| TABATINGA is not the most
exciting of towns, and many people stuck here waiting for a boat or plane
to Manaus or Iquitos prefer to hop over the border to Leticia for the
duration of their stay, even if they don’t plan on going any further
into Colombia. Tabatinga is the place to complete Brazilian exit (or
entry) formalities with the Polícia Federal, on Avenida da Amizade (daily
10am–8pm; tel 092/412-2180). Tabatinga also has an airport with regular
flights to Manaus. Many of the boats into Peru leave from here, and if
you’re coming or going the other way most downstream boats start their
journeys here too (south down Rua Tamandaré, then right after the Marine
base), before really filling up at Benjamin Constant. |
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| Accommodation in
Tabatinga isn’t that great – a good reason to stay on the boat if you
can or, if you really need a night of luxury, to try out the hotels in the
the neighbouring Colombian town of Leticia. In Tabatinga, your choice is
limited to the friendly but very basic Hotel Pajé, Rua Pedro
Teixeira 367 (tel 092/412-2774; under $10); the fairly pleasant Hotel
Rasgo da Lua at the start of Rua Marechal Mallet (tel 092/412-2571;
$10–20); the Hotel Alto Solimões, Rua Marechal Mallet 440 (tel
092/412-2827; $20–35), which is something of a dump; and the nicer Hotel
Te Contei on the main drag Avenida da Amizade at no. 1813 (tel
092/412-2377 or 413-2566; $35–50), which is entered up the rickety
spiral stairway over the pizzeria of the same name. There are a handful of
restaurants on the same street, including the Canto do Peixada,
which does excellent river fish. Further along the avenida, towards
Leticia, a number of lively bars and discos cater for the
sleepless. In the other direction, Scandalo’s (Fri–Sun) and Amazonas
Clube (Sun only, 8pm–5am) are the places for serious dance freaks
– and prostitutes – as is Banana Café (Sat & Sun) on Rua
Marechal Mallet. For live music (Fri & Sat), try Restaurante
Bella Epoca on Rua Pedro Teixeira, or Bar Porto Seguro, a
couple of kilometres west beyond the port for Manaus boats.
For money changing, forget the Banco do
Brasil; you’ll get a better deal for travellers’ cheques at Câmbio
CNM (Mon–Fri 8am–5pm, Sat 8am–noon), at Avenida da Amizade 2017,
whereas for cash you’re best off crossing the border into Leticia. |