Brazil's ghost towns tell the story of the country's great economic cycles — the rubber boom that built magnificent cities in the Amazon and then collapsed, the diamond rush that filled the Bahia sertão with 10,000-person settlements that emptied when the stones ran out, and Henry Ford's megalomaniac attempt to plant an American city in the middle of the Amazon jungle. Fordlândia is the skeleton of a megalomaniac dream — Henry Ford's attempt to transplant the American lifestyle into the Amazon jungle in 1928. Today the "Detroit of the Amazon" attracts historians, curious visitors and photographers in search of traces of a utopia that nature has reclaimed. Discover the 5 best ghost towns in Brazil, selected from our Brazil Urbex Map — 500+ verified GPS locations.
Why Brazil Has One of the World's Most Diverse Ghost Town Landscapes
Three distinct economic cycles — rubber (1850–1920), diamond mining (18th–19th centuries) and industrial capitalism (20th century) — each produced a different typology of abandoned settlement across Brazil's vast territory. The Amazon produced rubber-boom ghost towns whose Victorian architecture rots in tropical humidity. The Bahia diamond fields produced stone-built mining towns that now resemble Machu Picchu. And the 20th century produced Fordlândia — unlike any ghost town anywhere else on earth.
1. Fordlândia – Aveiro, Pará, Amazônia — Built by Henry Ford 1928, Abandoned 1945, American Hospital & Housing in Amazon Jungle, No Road Access, River Only (Known Location)
Fordlândia was created in 1928 by Henry Ford in the municipality of Aveiro, on the banks of the Rio Tapajós. Ford intended to use Fordlândia to supply latex from rubber plantation for his companies. But in 1945, after several failed attempts, Ford's executives returned the Fordlândia land and buildings to the Brazilian government. Visitors can walk among the ancient houses, sheds and machines, photographing landscapes that mix American architecture and Amazon jungle. The hospital, the water tower, the American-style "Palm Avenue" housing and the American cemetery hidden in the forest — the final resting place of some expatriates — reinforce the aura of mystery. Accessible by boat from Santarém only; approximately 400km on the Rio Tapajós.
🔗 Sources: Correio Braziliense – Fordlândia | Terra Brasil – Fordlândia
2. Igatu – Chapada Diamantina, Bahia — Diamond Mining Town, 10,000 Residents at Peak 19th Century, Stone Ruins Resembling Machu Picchu, Film Location (Known Location)
During the diamond mining peak in the 19th century, Igatu had more than 10,000 inhabitants, along with mansions, brothels and casinos. With the end of the diamond cycle, the population diminished — today around 300 residents remain. Its stone ruins resemble Machu Picchu and attract tourists, also serving as a film location for productions including Abril Despedaçado and Besouro. Known as the "Machu Picchu of Bahia," Igatu sits within the Chapada Diamantina National Park — one of Brazil's most spectacular landscapes. Accessible by car from Lençóis (42km).
🔗 Also read: Top 5 Abandoned Places in Brazil →
3. Airão Velho – Rio Negro, Amazonas — Portuguese Colonial Town Founded 1694, Rubber Boom then Decline, Church & Residence Ruins on Rio Negro Banks
Airão Velho was founded in 1694 by Portuguese colonisers and prospered during the rubber cycle. With the decline of production in the early 20th century, the city entered into decline until it was entirely emptied. Today, the ruins of churches and residences stand on the banks of the Rio Negro. Seven families still live near the ruins, acting as guardians of the memory of the place, receiving visitors who seek to know both its historical significance and the legends that still circulate in the region. Located within the Anavilhanas National Park on the Rio Negro, accessible by boat from Manaus (approximately 2 hours). GPS in our Brazil Urbex Map.
4. Ararapira – Paraná/São Paulo Border — Coastal Village Abandoned Due to Erosion, Cemetery Still Active, Atlantic Forest Setting, Accessible by Boat (Exclusively on Our Map)
Ararapira was abandoned due to the advance of coastal erosion, which threatened its existence. A unique Brazilian ghost town typology — a village not abandoned by economic failure but by the literal disappearance of the land it stood on. The Atlantic coast erosion progressively consumed Ararapira's ground, forcing evacuation. What remains — including the cemetery that locals continue to visit by boat — creates one of Brazil's most poignant abandonment landscapes, in the extraordinary Atlantic Forest biome of the Paraná/São Paulo coastal boundary. GPS in our Brazil Urbex Map.
5. Vila de Biribiri – Near Diamantina, Minas Gerais — 19th-Century Textile Factory Village, Self-Sufficient Worker Community, Biribiri State Park, Partially Inhabited (Off the Radar — Our Map Only)
Vila de Biribiri was born in the 19th century around a textile factory — a self-sufficient village with houses, church, school and commerce for factory workers. With the end of factory operations in the second half of the 20th century, the village was abandoned by most residents. Its preserved architecture, amidst the lush nature of the Biribiri State Park, makes it a tourist and cultural destination. A small number of residents remain. The combination of intact 19th-century worker village architecture, the Atlantic Forest river setting and the proximity to colonial Diamantina makes Biribiri one of the finest accessible heritage ghost village experiences in Minas Gerais. Find it on our Brazil Urbex Map.
Safety Tips
- Amazon preparation: Fordlândia and Airão Velho require malaria prophylaxis, DEET insect repellent and a mosquito net — consult a travel health clinic before visiting Pará or Amazonas
- River transport: cargo boats and speedboats on Amazonian rivers have variable safety standards — ask locally about the most reliable operators and check weather conditions
- Ararapira erosion risk: the active coastal erosion that emptied the village continues — do not approach the erosion edge
- Never explore alone — in remote Amazon and coastal locations, always bring at least one other person and carry a satellite communicator
❓ FAQ
What is the most famous ghost town in Brazil?
Fordlândia — Henry Ford's failed Amazon rubber city, built in 1928 and abandoned in 1945, whose hospital, American-style housing and industrial sheds decay in the Amazon forest on the banks of the Rio Tapajós. Accessible only by boat from Santarém (Pará). The Correio Braziliense describes it as "one of the most surreal scenarios of 20th-century industrial history." For accessibility, Igatu in the Chapada Diamantina — Brazil's "Machu Picchu" of stone diamond-mining ruins — is reachable by car from Lençóis.
Can you visit Fordlândia?
Yes — Fordlândia is accessible but requires commitment. Fly to Santarém (Pará), then take a cargo boat or speedboat along the Rio Tapajós (6–18 hours depending on vessel). The ruins include the hospital, water tower, industrial sheds and "Palm Avenue" American housing. Best visited in the Amazon dry season (July–November). Our Brazil Urbex Map includes river transport guidance and GPS for all Fordlândia structures.
What happened to Igatu?
Igatu — in the Chapada Diamantina highlands of Bahia — reached 10,000 inhabitants during the 19th-century diamond boom, with mansions, casinos and brothels. When the diamond seams were exhausted, the population departed; today around 300 residents remain among the stone ruins. The specific Chapada Diamantina stone construction — dry-stone walls, collapsed roofless houses — creates the comparison with Machu Picchu. Accessible from Lençóis by 4WD (42km).
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