Corumbá

Corumbá is the third largest city in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul and its main tourist destination.

Understand

Corumbá is located next to the border between Brazil, Paraguay and Bolivia, it is the gateway for the famous Pantanal region. It also boasts well-preserved historic buildings of colonial times, which bear witness to the town's past wealth from when it was one of the most important ports of South America.

Across the river is the Bolivian border town of Puerto Quijarro, which is not far away from bigger Puerto Suarez.

Its inhabitants are called corumbaenses.

Get in

By plane
  • 🌍 Corumbá Airport (CMG  IATA) (City bus line 103 passes nearby the entrance on its way to/from the city center.). Small airport, with air-conditioned halls, a café, and many electricity plugs. The boarding room opens one hour before the flight scheduled time. It receives a handful of flights a week to Bonito and Campinas operated by Azul. (updated Oct 2018)

By bus
  • 🌍 Bus station (about seven blocks south of the city center). City bus line 106 passes right in front of the bus station (don't cross the road) on its way to the city center and finally the bus terminal. (updated Sep 2018)

From Campo Grande, bus company Andorinha operates frequent services day and night, 6.5h, for the steep price of R$125. Viação Siriema has been trying to challenge their historical monopoly selling tickets for R$70.

From São Paulo, Andorinha operates a daily service, 24 hr, R$311.

From Bolivia

Crossing in from Bolivia seems straight forward, for details read Puerto Quijarro.

From Paraguay

It is possible to get in by land and boat from Concepción (Paraguay) through Bahía Negra, Puerto Busch and (potentially) Puerto Suárez, see Paraguay#By boat.

Get around

From the center of Corumbá, everything is walkable, with the exception of "O Cristo" which is on a hill that overlooks the city.

Public transit is organized in city bus lines that departure from the terminal, where it's possible to change lines at no extra cost. The bus fare is R$3.50 if paid by public transit card, or R$3.60 if paid in cash.

  • 🌍 City bus terminal. (updated Sep 2018)

Of great use for travelers is city bus line 102 Terminal - Fronteira (border). Timetable as of September 2018:

From city terminal to fronteira

  • M-Sa: hourly 06:00-08:00, every half hour 08:30-10:30, hourly 11:00-14:00, every half hour 14:30-18:30 (M-F also 19:00)
  • Su: 06:25, 07:20, 08:15, 09:10, 10:05, 11:00, 11:55, 12:50, 13:45, 14:40, 15:35, 16:30, 17:25, 18:20

From fronteira to city terminal

  • M-Sa: hourly 06:30-08:30, every half hour 09:00-11:00, hourly 11:30-14:30, every half hour 15:00-19:00 (M-F also 19:30)
  • Su: 06:50, 07:45, 08:40, 09:35, 10:30, 11:25, 12:20, 13:15, 14:10, 15:05, 16:00, 16:55, 17:50, 18:45

For information regarding the border crossing itself see Puerto Quijarro.

See

A number of day tours and multi-day tours to the Pantanal can be booked. The easiest way to find these are to ask in a number of hotels, and it is advisable to shop around before making a confirmed decision.

  • 🌍 O Cristo (The Christ). Similar in shape to the one in Rio de Janeiro, it sits on a hill with a nice view of town. From the city bus terminal, it's possible to catch a bus passing near to the steps that lead to the top. (updated Sep 2018)

Parks and open areas
  • Ecoparque Cacimba da Saúde - Close to Casa do Massa Barro. Very popular with children.
  • Parque Marina Gattas - Biggest leisure area inside the city, with 6 ha.
  • Praça/Jardim da Independência
  • Praça da República
  • Praça Generoso Ponce -

Libraries
  • Biblioteca do Colégio Salesiano de Santa Teresa
  • Biblioteca Estadual Dr. Gabriel Vandoni de Barros
  • Biblioteca Manoel de Barros
  • Biblioteca Municipal Lobivar de Matos

