Video: Sweating, Swimming And More While In Manaus

Manaus, Brazil — One thing I can check off my bucket list: visiting the Amazon.

If you don’t already know, Manaus is hot.

However, because you are in a new place, the excitement of exploration will help you acclimate to the heat, and although you may sweat until your shirts, pants and socks are all drenched, you will undoubtedly have many fond memories of your visit to Manaus.

While exploring the largest city in the state of Amazonas, you should try to not stand out like a sore thumb, so here’s what you can wear: the typical outfit is a simple shirt or dress shirt with jeans, but if you are frying in the sometimes 37-degree heat (98.6 degrees Fahrenheit), you can wear shorts.

The main attraction when visiting the capital of Amazonas is the Meeting of Waters, but I favored a casual swim in an arm of the Amazon River. The highlight of my visit was jumping into and swimming in Rio Negro, a tributary of the Amazon and also the largest blackwater river in the world.

I also toured the new stadium, Arena da Amazônia, which is expected to host at least one game in the 2016 Olympics. While the stadium was beautiful, with orange and yellow seats fading into and out of one another, water-stained stairs and cracked glass left a sour taste. My guide, Jonathan, said the stadium does not host many games, but a match between two fourth-division teams was scheduled on Aug. 10.