Santarem, Recife, Fortaleza Independent excursions

[Kristal Blade]

Apologies if this has been answered before, but a little advice would be appreciated.

 

How easy would it be to arrive in Santarem, Recife and Fortaleza and pick up a taxi driver/independent tour guide to take us to see the local highlights please?

 

Santarem: can we walk to the museum?

 

Recife: how long will it take to be driven to Olinda? Will a taxi driver be happy to take us there, give us time to walk round then take us back to ship? Any idea of cost please.:confused:

 

Fortaleza: can we walk to the central market? Apart from the cathedral and the market what else are the highlights here? We do not want to lie on the beach.

 

Thanks in advance:)

[John Bull]

Santarem

is a tender port, depends where your tenders drop you but the centre of town is probably too far from town to walk, esp in the heat. There'll be taxis & minibuses at the pier to take you into town or for a tour.

If you can get together a group of a dozen or so (either on the ship or by sharing with others from your ship at the pier), you can hire a van + boat to replicate ship's excursion to wedding-of-the-waters and up-river, or a minibus for a combined rainforest walk then afternoon on the beach at Altar do Chao. Santarem is rather grubby, but tolerably safe.

 

Recife

For Olinda, you'll need to bargain hard with taxis at the pier, or a long walk out to the main road & catch a bus or hail a passing taxi. Mebbe 10 - 15 minutes. If by taxi, just take it one way - & mebbe ask the driver to take you to the top of Olinda, its pretty steep. Or from the bus stops on the main road at the bottom of Olinda (by the excellent tourist info office) there's a super little road train which takes you on a tour, with several stops - saves your knees & your lungs :)

To return to Recife, back to the bottom of the hill by the tourist info office for a taxi or bus to Recife. Go into old-town Recife (Santo Antonio) , lots of walkable sights incl the converted prison, most folk can walk back to the ship from old town. Both places are safe & interesting, Recife is level walking.

A & B are old-town Recife, the white dots are the ship's berth & the bottom of the hill at Olinda.http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=R.+Primeiro+de+Mar%C3%A7o&daddr=-8.05849,-34.86984+to:-8.0145811,-34.8458539+to:R.+Siqueira+Campos&hl=en&ie=UTF8&sll=-8.038323,-34.867859&sspn=0.071219,0.09716&geocode=FQD0hP8djtPr_Q%3BFYYJhf8dsO3r_SlnAuFnohirBzHTqvbVJMhLcA%3BFQu1hf8dY0vs_SnVUtc8uiKrBzGNLlfIo2yhKQ%3BFar5hP8dGMzr_Q&vpsrc=0&dirflg=w&mra=dvme&mrsp=1&sz=13&via=1,2&t=m&z=13

 

Fortaleza

From cruise terminal to town is a long walk & considered unsafe - take a taxi or bus, available from the cruise terminal. The mercado & cathedral are close together, plenty of taxis for the return to the ship. Or walk back part-way along the seafront/beaches, then hail a taxi for the last part.

 

Can't remember prices, but cheap.

 

JB :)

[Fattony]

You don't say if you speak any Portuguese. Not many taxi drivers speak English in those places.

 

I'm in Fortaleza. It would be a long, long, hot walk from the port to the Mecado Central. And the streets and sidewalks aren't in good condition (potholes, trash). There will undoubtedly be tours, maybe even free shuttles, to the Mercado Central Otherwise, take a taxi and say "Mercado Central." I wouldn't try a local bus unless you're experienced in such and speak at least some Portuguese. Best to have some smaller bills (definitely no 100 Reais for taxi or shopping, and no 50 Reais bills for taxi). I've even gone into a superket or large stationery store, handed over a large bill, and been asked "Não tem troco?" ("You don't have change?"). In the Mercado Central, be sure to bargain. There are lots of stalls selling the same things. You can find the same basic lace items, shirts, etc. You can find some items of good quality, but you will need to hunt a bit (amidst vendors telling you, in Portuguese, that they have the best stuff). Few of them will speak English. Of course, anything with the country's name on it (e.g., t-shirts) will say "Brasil", not "Brazil" on it. Castanhas (cashews) are inexpensive. There is, a few blocks away, a place with somewhat more upscale lace (I think it might be the Centro de Turismo; folks on the ship should know). The cathedral is, IMHO, nothing special. Looks older than it is. Lots of vendors selling clothes, furniture, almost anything, on the streets in the area. The beach areas of Meireles/Mucuripe, where most of the upscale hotels are, is pleasant enough for walking and eating.

[Kristal Blade]

Hi John and Tony,

 

Thanks for these really useful tips and advice. I am a non Portuguese speaker so will definitely not be able to make myself understood to the taxi drivers.

 

Do you have any tips for Parintins, Alto do Chao, Salvador or Buzios please? Now that I have found a couple of informed CCers I hope you don't mind if I get the low down on a few more destinations from you.

 

Thanks again or obrigado!:p

[John Bull]

Hi John and Tony,

 

Thanks for these really useful tips and advice. I am a non Portuguese speaker so will definitely not be able to make myself understood to the taxi drivers.

 

Do you have any tips for Parintins, Alto do Chao, Salvador or Buzios please? Now that I have found a couple of informed CCers I hope you don't mind if I get the low down on a few more destinations from you.

 

Thanks again or obrigado!:p

 

For a simple trip ship to mercado central or vice versa in Fortaleza, language shouldn't be a problem, its what the vast majority of independent pax on any ship do. But worth having a map, or the market & port written down.

 

Alto do Chao.

Hmm, not too sure if this is the same as Altar do Chao, near Santarem? Couldn't find Alto do Chao on google. Altar do Chao has a beautiful beach on an islet in the river. You can easily wade to it (50 yards?), or take a little boat. Or take the opportunity to explore the rainforest from there.