Cultural centers

Monuments
  • Vasques & Sons House. Built in 1909 by Italian architect Martino Santa Lucci, is being restored by Monumenta Program to host the Pantanal Human Memorial, an area highlighting the history of man and Pantanal in Brazil and neighboring countries. 
  • Houses of the General Port. Protected by National Historic Landmark in 1992 and renovated in 2005. 
  • Christ the King of Pantanal statue (Cristo Rei do Pantanal), morro do Cruzeiro/hill of the Cross. 12 m tall image of Jesus Christ. -
  • Commercial Building Wanderley, Baís & Cia. Built in 1876 and renovated in 2005 by the Monumenta project. 
  • Escadinha da Quinze (Fifteen Little Staircase)
  • Northwest Rail Station (Estação Ferroviária da Noroeste). 
  • Coimbra Fort (Forte Coimbra). It's in an area of ​​difficult access (only by plane or boat), and was built in 1775 to defend the Brazilian territory against Spanish invasions. It was also scene of battles at the time of the Paraguay War. Protected by National Historic Landmark in 1975. 
  • Forte Fortaleza
  • Forte Junqueira
  • Cunha and Cruz Slope (Ladeira Cunha e Cruz). Site of a bloody battle in June 13, 1867. A second slope, Jose Bonifacio, built in 1922, also connects the city center to the harbor. 
  • St. Philip Lookout (Mirante São Felipe). View of the entire city and Ladário. Site of the Christ the King of Pantanal statue. 
  • Luis de Albuquerque Building. Built between 1918 and 1922 by Dr. Miguel Carmo de Oliveira (engineer) and José Antonio Marinho (builder), was always destined to education. From 1980 passed will state administration. In 1984 was renamed the House of Culture Luís de Albuquerque. -
  • Santuário Maria Auxiliadora (Mary Help Shrine). 
  • Via Crucis. The Via Sacra steps, showing the path of ordeal lived by Jesus Christ, having been sentenced by Pontius Pilate to death on the cross, are represented by 14 stations of the Via Crucis in the form of 72 statues placed to the right of the ascent of the hill of the Cross. The 14 stations depict the Passion and Death of Christ. Both the Christ the King and Sacred Way were scupteded by artist Xavier Izulina. 

Museums
  • Memorial do Homem Pantaneiro
  • Museu da História do Homem do Pantanal
  • Museu de História do Pantanal (em breve)
  • Museu do Instituto Luiz Albuquerque
  • Museu do Pantanal

Temples
  • Igreja do Coração de Jesus
  • Igreja Matriz N. S. da Candelária - República Square. Built in 1877, Features a sculpted Portuguese crown at the main altar.
  • Igreja de Nossa Senhora Aparecida
  • Igreja de Nossa Senhora de Caacupé - homage to the protecting saint of Paraguay.
  • Igreja de Nossa Senhora de Fátima
  • Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Carmo
  • Igreja de Santa Terezinha
  • Igreja do Santuário de Maria Auxiliadora - Built in 1940, features works bu Spanish artist Antonio Burgos Villa.
  • Igreja de São Benedito
  • Igreja São João Bosco
  • Primeira Igreja Batista de Corumbá, ☏ +55 67 3231-4284. R. Antônio Maria Coelho, 653 - Centro. 
  • Terceira Igreja Batista de Corumbá
  • Ireja Batista De Corumbá, ☏ +55 67 3231-8170. R. Joaquim Murtinho, 715 - Centro. 

Do
  • There are a number of community swimming pools which are often clean with changing areas open at the weekends. Entry is quite cheap.

Buy

You can buy some local crafts (artesanato). Being close to the Bolivian border, there is a duty-free zone imports and Bolivian crafts too.

Handicrafts
  • Sculptor's House (Casa do Escultora) - In the Izulina Arts Xavier building, there is a selection of handicrafts made from rock and concrete, ceramics and wooden items. It is open 08:00-17:00 during the week.
  • Craftsman's House (Casa do Artesão) - In the building that until 70 years ago functioned as the public jail, you can buy handicrafts in leather, wood and ceramics made by craftsmens of the region, native handicrafts. You can also find delicious homemade liqueurs. There is no record of the construction of the building, only of its first restoration (1893). The house was established in 1975 and the cells were transformed into market stalls.
  • Adobe House (Casa do Massa Barro) - Created to stimulate ceramic arts. Its artists are adolescents who model the Pantanal flora and fauna in clay.

