Agua Boa, Amazon River

At 4080 miles, the Amazon is the largest river system in the world with a drainage area of over two and a half million square miles. During the rainy season the Amazon spews an incredible 28 billion gallons of water into the Atlantic; this fresh water dilutes the salinity of the sea for more than 100 miles offshore. The Agua Boa houseboat is located on the Rio Agua Boa which is one of the 1000-plus tributaries that feeds the mighty Amazon River. Situated almost 200 miles north west of the Brazilian city of Manaus in deep jungle, the Rio Agua Boa can be found flowing from its source high in the Mocidade mountains through a stunning landscape of almost entirely uninhabited rain forest and savannah. 

The beautiful, clear waters of the Rio Agua Boa flow through one of the best protected areas of the Amazon region, before entering into the larger Rio Branco, which in turn joins the Rio Negro. At Manaus, the Rio Negro joins the Rio Solimoes to form the Amazon proper. With an Ecotourism Reserve status, and its permanent protection through the INPA (the Brazilian Environmental Institute), the Rio Agua Boa and its beautiful surroundings are protected from illegal commercial fishing, hunting and deforestation. No commercial fishing whatsoever is permitted on the Rio Agua Boa.

The houseboat’s policies of using only single, barbless hooks and only allowing catch and release, ensure that the variety of fish to be found while fishing the Rio Agua Boa is truly amazing. This has led to a large population of top quality fish that has been allowed to develop over the years. The added protection given to the region provides a wonderful environment for species such as the endangered Amazon River turtle, giant Amazon River otter, Bracket deer and jaguar to name a few, to live almost undisturbed in a rich and diverse environment. A multitude of other mammals are found in the river, including the tapir, sloth, freshwater (pink) dolphin and capybara plus a myriad other endangered animals. The birdlife is astounding, with many species vying for space with one another in the bank-side vegetation. It remains a veritable paradise for bird watchers.