Six months after the climate conference, the city has a new airport, inflated hotels, and a Ver-o-Peso market wrestling for its soul with Instagram. Field reporting on what's worth it, what was better before, and what nobody tells you.
Six months after the climate conference, the city has a new airport, inflated hotels, and a Ver-o-Peso market wrestling for its soul with Instagram. Field reporting on what's worth it, what was better before, and what nobody tells you.
Val-de-Cans Airport (BEL) came out renovated, with an extended runway and new terminal — Uber to Nazaré costs USD 8-12 (was USD 14+ before app penetration).
Flight GRU-BEL in May/26: USD 140-265 round trip. GIG-BEL: USD 195-320. Buy 60 days ahead.
Tacacá at Ver-o-Peso now runs USD 4.50-6.50 (was USD 2 in 2024). At Mercado de São Brás it's still USD 2-3 — and better.
Real açaí is thick, dark purple, no sugar, no granola, served with tapioca flour or fried fish. Anyone selling you the banana version is a tourist selling to tourists.
Estação das Docas is an air-conditioned mall with river views. Praça do Carmo, two blocks away, is real Belém at 6pm.
Six months after the climate conference, the city has a new airport, inflated hotels, and a Ver-o-Peso market wrestling for its soul with Instagram. Field reporting on what's worth it, what was better before, and what nobody tells you.