Mall
  • Pantanal Gallery

Eat

Food in Corumbá is inexpensive. There are several pizza and barbecue restaurants around town.

  • Espeto de Ouro , Av. Barão do Rio Branco, 121, 67 3231-1323. Churrascaria.
  • Laço de Ouro, Rua Frei Mariano, 708, ☏ +55 67 3231-7371. Churrascaria. 
  • Rodeio, Rua 13 de Junho, 760, ☏ +55 67 3231-6477. Churrascaria. 
  • Paladar Pizzaria and Restaurant, R. Anônio Mª Coelho, 455, +55 67 3231 4581.
  • Peixaria Bom Peixe, Rua 15 de Novembro, 164, ☏ +55 67 3232-1490. Fish market and restaurant. 
  • Peixaria do Lulu , Rua Dom Aquino, +55 67 3231-4936. Fish market and restaurant.
  • Restaurante, Churrascaria e Pizzaria do Gaucho, Rua Frei Mariano, 879, ☏ +55 67 3231-5220. Center. 
  • Ceará, Rua Albuquerque, 516, ☏ +55 67 3231-1930. Fish market and restaurant. 
  • Miguéis, Rua Tiradentes, 775, ☏ +55 67 3231-4798. Fish market and restaurant. 
  • Restaurante Flutuante Caiçara , M. Cavassa, +55 67 3231-3126. Floating restaurant on the river.
  • São Paulo Restaurant, Ed Rocha, 1118, +55 67 3231-4095
  • Trivial, Rua 15 de Novembro, 188, ☏ +55 67 3231-6758. 

Drink

The night can start in the Marechal Rondon Ave, filled with bars, beer places and restaurants. Don't miss a stop at the mirantes to see the moon reflected on the waters of the Paraguay River.

Bars and beer places
  • Bar Tuiuiu, Rua D Corrêa Aquino, 2060, Center.
  • Lousa Bar, Alta Santa Luzia, 56.
  • Multicoffe Express Coffee , R. Delamare, 1190, +55 67 3231-7966.
  • Pedro's Choperia and Espeteria, Rua Columbus, 1826. Center. 
  • Skinão Snacks, Rua Frei Mariano, 407, ☏ +55 67 3231-5552. 
  • Scorpios Ice Cream Parlor, R. Cuiabá, 983, +55 67 3231-4532.
  • Titio´s Snacks, Rua 15 de Novembro, 907, ☏ +55 67 3231-4930. 

Clubs
  • Boate Refúgio, Rua Campo Grande, 2146. Nossa Senhora de Fatima. 
  • Excalibur
  • Studio 1054, General Av. Rondon, 1,054, +55 67 3231-6056
  • Wisqueria Pantanal, R. 7 of September, 492, +55 67 231 3822

Sleep

Boat-hotels
  • Albatroz, ☏ +55 67 3231-4851, fax: +55 67 3231-5888. 
  • Celebridade, Rua Domingos Saib, Nº 843 Cervejaria, +55 67 3231-9060
  • Eldorado Pantaneiro, +55 67 3231-6369
  • Juruanã, +55 67 3231-8522
  • Kalypso, +55 67 3231-1460
  • Kayamã, +55 67 3232-4048
  • Netuno, +55 67 3231-6369
  • Paola, +55 67 3231-5235
  • Scorpions, +55 67 3231-3372
  • Sort’s, 0800 67-5300
  • Triton, +55 67 3231-2179
  • Tuiuiú, +55 67 3231-2052
  • Yacht Millennium, +55 67 3231-3372/3470

Hotels and inns

Go next

No visit to Brazil would be complete without a visit to the Pantanal, 150,000 km² of wetlands in the heart of South America. It is the largest wetland area in the world, known for its rich variety of unspoiled plant and wildlife. Visitors to the Pantanal will be struck by a vast number of species difficult to find anywhere else in the world. And because the landscape of the Pantanal is open - and not dense like the rainforest - wildlife is particularly easy to spot.

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