Hi,
at the moment I'm in Manaus trying to find a boat going to Belem
I have read on internet many news about private boats, many departures per week (almost daily)
What I have found, at least in this season, is that there are two weekly depatures: on wednesday and on friday.
No other departures, neither captains to be found in the harbour: those are tales, at least now, mostly because people in the harbour don't allow anyone to go inside and right outside there are plenty of kiosk offering all the same boats (wednesday and friday)
Prices may vary a lot, from 130 for hammock (on Rondonia) to 300 (again hammock, on Amazonia Star), so it's really worth to ask many and to ask what it is included in the ticket (i.e. meas, water, other)
Also prices for the bike change a lot, from 150 (Rondonia) to 450 (Amazon Star)
Again, ask many, since prices changes a lot on the same boat as well (I mean, asking for Amazon Star, for instance, they can ask for very different prices)
In my opinion it should be definitively avoided people from hotels, since they ask to other people as well, so with the same ticket you're feeding (at least) two different persons
hope this will help
ciao,
Nelik (
Nelinkas | Le ruote come le ali … volano in Sud America seguendo sogni e suggestioni)