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MARABA , on the banks of the Rio Tocantins, almost 600km south of Belem and 400km north of Araguaina on the Belem-Brasilia road, is often described as the worst of all Amazon towns. It's the market centre for the region, and also the place where the ranchers, construction workers, truckers and gold-miners come for entertainment: it has a bad reputation for theft and violent crime, and it's not a place you should (or would want to) hang around any longer than you have to. Maraba is a city of three parts, all of them easily reached by bus from Araguaina or from Belem. The earliest part of town was founded on the south side of the river on ground which was liable to flooding; later settlers created the Cidade Nova on the north side, hoping to escape the waters. Then in the 1970s the completion of the Transamazonica led to the foundation of Nova Maraba, back on the south side. All three parts are linked by bridges across the river. Buses will drop you at the Rodoviaria at Km 4 on the Transamazonica in Nova Maraba; small local buses or taxis run from here to just about every part of town. The airport (tel 091/324-1243 or 324-1383) is just 3km out of town near the Cidade Nova. The choice of accommodation is relatively small: in Nova Maraba there's the Hotel Itacaiunas, Folha 30, Quadra 14, Lote 1 (tel & fax 091/322-1715; $35-50); and the Hotel Vale do Tocantins, Folha 29, Quadra Especial, Lote 1 (tel 091/322-2321, fax 322-1841; $35-50), both with pool, bar and restaurant; in the Cidade Nova the choice is essentially between the Hotel Vitoria, Av. Espirito Santo 130 (tel 091/528-1175; $10-20), and the Hotel Keyla, Transamazonica 2427 (tel 091/324-1175; $20-35). Nearer the Rodoviaria there's also the basic and somewhat noisy Pensao Nossa Senhora do Nazare (under $10). The town's best fish restaurant is Bambu, Travessa Pedro Carneiro 111, Cidade Nova (tel 091/324-1290), and there's an excellent Japanese restaurant, Kotobuki, Av. Tocantins 746, Novo Horizonte (closed Mon). Money can usually be changed (dollars cash only) in the larger hotels and shops, but generally at poor rates - you'd do better to change it before you arrive.
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