dishes and regional recipes, as well as a variety of Amazonian fruits. Meals are therefore as much a part of this experience as the nature activities; both are tied to visits within the community.

Protected Areas and Coastal Landscapes

Tumucumaque Mountains National Park is located in the states of Amapá and Pará. Hiking trails and numerous waterfalls offer an opportunity to experience nature in the Amazon region; prior authorization from ICMBio is required for excursions. The park attracts people interested in Amazon rainforest expeditions, rapids and wildlife watching. Animals found there include jaguars, harpy eagles and spider monkeys.

Cabo Orange National Park protects 619,000 hectares of sensitive coastal ecosystems and was established in 1980. A continental and marine park, it encompasses a 200-kilometer stretch of coastline and extends an additional 10 kilometers into the marine zone. Its protected habitats include marine areas, mangroves, restingas, estuaries, lakes, lagoons, floodplains and forests; to a lesser extent, they also include terra firme forests and Amazonian savannas. On boat trips along rivers and channels, visitors can observe mangroves, flooded fields and diverse wildlife, including scarlet ibises, herons and other coastal birds.

Praia do Goiabal, Amapá’s only saltwater beach, is located in Calçoene. Its sandy beach is about 40 kilometers long. This gives the coast a different landscape focus from the rivers and forest areas inland.

Culture and Leisure in Macapá

The São José de Macapá Fortress is an important example of 18th-century Brazilian military architecture and is now a museum. The Sacaca Museum displays replicas of dwellings belonging to Indigenous people, caboclos, ribeirinhos and castanheiros; its exhibits also include the “regatão” trading boat. Macapá thus brings historic military architecture together with depictions of different ways of life.

The Amazon Biopark includes terra firme forest, cerrado and flooded fields, as well as more than 70 tree and animal species. Its activities include accessible paths, a sensory garden, wildlife watching and adventure courses with a zip line and tree climbing. The park also has six ecological hiking trails on land and a water trail.

Parque Meio do Mundo in Macapá is a 69,000-square-meter leisure complex with activities for all age groups. Espaço Selvinha includes a water park with slides, showers and fountains, as well as tree-climbing and climbing activities. The covered dining area, with tables and benches, has eight food businesses: an ice cream parlor, a pizzeria, a hamburger restaurant, a café, a healthy-food venue, a contemporary-cuisine restaurant, a grill and beer venue, and a provider of typical cuisine. The dining options may change.

Another way to enjoy the water is at Praia da Fazendinha: a freshwater swimming spot on the Amazon River in the Macapá metropolitan area, where visitors can also enjoy local cuisine. The contrast with the saltwater coast at Calçoene can help you decide which water experiences you’d like to include in your trip.

Landscapes and Traditions in Mazagão

Mazagão municipality’s natural landscapes include the waterfall on the Maracá River and the scenery around Lago do Ajuruxi. Mazagão Velho hosts an extensive calendar of religious, traditional and cultural festivals. The Festa de São Tiago takes place there in July and combines religious rituals, a horse procession and an open-air theatrical performance depicting the battle between Moors and Christians. If you’re planning your trip around the festival, check the specific event dates in advance.

Getting There and Choosing What to Focus On

Long-distance travel between Amapá and the rest of Brazil is mainly by air or by water, on passenger ships coming from Belém or Santarém that cross the Amazon River. Air access to Amapá is through Macapá International Airport (MCP); operations and flight schedules may change. Check current flight and ship connections before your trip. Travel between the capital and nearby swimming spots is by car or bus on state highways such as AP-010.

When choosing your holiday rental, you can consider the kind of trip you want and how you’ll get there together: Macapá offers cultural and leisure attractions, while the forest, rivers and coast provide other experiences. This makes it possible to tailor your search to what you most want to experience during your stay in Amapá.

Discover More Destinations

Macapá, Fazendinha, Mazagão, Ferreira Gomes, Oiapoque, Tartarugalzinho, Pará, Sergipe.

For the main travel overview: Brazil.