Presidente Figueiredo calls itself the land of waterfalls, and with more than a hundred of them within reach of town the claim holds up. It is about a hundred and ten kilometres north of Manaus on the BR-174, the road to Boa Vista, and makes an easy break from the river.
The falls are in the forest rather than over it, which is part of their appeal. Cachoeira da Iracema and Cachoeira do Santuário have pools you can swim in; the Cachoeira da Porteira is broad and powerful; and the Caverna do Maroaga, a sandstone cave with a stream running through it, is the area's other signature sight. Most are reached on short trails from the road, several on private land with a small entrance fee.
The town itself is a functional place of a few thousand people, busy on weekends with families from Manaus. Midweek you can have a waterfall to yourself. The area is also known for the Guianan cock-of-the-rock, a startling orange bird that displays near the caves — local guides know where.
It works as a day trip, but staying a night lets you see more than two or three falls, which is the point of coming.