Amapá combines community-run tourism in the forest with culture and recreational facilities in Macapá, as well as protected coastal landscapes. When planning your trip, it is worth considering these different highlights: a stay with residents in the forest is organized differently from a visit to Macapá’s museums and parks or the state’s natural areas.
Community tourism in the Floresta Nacional do Amapá
In the Floresta Nacional do Amapá, residents organize community-based tourism. They arrange transport and meals within their community and offer overnight stays in their homes. Visitors can explore the two main rivers, the Araguari and Falsino, discover the forest, observe wildlife, swim in rapids, walk forest trails and visit residents. Confirm arrangements before your trip using ICMBio’s current visitor information.
When visiting residents, you can try local cuisine, fish dishes and regional recipes, as well as a variety of Amazonian fruits. Food is therefore part of this community-based visitor experience and complements the activities in the forest.
Culture and recreation in Macapá
The Fortaleza de São José de Macapá is a notable example of 18th-century Brazilian military architecture and is now a museum. The Museu Sacaca offers a different perspective on the region: it displays replicas of Indigenous dwellings as well as those of Caboclos, Ribeirinhos and Castanheiros. The regatão trading boat is also among the exhibits.
The Bioparque da Amazônia in Macapá includes Terra-Firme forest, Cerrado and flooded fields, as well as more than 70 species of trees and animals. Activities include accessible trails, a sensory garden and wildlife observation, along with adventure courses featuring zip lines and tree climbing. Six ecological trails on land and one water trail round out the offerings.
Parque Meio do Mundo is a 69,000-square-meter recreational complex with activities for all age groups. Espaço Selvinha has a water park with slides, showers and fountains, as well as tree-climbing and climbing activities. The park also has a covered dining area with tables and benches. Eight food establishments include an ice cream shop, a pizzeria, a hamburger restaurant, a café, a healthy-food outlet, a contemporary cuisine restaurant, a grill and beer bar, and a vendor serving traditional cuisine. The food options may change; check what is currently available before your visit.
Coast, protected areas and cultural sites
Praia do Goiabal in Calçoene is Amapá’s only saltwater beach. Its sandy shore is about 40 kilometers long. In the municipality of Mazagão, natural landscapes include the waterfall on the Rio Maracá and the scenery around Lago do Ajuruxi. You can experience the local culture in Mazagão Velho at the Festa de São Tiago, held in July. It combines religious rituals, an equestrian procession and an open-air theater performance depicting the battle between Moors and Christians.
Parque Arqueológico do Solstício in Calçoene is home to a stone circle built as an ancient Indigenous observatory. If you plan to visit the archaeological park, check access in advance. For nature experiences in a protected area, you could also consider Parque Nacional Montanhas do Tumucumaque, which is located in the states of Amapá and Pará. It has trails and numerous waterfalls; excursions require prior authorization from ICMBio.
Created in 1980, Parque Nacional do Cabo Orange protects 619,000 hectares of sensitive coastal ecosystems in northern Brazil. It encompasses a 200-kilometer stretch of coastline and extends an additional 10 kilometers into the marine zone. Its ecosystems include marine areas, mangroves, restingas, estuaries, lakes, lagoons, flooded plains and forests, as well as, to a lesser extent, Terra-Firme forests and Amazonian savannas. Visitors can take boat trips on the region’s rivers and canals to observe mangroves, flooded fields and animals such as scarlet ibises, herons and other coastal birds. Large numbers of birds use the area for nesting, roosting or breeding.
Getting there and traveling around the region
Long-distance travel between Amapá and the rest of Brazil is primarily by air or water. Passenger ships arrive from Belém or Santarém, crossing the Rio Amazonas. Air access to Amapá is through Aeroporto Internacional de Macapá (MCP). As airport operations and flight schedules can change, check current connections before your trip.
Travel between the capital and nearby beach destinations is by car or bus on state highways such as AP-010. In the Macapá metropolitan area, Praia da Fazendinha is a freshwater bathing spot on the Rio Amazonas, where visitors can also enjoy local cuisine.
Discover more destinations: Macapá, Fazendinha, Ferreira Gomes, Oiapoque, Tartarugalzinho, Mazagão, Maranhão, Santa Catarina.
For the broader travel overview: Brazil.
