Oiapoque
Oiapoque is a border town in Amapá in Brazil, right across the river from French Guyana.
Understand
Oiapoque lives in the Brazilian popular culture as the end of their long coastline, starting in Chuí.
Get in
Either by a long bus ride from the state capital Macapá, or a short boat ride from the eurozone. The long-unused bridge between St George d'Oiapok (French Guiana) and Oiapoque (Brazil) is operational. If you are coming from French Guiana and do not have a valid visa then do not forget to visit the police station - located down-town - on your way in and your way out to get your passport stamped.
Get around
Downtown is pretty small and can easily covered on foot. There also is a taxi-booth just at the port.
See
Do
Buy
Eat
There are lots of restaurants and stalls on the riverside, where the boats from Saint Georges arrive.
Drink
Sleep
- Hotel Filho De Deus (Hôtel Fils de Dieu), Rua Lèlio silva, n°10, ☏ +55 3521 2181. Really basic hotel but clean, air con and TV (BR only) in each room. Prices are displayed on a board in the lobby. Breakfast included (some coffee, some fruit juice, fruits and a bit of bread and butter). There is also a small swimming pool. R$60.
There are also some small hotels on the river side, starting at R$30.
Connect
Go next
Saint-Georges in French Guiana is a 15-30 min boat ride away and cost R$15 or €5 in February 2017 . Be aware, though, that the customs office in Saint Georges is only open before noon, on 2 days in the afternoon and not at all on Sundays. If you want to travel through French Guiana, make sure you arrive before 1pm.
As the river bridge eventually opens for traffic you can cross the border even by foot.
If you come from French Guiana and want to go on to Macapa you can either take a regular bus or hitch a ride with one of the 4WDs that leave from the port (if you arrive by boat you will inevitably be asked whether you want that). The price for the latter is R$150, but it is at minimum a 7h ride and 4WDs at least have a better chance to get through otherwise impassible sections on the stretch of road that is not paved and turns into a mud pool after rain.