The dolphins
Up close.
MTur Destinos — Public domain · James Martins — CC BY 3.0 · James Martins — CC BY 3.0 · MTur Destinos — Public domain · Rubens Curvelo — CC BY-SA 4.0 · MTur Destinos — Public domain · MTur Destinos — Public domain · José Luiz Filho (User:JoseLuizFilho) — CC BY-SA 3.0
Novo Airão is a small town on the bank of the Rio Negro, about 180 kilometres from Manaus and reachable by road or river. It is the gateway to the Anavilhanas archipelago and to Jaú National Park, a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site. Several Indigenous peoples lived in the area, and in 1668 Jesuits founded a settlement at the mouth of the Jaú River, believed to be one of the first Portuguese settlements in the Amazon; it became the town of Airão in 1759. When the old town was abandoned, «New Airão» grew up in 1938, and the ruins of Old Airão can still be visited by boat. Novo Airão's best-known draw is the pink Amazon river dolphins, which come up to a floating platform in town where they can be seen close up under rules that protect the animals. Boat trips leave from here among the islands of Anavilhanas, along with forest walks and visits to riverside communities. The town is also a centre for craftsmen working in wood. Stay at least one night.
Up close.
Boat trips.
On the river.
On the Rio Negro, about 180 km from Manaus, Amazonas
By road in about three hours, or by boat.