Manaus, the largest city in the Amazon basin, was not a place I ever thought I’d visit, simply for its remoteness. It’s 1000 miles inland from the mouth of the river and it is the furthest you can go along the river in a cruise ship. Its existence can be explained in one word and that is rubber.

Parintins in Brazil hosts Brazil’s next largest festival after Rio’s carnival, known as the Boi Bumba, which we experience as part of a Viking Cruise.

As part of our journey on board the Viking Sea cruise, one of our favourite highlights was the 2 hours we spent in the actual Amazon rainforest – Tapajos National Forest.

We spent the day exploring Devil’s Island (Îles du Salut), part of the Salvation Islands off the coast of French Guiana as part of our voyage on board the Viking Sea. Here’s the ultimate one-day itinerary for the infamous abandoned prison.