 

Salvador (de Bahia)

A short walk from your ship to a large elevator which takes you up to the old town, perched on top of a cliff. Very easy to find. Elevator costs peanuts, free if you're a senior. Lots of beautiful old buildings up there, all easily walkable, a very lazy day. There's a couple of other ways back down , by walking or funicular. Tourist police will stop you from straying in the wrong direction.

 

Sorry, can't help with the others.

 

JB :)

[Menininha82]

A good introduction to Salvador is www.bahia-online.net , esp. the pages on neighborhoods, music, the old city, history The sights are very easy to get around to on your own.

 

The port is very close to the historic center, Pelourinho.

You can start off by taking a taxi to the Mercado Modelo in the Lower City to look around

(lots of inexpensive souvenirs),

ride up the Elevador Lacerda

to the Upper City

and walk a block to Pelourinho

Explore the historic churches, the museums and the many shops

(Be sure to check out the unique textile designs at Goya Lopes' interesting shop Didara. http://www.didara.com.br/)

and have lunch and/or a drink.

(some suggestions: http://www.bahia-online.net/FoodinSalvador.htm)

 

If you have time, you could go to the former sugar plantation/current modern art museum Solar de Uniao

or

(by taxi from the base of the Elevador, about 2 minutes) right on the water,

or go out to the beach in Porto da Barra

(about 10-15 minute by taxi from Pelourinho).

 

On the way back to the ship, you might want to pass through the colorful Sao Joaquin outdoor market

(near the ferry terminal , from where you can get a taxi back to the port--although distance is walkable, road is not very inviting to walk and not recommended)

 

These days, there is also a hop on/hop off double decker bus that has stops at the main tourist sights, some of them a bit further out (like the neighborhood of Rio Vermelho and the Church at Bonfim).

 

If you are concerned about not speaking Portuguese, do carry a dictionary and/or phrase book, as well as a small notebook and pen to write down destinations to show to the taxi driver.

 

Enjoy. Please post again if you need any more info on Salvador.

[Kristal Blade]

Thanks again John and also Meniniha82,

 

I am just about to check out all the web sites and am feeling a lot more confident about finding my way around now.

 

Obrigado!:)

[Menininha82]

the old town, perched on top of a cliff. ....... There's a couple of other ways back down , by walking or funicular.

 

Sorry John, but just to be very clear, tourists should NEVER NEVER attempt to walk down to the Lower City from the Upper City. Walking on any of the steep streets down is almost SURE invitation to get robbed

[John Bull]

Sorry John, but just to be very clear, tourists should NEVER NEVER attempt to walk down to the Lower City from the Upper City. Walking on any of the steep streets down is almost SURE invitation to get robbed

 

Thanks for the warning, Menininha. A bit late for us, but we survived. ;)

Our way back down to the ship was pretty busy & did seem pretty safe, but yes, others on our ship were turned back from other routes by the tourist police so I guess simplest is safest.

 

BTW it was just a short walk from our ship to the mercado, near the bottom of the elevator, pretty-well everyone walked it. Though I guess it depends exactly where a ship is berthed.

 

How about the funicular? We only saw it from the ship as we sailed away.

 

Regards,

JB :)

 

PS Kristal Blade - there's a question on the Britain ports-of-call about your home town. Mebbe you can advise

[Kristal Blade]

Thanks for the additional info about safety Meniniha.

 

John, I am off to the UK site now......;)

 

Toodle pip

[aussietwo]

How easy would it be to arrive in Santarem, Recife and Fortaleza and pick up a taxi driver/independent tour guide to take us to see the local highlights please?

 

Santarem: can we walk to the museum?

 

:)

 

G'Day Kristal Blade

 

We have just been to Santarem. If you want more of a jungle experience you will enjoy the tour below. We were a group of 14 but another single guy had contacted Paulo direct and was able to join the tour. Suggest if you are interested you might like to email Paulo jungle.guide@yahoo.com.br.

 

I can highly recommend. Good Luck Ros :)

 

SANTAREM Nov 5 - Phone 055 93 9191 5295

Pick up at the pier loading on a regional boat..( Cage boat) going down stream the Tapajos River to stop at the meeting of the waters of the Tapajos and Amazonas Rivers (pink dolphin watching) and then on to MAICA CANAL a natural outlet of the amazon River that meanders around over a large part of the floodplain forest. you will without a doubt see freshwater dolphin,iguanas, sloths,monkeys and a variety of birds. a stop will be made for a Nature Walking into the "IGAPO" Floodplain forest to go very near the wildanimals for 1 1/2HRS. with some effort and time it might be possible to find "Hoatzin". lunch box ,water and fruit will be served during the tour. back to the ship

Price: 08 peaple- U$ 100.00 per person from 10 to 15 peaple- U$ 80.00 per person.....

[Kristal Blade]

Thanks Aussietewo,

 

This sounds like a really good tour, but we have already booked a meeting of the waters tour in Manaus. However a sighting of the dolphins might well get me there! Did you see the dolphins?

Have seen hoatzin in Ecuador jungle, did you see them?

 

May contact Paulo and see if he has room for 2 more if he is doing the trip when we go.

 

Cheers and thanks for the tip:)

[pauladora]

which cruise ship are you on,would love to join up for trips etc

[pauladora]

where can I find out about the hop on/off bus in Salvador

[Urban trekker]

A Google search came up with this:

 

http://www.braziltravelblog.com/2009/06/08/salvador-bus-visit-salvador-from-the-top-of-a-bus/

 

Hope this helps

 

Cheers

 

Dennis