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1.
What is the weather like, how warm does it get and is there
a rainy season?
Manaus is situated 2 degrees south of the equator and here
the temperature is more or less constant the whole year; it
varies from 25 to 35 degrees C. Very occasionally it gets
warmer than 35 C. There are usually some clouds in the sky,
and there is a tropical shower every few days, which is a
nice change when it comes. When there is a shower this is
usually accompanied by a strong wind. It does not often rain
much longer than that. The relative humidity is high, which
makes the heat even hotter. This impression of heat is strongest
in the jungle and the cities. The resort has a sheltered location
near the lake and is always a few degrees cooler. The beach
is open and always has a fresh breeze.
2.
What is the type of clothes I should bring?
It is always (pleasantly) warm in the Amazon region, and you
will not need warm clothing. For this reason you need to bring
sufficient light-weight clothing, including some garments
with long sleeves and trousers with long legs. We also recommend
a light raincoat.
You should bring at least one pair of good walking shoes.
3.
Am I likely to burn easily in the sun?
Yes. Around the equator the sun is of course very strong and
bright. Despite the fact that there is usually some cloud
cover the risk of sunburn is very high, particularly during
the first few days of your stay. Adhere to the rules that
you know from other sunny destinations, including limited
exposure, generous use of sunburn cream and adequate intake
of liquid.
4. How long is the plane journey?
From
Sao Paulo you will fly in som 4 hours to Manaus, mosly with
a stop in Brasilia.
5.
How long does it take to get from the airport to the hotel?
Manaus has an excellent modern airport. You will have cleared
customs in Sao Paulo, which means that in Manaus you will
get to the arrivals hall in no time at all. Tiwa personnel
will be waiting for you in the luggage hall. A 10 minute bus
journey will take you to the Ponta Negra boulevard, from where
the Tiwa boat will take you to the resort in 15 minutes.
6. Is it easy to get to the town of
Manaus?
The boulevard 'Ponta Negra' is situated immediately opposite
the resort and it takes only a 15 minute boat ride to get
there. From the Ponta Negra taxis and buses go to the centre,
the harbour, shopping districts etc. Several times a day there
is a free shuttle boat service from the Tiwa Amazone Resort
to the boulevard.
7.
Is Manaus safe?
In general Manaus is a safe town for tourists. This does not
mean that there are no neighbourhoods that we would advise
you to avoid. These are the remoter ‘slum’ districts
or places that are empty at night. These are usually places
where you would not normally go, unless you actively seek
them out.
The Ponta Negra is definitely a safe and lively place. The
nightlife is safe as well. We would advise you to use the
official taxis.
The police are strict but helpful. In cases of emergency Tiwa
has direct access with the head of police.
8.
What about money; is it easy to get hold of the local currency?
The local currency is the Real. Its value is approximately
30 Eurocent (exchange rate of February 2003). At the airport,
in Amazon shopping, in the town centre and in nearly all hotels
you will be able to exchange Euros and dollars. In the resort,
too, you can exchange up to a maximum of 200 Euro per day,
or a larger amount at your request submitted the previous
day.
9.
What is the food like?
Like the rest of Brazil, the meat in the Amazon is fantastic.
Basic meals always supplement this with rice, brown beans
and salad. A local speciality is the freshwater fish that
is obtainable everywhere. There is also an amazing variety
of tropical fruit. Delicious.
In addition to the Amazon food the resort also offers a wide
varied menu of international dishes. Milk and yoghurt are
not widely used in the Amazon.
10.
Are there opportunities for eating out and other amusements?
Manaus
has many restaurants, but not all of them very varied. However,
if you want to you can find many different cuisines, from
Japanese to Mexican and from French to Argentinean food. The
so-called 'barbecue restaurants' (churasceiras) are a bit
of a local speciality; here you can enjoy all sorts of meat
and elaborate salads. Tiwa Resort can give you advice as to
what the best options are. Very often, however, the simple
restaurants are the most pleasant ones. The street cafes along
the Ponta Negra are always a good option. Eating out here
is not expensive; on average it costs about 6 Euro per person
including drinks.
Going out in Manaus is a real treat. There is always a large
open air ‘dance tent’ to be found somewhere or
other, where hundreds of people join in the fun on the dance
floor to the jolliest local music you can imagine. It may
be frustrating because you may not know the dances, but it
can often be very inviting. There is bound to be a Brazilian
on hand to show you how it is done.
Manaus also has excellent cinemas, a number of theatres and
other amusement opportunities.
11. Can I drink the tap water?
Yess, you can drink the water from our own water sources.
Its pur and clean.
12.
And what about malaria?
The whole region upstream from the Rio Negro has few problems
with malaria due to the high acidity of the ferriferous water.
This applies to the Tiwa Amazone resort and the wider environs.
In case excursions go to regions with higher malaria risks
or other risks Tiwa Amazone will give you detailed advice
in advance. The decision as to whether you take preventative
anti-malaria medicine or not must be based on the advice of
your own doctor or the relevant qualified authorities.
13.
What about the medical provisions in general?
Manaus has a reasonable health service (both private and national),
definitely adequate for any problems you might encounter as
a tourist. The provisions for tropical diseases are, in fact,
excellent. The resort itself has a first aid post. If the
need should arise you can reach a hospital within half an
hour by boat or within a few minutes by helicopter from the
resort.
14.
What about insects, pests and other animals in general?
There are not many poisonous or biting pests, at the resort
itself none at all. But the tropics are the tropics. We would
advise you to bring sufficient insect repellent. This is also
available at the resort.
There are no piranhas, crocodiles or other ‘dangerous
animals’ in or near the resort or in the Rio Negro.
