International border between Brazil and Columbia
Tabatinga
Tabatinga is Brazil's western most town on the Rio Solimões, on the border with Colombia and Peru.(The Colombians and Peruvians refer to the river as the Amazon.) Boats from Tabatinga can take you downstream to Manaus or they can take you upstream to Iquitos, Peru.
As the crow flies it is 688 miles from Tabatinga to Manaus, but along the river route it is closer to 750 miles. It is approximately 225 miles in a straight line from Tabatinga to Iquitos, closer to 300 miles by boat.
There is no formal border between the two countries of Brazil and Columbia so the transition from Tabatinga Brazil to Leticia, Colombia is virtually unnoticeable, except the language of shop signs changes from Portuguese to Spanish.
Unfortunately Tabatinga is not the most exciting of towns, and many people waiting for a boat or plane to Manaus or Iquitos prefer to hop over the border to Leticia for the duration of their stay, even if they don’t plan on going any further into Colombia.
The city, along with neighboring Leticia celebrate Carnival, but there are no other major festivals in the region.
Tabatinga is the place to complete Brazilian exit (or entry) formalities with the Polícia Federal The town has an airport with regular flights to Manaus. Many of the boats into Peru leave from here, and if you’re coming or going the other way most downstream boats start their journeys here.
Arrivals from Peru or Colombia, go to the Polícia Federal for your passport entry stamp and visitor card.
More in the next edition.
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