Amazonian Secrets Unveiled: Discovering the Hidden Gems of the Mighty River

In November 2025, a traveler embarked on a six-week journey down the Amazon River, from the Andes to the river's mouth in Belém. Along the way, they encountered familiar Amazonian fruits and plants, including the cacao-like cucuaçu and the purple açai berry.

The traveler's journey began with a sustainable tourism conference in Peru, as Belém had been chosen to host the COP30 climate conference. Determined to reduce air travel, the traveler opted to travel downriver, meeting locals working to preserve the Amazon's incredible environment.

In central Brazil, the traveler encountered a schoolboy whose father was a rancher, burning the forest to clear land for cattle grazing. However, the boy expressed a desire to become a tour guide instead, as did many of his peers. The local teacher confirmed that the younger generation preferred tourism jobs over the physically demanding work of ranching and deforestation.

Further downriver, the traveler learned that the açai berry had become an important source of income for small farmers, providing an alternative to the declining hunting of river turtles. On the island of Ilha do Combu, the traveler met a local who sold his own açai, which he said could be enjoyed with fish or made into ice cream.

While the açai boom has brought some benefits, it has also sparked controversies around superfood hype. Nevertheless, the traveler found that local demand for the fruit remained strong, providing a sustainable livelihood for Amazonian communities.