RouteAlter do Chão

Alter do Chão Village: The Soul of the Tapajós

Alter do Chão is a small river village with one of Brazil's most beautiful waterfront settings — the combination of the turquoise Tapajós, the craft market, the excellent river fish restaurants, and the laid-back atmosphere make it irresistible

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1
Village Architecture
The waterfront Alter do Chãos has a mix of traditional wooden riverside houses and newer tourist infrastructure; the old quarter - with thatched restaurants, craft workshops and the small church - preserves the village character of the Tapajós River
2
Craft market
The Alter do Chão craft market — on the waterfront near the beach — sells handicrafts from indigenous and ribeirinho communities: carved wood, woven palm leaf baskets, seed and feather jewelry, and miniature traditional canoes
3
River Fish Restaurant
Alter do Chão's restaurants specialize in Tapajós fish preparations – tucunaré (peacock bass) grilled with Amazonian herbs, tambaqui (a giant fruit-eating fish) grilled over charcoal and pirarucu frito are the culinary highlights of the area
4
Hammock culture
The hammock is the furniture of Tapajós river culture – strung up in every house, restaurant terrace and boat; afternoon hammock rest while looking at Tapajós and Ilha do Amor is the essential Alter do Chão activity
5
Pousada Life on the Tapajós
Alter do Chão's small pousadores (guesthouses) by the river or within walking distance of the beach offer the intimacy of small-scale tourism — the breakfast of tapioca crepes, açaí and Amazon fruits is the best start to a day on the river
6
Canoe building tradition
The wooden canoe – the essential vehicle for life in the Tapajós River – is still hand-built in Alter do Chão by master boat builders; the recess and the planked igarité are shaped by hand using only traditional tools in workshops near the water