As part of the series 'Crossing the Amazon rainforest by boat and bus,' this post covers all you need to know about the slow boat journey between Tabatinga and Manaus, Brazil. Besides sharing my own stories, I answer questions like what it costs to travel from Tabatinga to Manaus by boat, how long it takes, what the boat looks like, what food is like on the slow boat, and whether you have to buy tickets in advance.

In an attempt to go beyond the usual hostel small talk, I asked a fellow backpacker what activities or places they had consciously skipped. It led to a great conversation in which I shared how I had skipped Popoyo's Secret, supposedly one of Nicaragua's must-do activities, when backpacking in Nicaragua and how it brought me my first paid writing assignment. Continue reading for that story and other examples.

How to ride a chickenbus, how to pay, how much they cost, where to find the schedules and bus stops, and where in Guatemala they go.