If you are looking for a destination where you can have the bragging rights of being the first one of your friends to have visited, Macapá will fit the bill. The Brazilian city may describe itself as the capital of the middle of the world because the equator runs through it, but there is no denying it is far off the beaten tourist path. In fact, there are few paths at all that reach Macapá; most visitors arrive by air or sea to this city, which straddles the Atlantic Ocean and the mouth of the Amazon.
For many, a visit to Macapá is just a stopping point en route to the Amazon, but the city, which enjoys tropical warmth moderated by ocean breezes, does have some interesting attractions to fill a day's visit. While Macapá is Brazil's fifth-wealthiest city, at the same time it has the dubious distinction of making some lists of the world's most dangerous cities. Street crime is an issue, and even if you are used to heading out fearlessly in foreign cities, this is a destination where the company of a group or a knowledgeable and trusted guide is highly recommended.