Manaus, on the banks of the Negro River in northwestern Brazil, is the capital of the vast state of Amazonas. It's a major departure point for the surrounding Amazon Rainforest. Just east of the city, the dark Negro River converges with the brown, muddy Solimoes River resulting in a striking visual phenomenon called the “Meeting of the Waters.” The combined tributaries form the Amazon River.

The city’s late-19th-century rubber boom is explored in the exhibits of the Museu do Seringal Vila Paraiso. The rubber boom's legacy can also be seen in the ornate, European-style Teatro Amazonas opera house, grand Palacio Rio Negro cultural center and Mercado Adolpho Lisboa (the municipal market, inspired by Paris’ Les Halles). The large, central Parque do Mindu is home to endangered pied tamarin monkeys, viewable from treetop walkways. Elsewhere, upscale beachfront neighborhood Ponta Negra is popular for nightlife and entertainment. The Praia da Lua area offers a white-sand beach with fish and beer vendors.