3 Best Sights in Alter do Chão, The Amazon

Jutting out into the river across from the main square, this fat finger of golden sand is one of Alter's picture-perfect postcard shots and a great place to spend a day basking in the sun, swimming, and paddleboarding. Rowboats transfer you across (R$10 return), as you will only be able to walk when the waters are at their lowest. Straw cabanas serving fresh grilled fish set out chairs and sun-loungers on the edge of the water. Paddleboards are available for rent for R$50 an hour. Amenities: food and drinks; toilets; water sports. Best for: sunset; swimming.

A local favorite for escaping the crowds during high season, Lago Verde can be accessed by a short boat ride from Alter do Chao. There are secluded sandbanks that separate this lake from Rio Tabajós. Due to the sediment, the water takes on a translucent green color at times. When the waters are high, the surrounding forest is all but submerged, with the treetops forming a fantastical landscape that earned it the name of "floresta encantanda" (enchanted forest). Plan a day trip through a tour agency or speak to one of the boatmen at the main pier below the square.

The best place to watch the sunset, surrounded by botos (pink dolhpins), this sandy headland is a 15-minute speedboat trip from the pier. You can negotiate directly with the boatmen. There are no vendors, so take your own refreshements.