The Boat from Manaus to Santarém and from Santarém to Macapá - Crossing the Amazon rainforest by boat in Brazil
- Ilse
- 5 hours ago
- 11 min read
Hi, welcome to my blog series on crossing the entire Amazon rainforest by bus and boat! I travelled all the way through the rainforest from Peru to Suriname, setting foot in Colombia and crossing Brazil and French Guiana. In this series, I take you to each step of that your journey to hopefully inspire you to go on a similar adventure and to provide information that I wish I had been able to find online before starting mine.
This blogpost specifically will cover how to get from Manaus in the state Amazonas, Brazil to Santarém in the state Para, Brazil by boat, as well as how to get from Santarém to Santana by boat and from Santana to Macapá by car. Below I will link to my other posts.
See the content overview of this post
How to get from Manaus to Santarém, Brazil?
What is the difference between the slow boat and the fast boat between Manaus, AM and Santarém, PA?
My boat journey from Manaus to Santarém
How to get from Santarém, PA to Macapá, AP Brazil?
Comparing the slow boat and fast boat from Santarém to Santana
My journey from Santarém to Santana and Macapá, AP
How comfortable is the fast boat from Santarém, PA to Santana, AP?
Can you charge your devices and is there internet on the fast boat from Santarem, PA to Santana, AP?
What does it cost to go by boat from Santarém, PA to Santana, AP?
What is the food like on the fast boat from Santarém, PA to Santana, AP?
Other posts in this series
Crossing the Amazon Rainforest by Boat (overview post from Peru to Suriname)
How to get to Yurimaguas, Peru
How to travel by boat from Iquitos to Santa Rosa, Peru and the border crossing with Santa Rosa (Peru), Leticia (Colombia), and Tabatinga (Brazil)
Border crossings with French Guiana and travelling to Suriname over land
How to get the boat from Manaus to Santarém, Brazil?
As with most parts of this journey, there are two ways to travel from Manaus to Santarém by boat: the fast boat and the slow boat. I arrived with the slow boat from Tabatinga to Manaus.
We arrived in Manaus at 5pm and on the boat, one person tried to rush us into paying 50 BRL for a boat that would take us to the port where the fast boats leave to buy a ticket “before they run out”. We said no and walked there instead, which is about 10-15 minutes.
From what I felt when walking around, Manaus is much like Salvador da Bahia, where I lived for nearly 6 months. This means that although some areas are great, please always be mindful of your phone and belongings while walking around. As soon as it is dark, it is highly recommended to take an Uber. In my other blogpost I write more about Manaus and whether it is worth to visit. We just spent half a night there in a hotel.
The fast boats go from 'Porto Amarelo' or 'Balsa Amarela', which is a yellow floating building. We bought our tickets for the next morning there. I opted for the fast boat since it is considerably faster and my new friend and I wanted to arrive to Alter do Chão for New Year’s Eve, which is about an hour away from Santarém by car or bus. If I would have had more time, though, I would have totally opted for another slow boat.
What is the difference between the slow boat and the fast boat between Manaus, AM and Santarém, PA?
In short, the fast boat is more expensive. The one from Manaus to Santarém costs 450 to 520 BRL, leaves at 4am in the morning and arrives 15 hours later, so the same night. It kind of feels like a plane or a bus.
The slow boat is (shocker) slower and takes anywhere from 30 to 36 hours to arrive, depending on which boats to take. They are sold as Navio or Ferry Boat and will leave on alternating days at 9am, 10am or 12pm. On the slow boat, you sleep in a hammock that you have to bring yourself next to anywhere between tens to hundreds of other passengers. For my advice on where to hang your hammock and more in-depth information on these types of slow boats, such as what the toilets are like, what the food is like, and whether there is internet, check my post for tabatinga to Manaus. On that trajectory, I took the slow boat. On this trajectory, I took the fast boat.
For schedules and booking in advance, for both the slow and fast boats, you can check this website. Honestly, I wish I had known this website earlier in my journey, it would saved me so much running from port to port to figure out the schedules with different boat companies...