There may be in the smaller rivers, but Tiwa will give you
adequate information about this.
15.
Are there monkeys, parrots and freshwater dolphins to be seen
at the resort?
Yes. In the treetops around the resort you will see many birds,
among them parrots, and plenty of small monkeys. The freshwater
dolphin roams everywhere, usually in the smaller bays, but
regularly around the resort. We are working on a research
programme with freshwater dolphins in the lake.
16.
What are the activities I can take part in at the resort itself?
The resort offers a wide variety of sports and cultural activities,
from all water sports to beach volleyball, woodwork, local
painting, crafts and dancing lessons. The jungle area at the
resort itself is open for jungle walks and a treetops tour.
The resort also has an authentic native American burial site
in its boundaries. The Tiwa Resort is a real outdoor centre
with countless activities for the genuine nature lover.
17.
Is the resort safe?
The resort is situated on a peninsula and is practically inaccessible,
other than by boat. The bungalows have a sheltered location
between two hills at the shores of the lake. There are very
few risks or problems. All the same, the resort has excellent
protection.
18.
What does the room look like?
You will have half of a large semi-detached apartment. The
bedroom is a spacious double room, made entirely from wood
and perfectly finished with local materials. It is without
doubt the most beautiful jungle room for miles around. The
apartment has a very high ceiling, more than 6 metres in the
centre, which means a fantastic feeling of spaciousness. The
empty space is an additional double room, which turns the
room into a four person room. The French windows give you
access to a large patio. The bathroom is real 5-star luxury
and a picture of loveliness. You have an eco fridge.
19.
Are wooden bungalows not a fire hazard?
Wood burns easily, but the hard wood used for the bungalows
does not burn easily. Also, the bungalows are built above
the water, detached and each have a separate water system
with extinguishing water. The roofs are not made of reeds.
They are not more of a fire hazard than any other resort.
20.
How is the sustainable character of the resort demonstrated?
The whole resort is built on a number of sustainable aspects,
too many to list here. Our website, www.tiwaamazone.nl will
give you a detailed description. The important thing is that
the sustainable character of the resort is demonstrated in
particular by the attention you as a tourist pay to caring
for the people and the environment in the region.
21.
Can I use the telephone, how can I be contacted and how can
I contact my people back home?
At the resort you will be able to use the telephone; both
local and international calls are possible. Ask about the
possibilitys at the reception.
23.
Are there excursions into the unspoilt jungle?
Yes,
plenty of them! The whole resort itself is situated in the
unspoilt jungle. There are a number of excursions, from a
few hours to a number of days, near and far, to the most beautiful
locations the tropical rainforest has to offer.
24.
What do I need for the excursions and how difficult are they?
For the excursions you will need light clothing and for the
jungle trips good walking shoes. The excursions vary from
easy to moderately difficult. There will be ample opportunity
for resting, eating and drinking. They are always accompanied
by a Tiwa guide and often a local guide as well.
25.
Do the locals speak English?
In general the local population does not speak English. If
you take the trouble to use gestures and other creative solutions
to find your own way around, then this usually works out fine.
If you want, however, you can be accompanied by your own local
guide for a very small sum (approx. 15 Euros).
26.
Can I go exploring by myself or do I need a personal guide?
From a safety point of view you can go exploring by yourself,
without any doubt. Do ask at reception what the latest news
is. All day long buses and taxis leave from the Ponta Negra
boulevard.
It is also possible that people will engage you in conversation
and offer you all sorts of things. Initially this can be quite
amusing, but after a while it gets tiresome. Don’t forget
that in the eyes of local people you are wealthy. The Brazilians
themselves are very hospitable and like to talk to people.
They don’t mean any harm and they do not engage in the
'aggressive selling' that can be found in places such as Tunisia.
The greater inconvenience is caused by the fact that not may
people speak English. However, if you try sign language and
other create solutions you will usually be successful. If
you want you only have to pay a small amount (approx. 15 Euros)
to get your own guide to accompany you for the whole day.
27. When is the famous Boi festival
and is there an excursion to it from the resort?
The BOI festival takes place on 28, 29 and 30 June. A fantastic
spectacle! You can visit the festival if you are in the resort
during that week and if you indicate at the time of booking
that you want to make use of the excursion. Visit the website
where we will give details about the special offer in good
time.
28. Is two weeks long enough?
When is a holiday ever long enough? If you want to make use
of all the excursions and attractions and go exploring, then
two weeks is really too short. The Amazon region is so large
that there is much more to see and experience. People who
stay at the resort will realise that the Tiwa Resort is one
of the best and most active resorts of its kind.
29.
What kind of souvenirs can I buy?
There are many different souvenirs on sale in the town and
the wider region. It is of course forbidden to buy souvenirs
such as crocodiles, snake skin etc. The local population make
many different artworks from natural materials. You can also
buy lovely paintings and excellent clothes. At the resort
you can buy souvenirs made of completely of natural and sustainable
materials and the profits of which are used for the good of
the local population and other projects.
30. What will my holiday cost, in addition to the fare?
The additional costs will depend entirely on your own activities.
If you stay on the resort these will only consist of the additional
(alcoholic) drinks you have. If you go exploring - and we
would certainly advise you to do so - then the costs involved
will be for your account. An excursion costs on average 30
Euros. If you go out every other day you will add about 200
Euros to your holiday. Have a look at the website to find
out excursions are on offer.
31.
Is there internet access at the resort?
Yes, there is a real internet café where for a small
sum you can make use of the facilities. There is no internet
access in the rooms due to the technical differences and practical
problems with the local providers.
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