Major city · Brazil
Tonantins
Stop 1 night on a Solimões boat run, not as a destination: no roads in, no sights, hotels fill weeks before the late-November Pirarucu Festival.
- Weather
- see forecast
- Currency
- BRL
- Best months
- Jun–Nov (drier, easier river travel)
- avoid Feb–May (heaviest rain); late Nov–early Dec unless you want the Pirarucu Festival and book weeks ahead
- Airports
- MAO · TFF · TBT
- Nights
- 1
Rules in force · 7Above 2,500 m (Bogotá, Quito, Cusco, La Paz) keep the fir…
- South America ↗Above 2,500 m (Bogotá, Quito, Cusco, La Paz) keep the first day light; sleep lower where you can (Sacred Valley before Cusco) and descend if headache comes with vomiting or confusion.
- South America ↗A yellow fever certificate is required on arrival in French Guiana, and asked for on some routes into Bolivia, Paraguay, Suriname and Guyana, or when arriving from Amazon areas — vaccinate at least 10 days before travel and carry the card.
- South America ↗Overnight buses are the norm in Argentina, Chile and Peru, but pick top-tier companies and keep valuables on your body; on-board thefts from overhead racks are the common loss.
- Brazil ↗US, Canadian and Australian citizens need an e-visa (about US$81 — check) applied for online at the official VFS portal before travel; EU and UK citizens do not. Check your passport with Brazil's Ministry of Foreign Affairs before booking.
- Brazil ↗Yellow fever vaccination is recommended for many areas, including the Amazon and Pantanal; check with a travel clinic at least 10 days before travel.
- Brazil ↗Keep your phone out of sight in the street and on beaches; phone theft is the most common crime against visitors in big cities.
- Brazil ↗Carnival 2027 runs about 5–10 February (Tuesday 9 February; Salvador from 4 February): book Rio, Salvador and Recife/Olinda months ahead or avoid those dates.
Tonantins is a river town on the north bank of the Solimões (upper Amazon), about 867 km west of Manaus by water and reachable only by boat. It is a working Amazon town, not a resort: a port, a church square, an open-air market, a handful of restaurants and three hotels. Its value to a traveller is as a break in a multi-day boat trip between Manaus, Tefé and Tabatinga, or as a base for the Pirarucu Festival in late November and early December.
Essentials
Quick answers and what things cost
Quick answers
The questions people ask first about Tonantins, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.
- Cash or card?Currency is the Brazilian real (BRL, R$).Brazil-wide
- SIM or eSIMVivo, Claro and TIM cover the country; buying a prepaid SIM needs a passport and sometimes a CPF — an eSIM before you fly is easier.Brazil-wide
- Tap waterDo not drink tap water; filtered water is provided in most homes and hotels.Brazil-wide
- TippingRestaurant: 10% service (serviço) usually on the bill; optional but normal.Brazil-wide
- Plugs & powerSockets C/N. US/Canada (A/B): adapter · UK/Ireland (G): adapter · Australia/NZ (I): adapter. 127 V: UK and AU 230 V-only devices need a converter; most chargers are dual-voltage.Brazil-wide
- SafetyA small, quiet river town; the practical risks are river currents, unlit streets at night and boat schedules that shift without notice.
- RestroomsPut toilet paper in the bin, not the toilet, in most places.Brazil-wide
- Emergency numbers190 police · 192 ambulance · 193 fire (not 911, 999 or 000)
- Sundays & holidaysCarnival shuts many businesses for several days; museums often close on Mondays.Brazil-wide
- Your embassyFind your embassy's 24-hour line before you fly.
- AirportMAO Manaus – Eduardo Gomes International (No airport at Tonantins; fly to Manaus, Tefé or Tabatinga, then take a boat.).
- Getting aroundWalk.
Cost cheat-sheet
Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.
- Street or quick mealSnack or lanche at a market stallR$10–25 (≈ US$2–5)
- BeerBeer at a barR$8–15 (≈ US$2–3)
- Taxi, about 5 kmTaxi, about 3 miMoto-taxi across townR$5–15 (≈ US$1–3)
- Budget bedSimple hotel double room, a night, per roomR$120 (≈ US$25)
- Mid-range bedSimple hotel double room, a night, per roomR$180 (≈ US$35)
- High-end bedSimple hotel double room, a night, per roomR$280 (≈ US$55)
A day, not counting the bed: Budget R$150 (≈ US$30) · Mid R$300 (≈ US$60) · High R$500 (≈ US$95)
Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →
Decide
What it is known for, and when the weather works
At a glance
What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.
- Airports
- MAO Manaus – Eduardo Gomes International (No airport at Tonantins; fly to Manaus, Tefé or Tabatinga, then take a boat.) · TFF Tefé (Closest practical air gateway; fast boat from Tefé about R$200–240.) · TBT Tabatinga (Upstream gateway; fast boat to Tonantins about R$170–200.)
Weather and climate
Tonantins: next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Air quality
Loading…
Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.
Jan
31°C88°F
23°C73°F
24 rd
Feb
31°C88°F
23°C73°F
22 rd
Mar
31°C88°F
23°C73°F
23 rd
Apr
31°C88°F
23°C73°F
21 rd
May
31°C88°F
23°C73°F
19 rd
Jun
31°C88°F
22°C72°F
15 rd
Jul
31°C88°F
22°C72°F
12 rd
Aug
32°C90°F
22°C72°F
10 rd
Sep
32°C90°F
23°C73°F
11 rd
Oct
32°C90°F
23°C73°F
14 rd
Nov
32°C90°F
23°C73°F
17 rd
Dec
31°C88°F
23°C73°F
21 rd
High / low °C°F · rd = rain days
Arrive & move
Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Getting around
Walk. The main district around the port and town hall takes about 30 min to cross; the west district is under an hour on foot. Taxis and many moto-taxis cover longer hops.