My boat journey crossing the Amazon rainforest by boat from Manaus to Santarém
The fast boat we took was named Anna Karolina and left at 4am from Porto Amarilla. We had to gather there at 3am, so decided to book a hotel with the three of us somewhat nearby the port. My friend Leonie and I would then leave early morning and our friend Daniel who would spend New Year's Eve in Manaus would move to another hostel. We took an uber to the port at 3am, which was easy and at the port it was already quite lively as the market was starting up.
Our boat cost 500 BRL and was quite luxurious, similar to a plane but with more leg space. The seats go back a bit and have tables. I wrote most of this blogpost there, so it was comfortable enough to get work done. Internet can be bought, which neither of us did.
My friend and I went to sit in different rows because we both wanted a window seat and we both ended up having respectively half and the entire row to ourselves so could sleep some more hours laying down flat!
When the boat leaves and it is still dark outside the AC is on strong, so bring a jacket and socks. Later it gets hotter, so you are going to want to dress in layers. They sell meals on the boat for 25 BRL and drinks and snacks in the back. Coffee (with sugar) is free. Sometimes there are vendors coming onto the boats as well.
We arrived in Santarém again later than planned, around 11pm. From there, my new friend Leonie and I went to Alter do Chão, which is about a one hour ride away. Luckily, Leonie's friend had lived in Alter do Chão for years and had arranged a transfer for us. The one-hour drive cost 150 BRL and since we were with two I paid 75 BRL. Going back to Santarém I took the bus, which was much cheaper (6 BRL) but only goes during the day. If you do want to save money or are by yourself, it is worth looking into staying in Santarém for one night and then take the bus the next day. Or explore Santarém for a few days of course!
Before taking the boat from Santarém to Santana, in Santarém I stayed in this hotel, which I can recommend. Someone I met in Alter do Chão had slept in a hotel where water was leaking through the roof, so be critical and maybe not opt for the cheapest one. For more information on how to get from Santarem to Alter do Chão by bus and transfer, and why you should visit Alter do Chão, you can read my other blogpost.
How to get from Santarém, PA to Macapá, AP Brazil?
To continue North from Santarém there are various trajectories. Most travellers take a slow boat from Santarém to Belém. My journey, however, was not further into Brazil but towards the border with French Guiana. To get there, I took the boat from Santarém to Santana and then a car to Macapá. Here, you again have the choice between the fast and slow boat.
Comparing the slow boat and fast boat from Santarém to Santana
The differences in terms of setting and comfort of the boats are similar to as what I described above. In terms of price and duration, the slow boat from Santarém to Santana takes around 30 hours and leaves in the evening, meaning you sleep at least one night on the boat in your own hammock. The slow boat costs around 300 BRL and is again sold as a Navio or Ferry Boat. You can look at schedules and buy tickets here.
Since I was on my way to visiting family in Suriname who would be there for a limited time, and since I was already delayed for various reasons, I took the fast boat. The fast boat costs around 500 BRL, depending on which boat company you go with. I paid 518 BRL for my ticket and the boat arrived the same day, in about 15 hours.
After a lot of searching and texting with various boat companies, I finally found the website that I have been linking that has the schedules and tickets for all the fast and slow boats between Brazilian cities in the rainforest. I bought my boat ticket from Santarém to Santana via that website but for some reason the website did not accept my credit card payment. So, I had a Brazilian friend pay for me via Pix and then paid them back in cash.
Keep in mind that this might be an issue, so try to book somewhat in time and if it does not work then see if you can ask your hostel or hotel owner, or a Brazilian friend, to pay via Pix. And please note that especially the amounts for the fast boats are quite high for many Brazilians and not many Brazilians use cash, so not every Brazilian might have that amount on their Pix or is willing to accept cash. So, be thoughtful and respectful when asking someone else to pay for you and accept no for an answer too.
My journey crossing the Amazon rainforest from Santarém to Santana and Macapá, AP
My fast boat left at 5am from Santarém and arrived the same evening around 6pm in Santana. I bought the lunch meal on the boat for 30 BRL. There was also the option to buy breakfast for 25 BRL, but I made my own oats. Unfortunately, unlike on some previous fast boats, coffee was not included on this one and cost a few BRL.
