But the region is much more than that. You can travel way back in time and find rock paintings, indian pottery and "terra preta" (now in vogue as biochar) and really tall primary rainforest.

The place is also full of interesting stories. Some cite the area as the place where Francisco de Orellana fought the Amazons. It was for long the most beautiful colonial city of the Amazon (as cited by travelers. Many famous 19th century naturalists passed through and Henry Bates (Batesian mimicry and Naturalist on the Rivers Amazon) shared a house with Russell and Wallace. Henry Wickham stole his rubber trees here. One of the bloodiest Brazilian populists uprising, the Cabanagem (hutters revolt) took place here (you can still find wooden cannonballs and hear some of the oral history). A small group of Confederates settled here (but not with much success). Henry Ford's set up American towns Fordlandia and Belterra to get large scale rubber plantations going.

Today it is a place of contrasts. A Cargill terminal (Santarem is near the soy frontier) looms over traditional riverboats. Landscapes change with the water level. Huge forests next to deforested areas and secondary forests and savana plots. Conservation projects and the advance of the agricultural frontier. Riverine communities with subsistence economies and cellphones, which offer homestays. Climb on top of the canopy towers or snorkel in the creeks.

So within a relatively small radius from Santarem you can an ecotourist can find a wide variety of Amazon experiences and insights. Not to mention the great beaches (of which Alter isn´t even the best one).

Despite all this potential, Santarem's (eco)tourism industry is very small compared to Manaus or even Belem.

Why is that?

How many of you have heard of Santarem and what do you remember?

Who has visited Santarem and what were your impressions?

Any tour operators who sell the destination? What kind of feedback are you getting?