See & do
Day-trips, door to door
Day-trips
Door to door: 24 h fast / 4 days slow
Fast boat from the port, about 24 h; slow boat about 4 days
Downstream run; fast boats up to about R$380, slow boats about R$275.
Tabatinga
overnightDoor to door: About 12 h
Fast boat upstream, about 12 h from Tonantins
Continue to Peru and Iquitos from Tabatinga.
Tefé
overnightDoor to door: Half a day
Fast boat downstream, several hours
Useful if you are routing via Tefé's airport.
São Gabriel da Cachoeira
skipDoor to door: 1–2 days
Fly from Manaus or Tefé, then boat legs
Not a day trip from Tonantins; plan it as its own trip.
Eat & sleep
Which area to sleep in
Where to sleep
Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.
Centro (near the port)
Hotel Rei Davi sits here with a rear entrance at the port; walkable to the church square, market and most restaurants.
West district
Quieter, with river swimming spots and snack bars; 30–60 min on foot from the port, or a moto-taxi.
Practical
What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Cost per day
- Budget
- R$150–250 (≈ US$30–50) excl. bed
- Mid
- R$250–450 (≈ US$50–85) excl. bed
- High
- R$450 (≈ US$85)+ excl. bed
Trip budget
| Simple hotel double room1 × 1 night × R$180 | R$180 |
| Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × R$300 | R$600 |
| Fast boat Manaus → Tonantins, one way2 × R$280 | R$560 |
| Slow boat Manaus → Tonantins, one way2 × R$275 · About 4 days. | R$550 |
| Moto-taxi around town2 × R$10 | R$20 |
| eSIM, about a week of data2 × R$60 | R$120 |
| Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge | R$203 |
| Trip total≈ R$1,117 per person per day, bed included | R$2,233≈ US$450 |
Air conditioning, mini-fridge, TV and WiFi are typical.
2026 estimate in reais; long-distance boat fares are separate. Your choices stay in this browser.
Prices of common things
| Snack or lanche at a market stall | R$10–25 (≈ US$2–5) |
| Plate of regional fish (pirarucu or tambaqui) with rice and farofa | R$30–60 (≈ US$6–12) |
| Beer at a bar | R$8–15 (≈ US$2–3) |
| Moto-taxi across town | R$5–15 (≈ US$1–3) |
| Simple hotel double room, one night | R$120–280 (≈ US$25–55) |
2026 estimate; check locally.
Watch out
Safety
- No roads in: the only access is by river boat, and schedules change with the water level.
- Fast-boat timetables and fares quoted here come from older listings: confirm departure day and price at the Manaus or Tabatinga terminal before you commit.
- Hotels fill weeks before the Pirarucu Festival (late Nov–early Dec).
- Bring cash: card and Pix coverage in a town this size is patchy.
- River swimming is a local habit, not a supervised activity: currents and boat traffic are real.
Emergency numbers
- Police
- 190
- Ambulance
- 192
- Fire
- 193
Pocket card
Fill in, then print or save as PDF
Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.
TonantinsTonantins
Pocket card · Voykit
My bed tonight
—
—
—
Para este endereço, por favorTo this address, please
Emergency
- Police190
- Ambulance192
- Fire193
Embassy
No embassies in Tonantins; the US, UK and other consulates are in Manaus, embassies in Brasília.
My embassy: —
Fare anchors (2026 estimate)
- Fast boat Manaus → Tonantins: about R$230–380 (≈ US$45–75), about 24 h
- Fast boat Tabatinga → Tonantins: R$170–200 (≈ US$35–40)
- Fast boat Tefé → Tonantins: R$200–240 (≈ US$40–45)
- Slow boat Manaus → Tonantins: about R$275 (≈ US$55), about 4 days
Say or show
- Bom dia — Good morning (bong DEE-ah)
- Obrigado / Obrigada — Thank you (oh-bree-GAH-doo / oh-bree-GAH-dah)
- Quanto custa? — How much is it? (KWAN-too KOOS-tah)
- Onde fica o porto? — Where is the port? (ON-jee FEE-kah oo POR-too)
- Quero uma passagem de barco para Manaus — I would like a boat ticket to Manaus (KEH-roo OO-mah pah-SAH-jeng jee BAR-koo pah-rah mah-NOWS)
- Tem quarto disponível? — Is there a room available? (teng KWAR-too jees-po-NEE-vel)
Cash is king here; ATMs are scarce, so withdraw in Manaus, Tefé or Tabatinga before you board.
Deep dive
What this guide covers so far, and its sources
Not a trip line yet
This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Tonantins. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.
What we know, and what is coming
On this page
- Best months: Jun–Nov (drier, easier river travel) · avoid Feb–May (heaviest rain); late Nov–early Dec unless you want the Pirarucu Festival and book weeks ahead · month by month →
- 3 airports and 2 areas to sleep in
- Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
- Cost per day in 3 bands
- 4 day-trips, door to door
- 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers
Coming as the guide grows
- An airport-to-bed path that says whether a late landing still works
- Walking clusters with bag rules
- Day plans checked against opening hours
- Field-verified times and fares