Foz do Iguaçu and Itaipu Dam in Brazil
The proximity of the falls have made Foz the third most visited town in Brazil. It has no attractions of its own but is only 28 km from the falls and although there are some upmarket hotel options, the town has a greater range of cheap accommodation and restaurants.
From the town it is possible to visit a number of beaches on the shores of Lake Itaipu ; the closest are at Bairro de Três Lagoas (Km 723 on BR-277), and in the municipality of Santa Terezinha do Itaipu, 34 km from Foz. The leisure parks have grassy areas with
kiosks, barbecue sites and offer fishing as well as bathing. It is also
possible to take boat trips on the lake.
The bird park, Parque das Aves Rodovia das Cataratas. It contains rare South American (and foreign) birds including various currasows, guans, parrots, macaws and toucans. These are housed in large aviaries through which you can walk, with the birds flying and hopping around you. The national park bus stops here, 100 m before the entrance to the falls.
The bird park, Parque das Aves Rodovia das Cataratas. It contains rare South American (and foreign) birds including various currasows, guans, parrots, macaws and toucans. These are housed in large aviaries through which you can walk, with the birds flying and hopping around you. The national park bus stops here, 100 m before the entrance to the falls.
Foz do Iguaçu's
Aeroporto Internacional de Cataratas
Banco do Brasil
, a
Bradesco
and a
câmbio
, car rental offices, a tourist office and an official taxi stand.
Transbalan
(Aeroporto/ Parque Nacional) buses run to town, but don't permit large amounts of luggage (backpacks okay). Many hotels run minibus services for a small charge. From the airport buses run to cities throughout southeastern Brazil and to Asunción in Paraguay. The rest of Argentina can easily be reached from Puerto Iguazú just across the border.
The Foz do Iguaçu Rodoviária
The Foz do Iguaçu Rodoviária
, receives long-distance buses. There is a tourist office, Cetreme desk for tourists who have lost their documents, guarda municipal
(police) and luggage store. Buy onward
tickets on arrival if possible as seats get booked up well in advance.
There is also a local bus station, Terminal Urbana, in the centre of town.
The
Secretaria Municipal de Turismo
, www.fozdoiguacu.pr.gov.br
, is very helpful, as is the 24-hour
tourist helpline
rodoviária
, open for all arriving flights, with a free map and bus information.
Triplice Fronteira
is a local newspaper with street plans and tourist information. Avenida Juscelino Kubitschek and the streets south of it, towards the river, once had a reputation for being unsafe at night but the situation is improving.
www.itaipu.gov.br
The Itaipu Dam, on the Río Paraná, is the site of the largest single power hydroelectric power station in the world built jointly by Brazil and Paraguay. Construction of this massive scheme began in 1975 and it came into operation in 1984. The main dam is 8 km long, creating a lake that covers 1400 sq km. The height of the main dam is equivalent to a 65-storey building, the amount of concrete used in its construction is 15 times more than that used for the Channel Tunnel between England and France. The Paraguayan side may be visited from Ciudad del Este. Both governments are proud to trumpet the accolade, 'one of the seven wonders of the modern world' (the only one in South America), which was given to it by the American Society of Civil Engineering in
The Itaipu Dam, on the Río Paraná, is the site of the largest single power hydroelectric power station in the world built jointly by Brazil and Paraguay. Construction of this massive scheme began in 1975 and it came into operation in 1984. The main dam is 8 km long, creating a lake that covers 1400 sq km. The height of the main dam is equivalent to a 65-storey building, the amount of concrete used in its construction is 15 times more than that used for the Channel Tunnel between England and France. The Paraguayan side may be visited from Ciudad del Este. Both governments are proud to trumpet the accolade, 'one of the seven wonders of the modern world' (the only one in South America), which was given to it by the American Society of Civil Engineering in
Popular Mechanics
in 1995. Whatever your views on the need for huge hydroelectric projects, it is worth visiting Itaipu to gain a greater understanding of the scale and impact of such constructions.
The Ecomuseu de Itaipu
The Ecomuseu de Itaipu
, and Iguaçu Environmental Education Centreifree with guide, recommended,
are geared to inform about the preservation of the local culture and
environment, or that part of it which isn't underwater. A massive
reforestation project is underway, and over 14 million seedlings have
already been planted. Six biological refuges have been created on the
lakeshore.
If it's sunny go in the morning as the sun is behind the dam in the afternoon and you will get poor photographs. The visitor centre has a short video presentation with stunning photography and amazing technical information. The spillways are capable of discharging the equivalent of 40 times the average flow of the Iguaçu Falls. If you are lucky, the spillways will be open. After the film and a brief visit to the souvenir shop where an English guidebook is available, a coach will take you to the dam itself. As it crosses the top, you get a stomach-churning view of the spillways and really begin to appreciate the scale of the project.
To get to Itaipu, the 'executive' bus and agency tours are an unnecessary expense. Buses from Terminal Urbana (stand 50 Batalhão) go to the public relations office at the main entrance.
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This is edited copy from Footprint Handbooks. For comprehensive details (incl address, tel no, directions, opening times and prices) please refer to book or individual chapter PDF
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