Ilha de Marajó

Ilha de MarajóThe Ilha de Marajó, which is washed by the waters of the Amazon, the Tapajós and the Atlantic, is one of the largest river islands in the world, with an area of around 50,000sq.km/19,000sq.mi. During the dry season it reveals two completely different landscape forms: to the east are the terras altas, a plain with an area of some 23,000sq.km/9000sq.mi covered by shrubs and grassland, while the rest of the island, the lower terras baixas, is occupied by forests. From January to June the terras baixas are flooded by the Amazon and become a vast expanse of bogland which provides ideal grazing for large herds of water buffaloes. The animal life of Marajó also includes caimans, sloths, monkeys, capybaras, deer, turtles and many species of snakes and birds, as well as countless species of fish, including pirarucus, tucunarés (freshwater fishes of the cichlid family), tambaquis and the dreaded piranhas. Marajó can be reached by air (air taxis from Belém to Soure), boat (6 hours from Belém) or bus (from Belém: over Marajó Bay by ferry, then bus to Salvaterra and finally ferry to Soure).