OtherA relaxed riverside resort village where a sandbar known as Love Island appears across the river when water levels fall. Cafes and folk craft shops surround the square, creating a simple, rustic atmosphere.

Alter do Chao

Alter do Chao · Brazil · -2.51, -54.96

A small river-beach village in Para State on the Tapajos, a tributary of the Amazon. Its white sandbanks appear during the dry season, earning it the name Caribbean of the Amazon.

Port highlights

A village of about 6,000 people (the nearby city of Santarem has about 300,000)

Population

A tropical monsoon climate that is hot and humid year-round. Temperatures vary little, with the rainy season from December to June and the dry season from August to November.

Climate

Portuguese (English is hardly understood)

Language

Brazilian real (BRL); cash is needed at many small shops.

Currency

August to December, the dry season. September to November is best, when the sandy beaches stretch out the most.

Best time to visit

Local food

Charcoal-grilled river fish such as tambaqui and pirarucu, cassava-flour farinha, and acai bowls.

Sights

Ilha do Amor, a sandbar that appears in the dry seasonCanoe and boat tours on the Tapajos RiverExcursions through flooded forest (igapo)Craft market with local Indigenous handicraftsPirocaua Hill, which offers open views

Monthly average high / low temperatures

31°

24°Jan

31°

24°Feb

31°

24°Mar

31°

24°Apr

31°

24°May

31°

24°Jun

31°

24°Jul

32°

24°Aug

33°

25°Sep

33°

26°Oct

33°

25°Nov

33°

25°Dec

Unit: °C · Calculated from NOAA GHCN-Daily station observations · Period: 1991–2023 · Station: SANTAREM-AEROPORTO · about 27.9 km from port · elevation difference about 55 m · Approximate (distant station) · Last checked: Oct 4, 2026 · A guide for choosing your travel month.

Local prices for travelers

Cheaper than Tokyo

Compared with Tokyo, Japan (median of items)79 (Tokyo = 100)

Compared with Tokyo, water, meals and beer are somewhat cheaper; coffee costs about the same; a Big Mac is somewhat more expensive.

R$2.39

Water 500 ml

R$15.00

Coffee

R$22.50

Inexpensive meal

R$14.50

Local beer

R$23.90

Big Mac

Prices from nearby Santarem (about 29 km away) · Amounts in the recorded local currency. No currency conversion applied. · Last checked: Oct 2026 (partly estimated) · Sources: Shop and menu prices · The Economist, Big Mac Index (CC BY 4.0)