Belterra

Pará


Henry Ford briefly moved his Fordlândia operations to this tidy little town in the 1940s and this site, 40km from Santarém, makes for an easy day trip. There's a small museum of Ford-era photos and artifacts, a small grove of rubber trees and several green-and-white buildings, built for Ford managers; behind one (the Secretária de Educação) is a cement platform with river views. There's a water tower, with a still-working industrial whistle that used to summon the workers.

Buses ($3.50; 1hr) come and go every 30 to 60 minutes, until 9pm. Some guides, like Gil Serique and Big Tree Adventure Tours, may include a stop here.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Pará attractions

1. Praia do Cajueiro

9.72 MILES

A few blocks west of the town center along the waterfront promenade is this pleasant beach, wrapping around to the Tapajós River.

2. Ilha do Amor

9.73 MILES

A small slice of paradise just offshore from Alter do Chão, the 'Island of Love' is especially striking when the water is low (August to December) and…

3. Lago Verde

9.89 MILES

This huge three-fingered lake is surrounded by forest and has places to swim, snorkel with fish and spot wildlife (including a resident family of monkeys)…

4. Ponta do Cururú

12.2 MILES

Most afternoons, large numbers of pink and grey dolphins congregate just offshore from this sandy point near the mouth of the Rio Tapajós for an evening…

5. Floresta Nacional do Tapajós

12.4 MILES

If you came to the Amazon to see primary rainforest, look no further than the Floresta Nacional do Tapajós. Wildlife is a possibility – from birds to…

6. ZooFIT

18.74 MILES

Enclosures are rather desultory at this rehabilitation center, but the animals are not intended to stay for long. Affable guides lead interesting tours …

7. Igreja Matriz

21.62 MILES

Facing Praça da Matriz, the city's pretty blue-painted church dates from 1761. Its predecessor church, made of palm fronds in 1661, was Santarém's first…

8. Museu de História e Arte Sacra

21.63 MILES

This modest museum has exhibits on Santarém's history and several artifacts related to the Cirio de Nazaré, the massive religious celebration held every…