Cheap flights to Manaus

Quick summary

Why track Manaus with SniperAir

You do not need to compare prices every day

Airport and transfers

An airport about 15 km from the centre

Distances taken from Wikipedia (FR, DE) and Wikivoyage (EN); the time varies with traffic. We give no fares, which change.

Manaus, capital of the state of Amazonas, has more than 2 million inhabitants and stands in the middle of the Amazon rainforest, on the Rio Negro, just upstream of its confluence with the Solimões, which forms the Amazon. The city can also be reached by boat, for example from Belém in about five days.

Landmarks

The rubber-boom opera house, an iron market and a bridge over the river

Founded in 1669 as the fort of São José do Rio Negro, Manaus became a city in 1848. In the late 19th century the rubber boom made it one of the richest cities in South America, and its barons treated themselves to European luxuries. That era left the Teatro Amazonas, the municipal market, the 1910 public library and the Rio Negro palace. When rubber seeds were exported to Asia, the boom collapsed.

The Teatro Amazonas and its auditorium

The opera house, inaugurated in 1896, has about 700 seats; it was built with bricks brought from Europe, French glass and Italian marble. Opera companies and international orchestras have performed there. The Italian-style auditorium, with its gilded boxes and chandelier, can be seen on a guided tour; check opening hours and closing days, as we give no prices.

The Adolpho Lisboa market

The Adolpho Lisboa municipal market, the city's oldest (1882 according to Wikipedia), is modelled on Les Halles of Paris, with its iron structure. It sells fruit, vegetables and above all fish, as well as crafts. After renovation, some stalls moved to the nearby Feira da Banana.

The bridge over the Rio Negro

The cable-stayed bridge over the Rio Negro links Manaus to the opposite bank and to the AM-070 road to the south. At sunset it offers a view over the vast river.

The river and the forest

The Meeting of the Waters, flooded forest and boat trips

The Amazon is the reason to come to Manaus. Agencies and lodges offer trips from a few hours to several days, by boat, with forest walks, fishing, wildlife watching and swimming in calm lakes; stays of two to five days are common. Lodges and outings lie outside the city, on the neighbouring rivers and lakes. Choose a reputable agency.

The Meeting of the Waters

Just east of the city, the dark waters of the Rio Negro and the muddy waters of the Solimões flow side by side for several kilometres before mixing to form the Amazon. Boats leave Manaus to see it.

The flooded forest

In the high-water season the river rises and floods the forest: you can then travel by small boat between the trees of these flooded forests, the igapós.

The floating marina on the Rio Negro

Seen from above, Manaus's marina mixes floating houses and boats between the forest and the black water of the Rio Negro. In the distance you can make out the bridge and the city towers.

The canopy from above

From the region's forests to botanical gardens, tropical vegetation reaches the edge of the city; some ponds are covered with giant water lilies. Manaus also has large green spaces such as the Bosque da Ciência and the Mindú park.

River beaches

When the water level drops, between August and November, sandy beaches appear along the rivers. The closest is Ponta Negra, reached by bus from the centre; others, such as Tupé and Lua, can only be reached by boat.

Museums and culture

Palaces, library and museums of the historic centre

The Palacete Provincial and the Pinacoteca

On Heliodoro Balbi square, the Palacete Provincial houses several museums, including an archaeology museum and the Pinacoteca do Estado, devoted to the visual arts. The Rio Negro palace, from the same rubber era, is an arts centre.

Library, cathedral and governor's house

The Amazonas public library, in neoclassical style, dates from 1910. The Nossa Senhora da Conceição cathedral holds a museum of religious objects. The Museu da Casa Eduardo Ribeiro recounts the life of the governor who modernised the city. Check opening hours and closing days; we give no prices.

Festivals

Manaus's carnival takes place in late February or March. On 24 October the city celebrates the anniversary of its city status (1848). In November the Amazonas Film Festival highlights ecology and ethnology.

Food and drink

Freshwater fish, tacacá, tucumã and Amazon fruit

Fish and soups

Manaus cooking is built on the region's freshwater fish, prepared in many ways. Tacacá is a soup based on manioc juice, with shrimp and jambu, sold on the street.

Tucumã and fruit

Tucumã, the fruit of a palm, fills tapioquinha (a buttered manioc-starch pancake) and x-caboquinho, a sandwich of fried banana and cheese. Amazon fruit, often served as juice, includes cupuaçu, açaí, soursop and bacuri; try them at the market.

Getting around

Buses, taxis, ride-hailing and boats

In the city

The historic centre, around the Teatro Amazonas, is explored on foot. For the rest, city buses, taxis and ride-hailing are the usual means; there is no metro. Ponta Negra is reached by bus.

On the water

The river is the region's main road: boats link Manaus to Belém, Porto Velho or Tabatinga on the Colombian border. A ferry crosses in about 40 minutes to Careiro, on the opposite bank. Nearby beaches and lodges are mostly reached by boat.

Health and caution

Before a stay in the Amazon, check the official health advice of your departure country (vaccines, mosquito protection). On trips of a few days, Wikivoyage says the areas visited are relatively free of malaria; repellent and covering clothes remain advisable. As in any large city, watch your belongings.

Budget

A moderate budget, especially for excursions

In the city, buses, market meals and many restaurants remain affordable compared with Europe. Lodge and boat excursions, and quality hotels, weigh more heavily on the budget: compare several reputable agencies. We give no figures, as prices change with the season and the exchange rate.

The plane ticket remains the most variable item. SniperAir monitors prices to MAO and compares them with the route's history.

When to go

When to go to Manaus: two seasons, the rains and the low waters

Manaus is near the equator: it is hot all year, with an average annual temperature of about 27 °C and high humidity; there are no cold days, and winter (June to August) is even hotter than summer. The difference in river level between seasons reaches about twenty metres according to Wikivoyage. There is no single best season: high water suits boat travel through the forest, low water suits beaches and walks.

By length of stay

What to do in Manaus depending on your stay

In pictures

Manaus in pictures

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions about flights to Manaus