On the boat, I met a Brazilian man and his son who had lived in French Guiana – where I was going – and we ended up sharing an Uber to the bus station in Macapá. The uber ride cost 50 BRL, so I paid my share of 25 BRL in cash and we arrived in Macapá around 8pm in the evening! When you arrive to Santana, they will carry out all the bags and will call them by number. So make sure you know your number in Portuguese or keep an eye out for your bag if you checked one in.
This meant that I had graduated from the boat part of my journey in Brazil and only had the river crossing from French Guiana to Suriname left in terms of water crossings. More on my journey from Macapá to Oiapoque, the border crossings with French Guiana, and my entry to Suriname in my next blogpost.
Frequently Asked Questions
How comfortable is the fast boat from Santarém, PA to Santana, AP?
The fast boat between Santarem and Macapa was honestly as luxurious as a plane. The seats are quite spacious and I was lucky that my boat was not full, so I had two seats for myself.
Can you charge your devices on the fast boat from Santarem, PA to Santana, AP? And what about internet?
Yes, on my boat, there were plugs underneath every seat. Wifi is available if you by a one-day subscription, which I did not do. With my e-sim, I had cell service at various points along the way, primarily when we were near a city. I usually get my e-sims from Airalo, you can use my friend code ILSE8196 to get a 3 EUR discount on your first purchase there!
What does it cost to go by boat from Santarém, PA to Santana, AP?
The fast boat costs around 500 BRL and supposedly arrives within 12,5 hours, but make sure you always take into account some delays. I arrived in 15 hours. The slow boat costs a bit over 300 BRL and supposedly arrives within 30 hours.
For food, you will spend another 50 BRL or so, depending on how many meals you buy on the boat. Breakfast costs 25 BRL and lunch 30 BRL.
Do you have to buy tickets in advance for the boat from Santarém, PA to Santana, AP? And where do you buy tickets?
The fast boat that I went on was full when I left. There were some people that arrived to the harbor an hour before it would leave and they still managed to get a ticket there, but there were also various ones that literally (pun intended) missed the boat. I do expect that this was because of the holiday season that I was travelling in.
So, my advice, is to look at schedules and buy tickets here. If somehow, you do not manage to pay online and cannot get someone else to pay for you via Pix, then either find the Whatsapp number of the company and ask them to hold the ticket. Or, alternatively, visit the harbor to buy your ticket in person a day in advance or show up at the harbor about two hours prior to the scheduled departure time on the day itself to try and secure a ticket.
What is the food like on the fast boat from Santarém, PA to Santana, AP?
The breakfast (that I did not take) seemed to consist of a simple bread, something with meat, coffee, and a piece of watermelon and cost 25 BRL. For lunch they serve rice, beans, a small salad, and chicken. I asked to get my meal without chicken and it filled me up enough because of the beans. Lunch costs 30 BRL.
The taste was quite alright. They also sell small snacks and coffee in the back of the boat. I had brought my tupperware but they serve it in disposable tuppers, so if you want them to serve it in your tupper make sure you go to the kitchen well in advance – and even then I am not sure if they will do it. It was super difficult to communicate with them because the sound of the motor was super loud.
Is there vegetarian or vegan food on the fast boat from Santarém, PA to Santana, AP?
Most meals that are served on the boats - both the slow boats and the fast boats - are with meat. However, you can ask them to leave the meat out and give you more beans, for example. I am pretty sure that the rice and pasta is vegan, but ask if they use butter. Note that the beans on the slow boat from Tabatinga to Manaus had meat in there except for the last days, so if you are in doubt and find it very important, do check beforehand.
To get your proteins in, I can recommend bringing boiled eggs (as a vegetarian) or to make your own oats on the boat with nuts, some fruit and peanut butter.
Thank you for reading and if you have any other questions or information that I missed that could help fellow travellers, please let me know via Instagram!
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