5 days of walking in Manaus, the heart of the Amazon, 30 bloody experiences that subvert your imagination

Chasing crocodiles in a canoe during a tropical rainstorm, dancing the samba in the rubber tycoon's golden palace, and chewing piranha skewers on a 1,313-meter-long floating pier... I just returned from a trip to Manaus, the heart of the Amazon rainforest. These magical experiences are enough for me to brag about for the rest of my life! ——𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓❶ Five critical hits that subvert cognition—— ❶ The world's largest floating dock hides dark delicacies. The 1,313-meter-long steel behemoth floats on the Black River. The shocking opening of the fish market at 4 a.m. is comparable to that of Pirates of the Caribbean. ❷ Pink dolphins are sweeter than Disney princesses. Encounter the endangered Amazon river dolphins in the Anavilhanas Islands. These elves with their own blush will take the initiative to rub their kisses against humans! But don't touch it, their skin is more delicate than that of a baby, and any sunscreen residue can be fatal! ❸ A terrifying record of a night in a rainforest hotel. I stayed in a tree house 15 meters above the ground and was awakened by a jaguar’s roar at 3 a.m. The guide calmly handed me the night vision goggles and said, "It is courting, which is much safer than human blind dates." In the morning, I found a poison dart frog as big as a fist in the bathtub... ❹ Free attractions beat internet celebrity landmarks. The secret rooftop behind the municipal clock tower (GPS: -3.1305, -60.0233). The locals took me to unlock the God’s perspective: the Pink Amazon Theater×Steel Pier×Rainforest skyline in the same frame, and the phone played the wasteland aesthetic blockbuster in Blade Runner. ❺ The century-old fish market has hidden secrets. The world's most dangerous cafe is hidden on the second floor of the Adolpho Lisboa market, with piranha teeth as chandeliers and jaguar specimens as dining tables. I highly recommend the 15 reais Tambaqui fish burger, which has juicy cassava cheese hidden under the crispy fish skin. ——𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓❷ Hardcore strategy that cannot be found—— ⛵️ Traffic pitfall prevention Don’t believe the guide that says taking Uber is cheaper! The actual price premium during the morning rush hour is 500%. You can save half of that by using "Tocantins Radio Táxi" to call a taxi. Don’t join a tour group when going to Meeting of Waters! Find Captain João wearing a blue hat at the dock (departs at 7:30/14:00 daily), and the private viewing platform + Indian village exploration costs only 120 reais. 🌴 Rainforest Survival Guide Renting wellies is a must at the MUSA reserve! When the water level rose sharply in May, the hiking trail turned into a piranha canteen in seconds (don’t ask where my sandals disappeared). Hidden ways to play in Jawu National Park: use ants as Band-Aids and vine sap as mosquito repellent. Guide Carlos will teach you how to blow monkey secret signals with leaves. 🍴 Map of indigenous private dishes Don’t order the internet-famous dish at Restaurante Banzeiro! Ask the chef "Quero prato da vovó" to unlock grandma's secret recipe for arapaima marinated with 40 kinds of rainforest spices. Dark cuisine that can only be found at the black market: meat stewed with cassava (only available at the corner stall of the night market every Wednesday) ——𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓❸ The mine protection list obtained with blood and tears—— ❗️These pitfalls will make you cry Don't go to the INPA Museum on weekends! Brazil's naughty kids are scarier than rainforest beasts. Be wary of the natives who offer "free bracelets": they ask for $200 halfway through their story, and even the police shake their heads when they come. Be careful when choosing a river cruise during the rainy season (December-May): 80% of attractions are closed due to rising water levels. ❗️These artifacts can save lives Drinking water backpack with filtration function: tap water contains excessive heavy metals. Military-grade mosquito repellent cream (Repel 100 is recommended) Ordinary mosquito repellents are ineffective against Amazon mosquitoes. Waterproof mobile phone pockets x 3! The rainstorm came suddenly, and my iPhone was still usable after being soaked in the rain forest for three days. ——𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐋 The soul tremor of running wild for 5 days—— In Manaus, the border between civilization and wildness is sharper than the teeth of a piranha. As I ate grilled crocodile skewers on the floating dock and watched the sunset dye the Black River bloody, I suddenly understood why the rubber tycoons were willing to build the "Amazon Paris" here. There are no sophisticated filters here, but the most primitive tension of life. If you are also tired of check-in style travel, this secret place missed by 99% of tourists will tear apart all your imaginations of South America. 📌𝐓𝐈𝐏𝐒: Best travel season: dry season from July to November Visa: US visa holders can apply for an electronic visa. Must-install app: iNaturalist (identifies 30,000 species of rainforest creatures) We are not here to conquer nature, but to be savages for 24 hours - the survival philosophy learned in Manaus