Marajó Island
River And Sea Island At The Mouth Of The Amazon, Often Described As The Largest Of Its Kind In The World; Known For Water Buffalo And Marajoara Pottery · Soure, Pará
Marajó is the huge, flat island that sits in the mouth of the Amazon, facing Belém across the bay, and it is often described as the largest river-and-sea island in the world. Most visitors see only its eastern edge, around the small towns of Soure and Salvaterra, reached by a ferry crossing of roughly three hours from Belém. The island is known above all for its water buffalo, which graze in the fields, pull carts, supply the local cheese and steaks, and are even ridden by the military police in Soure. Old cattle fazendas take guests on buffalo rides through flooded fields and mangroves, where scarlet ibis roost. The beaches, such as Pesqueiro near Soure and Joanes near Salvaterra, face brackish, tidal water that is brown rather than blue. Marajó was also home to a pre-Columbian culture whose painted Marajoara pottery is among the most admired in the Americas, and potters in Soure still work in that style. In the rainy months much of the interior floods. Roads, transport and hotels are simple, and the pace is slow.
Soure and Salvaterra, Ilha de Marajó, PA, Soure, Pará, Brazil
An island of towns, beaches and farms, so there is no single opening time, but almost everything depends on the boats. Ferries and faster launches cross from Belém to the port of Camará near Salvaterra on a set weekly timetable, with fewer departures on some days, extra ones around holidays, and departure points in Belém that have changed over the years - confirm the current operator, terminal, timetable and whether you can book ahead before planning around a particular crossing. From Camará, vans and taxis run to Salvaterra and Soure, and a small ferry or boat crosses the Paracauari river between the two towns during the day only. Fazendas that take visitors usually want a booking a day or more ahead, run their buffalo rides and mangrove walks in the morning or late afternoon to avoid the heat, and may not operate when fields are deep in water. Beaches have no hours, but the tide decides how much sand there is and whether you can swim. Small museums and pottery workshops keep short, irregular hours and may close on Sundays or at lunchtime. July and the long holiday weekends fill boats and pousadas quickly.