Novo Airão

The region where New Airão now exists was originally inhabited by Indigenous people, including the Waimiri-Atroari, Crichanã, Carabinari and Jauaperi peoples. In 1668, Brazilian Jesuits founded a settlement at the mouth of the Jaú River named Santo Elias de Jau. This settlement is believed to have been the second or third nucleus of settlement organized by the Portuguese in Amazonian lands. In 1759, the village was elevated to a town with the name Airão by Joaquim de Melo Póvoas, first governor of the captaincy of São José do Rio Negro. Later, the district around Airão became part of Manaus and when it was dismembered in 1938, became Novo Airão (New Airão).

The municipality contains part of the Anavilhanas National Park, a 350,018 hectares (864,910 acres) conservation unit that was originally an ecological station created in 1981, as well half of the Jau National Park, declared by UNESCO Natural Heritage of Humanity.[3] It holds about 24% of the Rio Negro Left Bank Environmental Protection Area, a 611,008 hectares (1,509,830 acres) sustainable use conservation area created in 1995.[4] It also contains the 146,028 hectares (360,840 acres) Rio Negro State Park North Section, created in 1995.[5] To the south of the state park the municipality contains about 60% of the Rio Negro Right Bank Environmental Protection Area, a 1,140,990 hectares (2,819,400 acres) sustainable use conservation unit that controls use of an area of Amazon rainforest along the Rio Negro above the junction with the Solimões River.[6] It also contains about 16% of the Rio Negro Sustainable Development Reserve, a 103,086 hectares (254,730 acres) sustainable use conservation unit created in 2008 in an effort to stop deforestation in the area, which is threatened due to its proximity to Manaus.[7]

Tourists visit Novo Airão to access to the surrounding area, including seeing the Anavilhanas and Jaú National Parks, native communities, and to feed and/or swim with the Amazon river dolphins, also known as pink river dolphins. The latter facility is offered at a small floating café down at the harbour. It is possible to pay some boatmen at the port for trips to Anavilhanas archipelago, Velho Airão (the ruins of the old town, and nearby petroglyphs), and even the Jaú River, although they may require permission from the federal environment agency ICMBio). The boatmen should belong to the Associacão de Operadores de Turismo em Novo Airão (ATUNA), and be flying the ATUNA flag on their boat, as well some other companies registered on Brazilian Ministry of Tourism, as they are the only ones allowed to access the National Parks and surrounding areas, to perform nice sightseeing tours for alligator focusing, bird watching, perform aquatic trails, piranha fishing, wildlife observation in general and visit some interesting native communities. The Tourist Information Center (CAT) at the city's entrance provides a complete list of lodges, hostels and hotels, as well tourism operators, which can help tourists plan trips.

Due to current bus and boat schedules, making a day trip to Novo Airão is difficult- most spend at least a night in the town. There are several potential accomodations in town, including lodges and bed and breakfasts. Usually, those from ANATUR (Novo Airão Tourism Association) offer fine service and infrastructure.

Buses leave from Manaus coach terminal early in the morning and boats from the Port of Manaus in the evening.".[8] It is possible to reach the town in two and a half hours with a taxi-cab from SINDITAXI. Departures are from Rio Negro bridge, and prices are five reais higher than buses, which takes a six hours journey.