First settled in the sixteen hundreds, Manaus has a shabby old downtown but Ponta Negra, located along with shoreline features beachside high-rises, wide streets, and kiosks all located in the middle of a thousand miles of rainforest in every direction. Towards the end of the nineteenth century, it enjoyed a thirty-year rubber boom becoming the world's only rubber supplier. Tourism is focused on the rainforest with the city serving as a jumping off point for trips into the Amazon Jungle with various options for exploring that range from simple expeditions by kayak to luxury cruises and comfortable lodges. The most visited spot is The Meeting of the Waters but tourists might also want to take a look at the Museu do Indio, the Centro Cultural Palaçio Rio Negro, and the Teatro Amazonas, which is truly a wonder located in the middle of the jungle.
