Brazil | Amazonian Buffalo Experience
- W. Huynh
Marajó Island is the largest fluvial island in the world by the mouth of the Amazon River, and it’s buffalo central! Buffalo cheese, buffalo meat, buffalo pizza and policemen riding buffaloes. I stayed at the Soure municipality which is right next to Salvaterra. Apparently all the activities are at Soure so it’s better to stay there.
The island itself is absolutely stunning! Soft-sand beaches that make cute, squeaky noises when you walk, mangroves all over the island and a chilled, island vibe. I also watched (and attempted) carimbó dancing and experienced “clubbing” Brazilian style (maybe it’s a South American thing?) where people dance salsa (probably not salsa but it’s similar) in partners rather than jumping up and down and fist pumping. People also don’t dance non-stop. They dance for a minute or so, and then stop for another minute based on what the DJ is doing. Personally, I wasn’t a huge fan of all the talking the DJs do in the middle of the song either…really breaks the continuity!
If you like the beach, hot weather, the jungle and want to experience riding a buffalo (the buffalos are well looked after and are free to roam as they please on the farm), then it’s worth checking out and supporting the local communities. I got a more local experience with the blokus (street party leading up to Carnaval in Brazil) and carimbó dancing as I stayed at a couch surfing place.
I met Evaldor at the first pousada (hotel in Brazil) I stayed it. He was wonderful and took me around on his scooter to some nearby beaches and cheese farm while we waited for the buffalo farm tour to start. Pictured here is Praia do Pesqueiro (Pesquiero beach). Unfortunately, I had a bad experience at Pousada Asa Branca where one of the owners acted like a misogynist and made me feel unsafe when a young man harassed me for over an hour.
Enjoy a cold drink or fresh coconut while you sit on a beach chair under the many umbrellas or out in the sun.
Kids, wanna play on this swing? A buffalo swing in the buffalo cheese farm garden.
The canoe ride down a river with a lovely lady I met on the Sao Jeronimo Fanzenda tour (buffalo farm tour). It was so peaceful and the sounds of the birds and insects was exactly what I needed!
A crab on the beach during out Sao Jeronimo tour. Mario (our tour guide) picked one up and let me hold it. This was a bit bigger than my hand but was he strong!
Getting the buffaloes ready for the ride. We walked through the farm and had a small buffalo race at the end too. Get your butt pads ready as you should be expecting a sore behind after this!
View from above. This guy really had a mind of his own wouldn’t go where I wanted him to go…
Mangroves at Pesquiero Beach.
How did I get there?
- Marajó Island is a great 2 or 3 day side-trip to make from Belém. I stayed at Galeria Hostel which has the loveliest receptionists and is within walking distance of the ferry terminal. They guided me as to where to go and how to book my ferry ticket to the island.
- Make your way to Terminal Hidroviário De Belém (the ferry terminal) before the morning ferry and choose between a fast or slow ferry.
- Get off at Soure and try to stay with a hostel/[pousada where they speak English. I made the mistake of staying at a pousada, and then couch surfing place where it was hard to get proper assistance.
- Get help from your hostel/pousada as to how to return to Belém. I had to take a bus to the Balsa Camará – Icoaraci which I believe is a slower ferry and terminal located elsewhere from where you enter Soure from.
Sao Jeronimo Farm Tour
- This tour lasts a few hours and takes you down a river on a canoe, through a beach and on a buffalo ride. I organised mine on the day through the pousada when I arrived.
Recommendations
- Take enough cash with you as the ATMs charge an extremely high commission rate (20% when I was there). I had to take a slower ferry back because I had money stolen from me at the couch surfing accommodation and couldn’t pay for the faster ferry I had originally planned on taking.
- Stay at a hostel with English speakers even if it means very basic accommodation. You will enjoy it more with the help as barely anyone speaks English.
