Surf the Longest Wave on the World's Wackiest Beach - The Ultimate in Adventure Travel

If you want some exotic adventure travel, try something different; surf the world's longest wave while dodging anacondas, piranha, alligators and Candiru (Vandellia cirrhosa), a small parasitic fish that can swim up your urethra, dig in its spines, and feast on your blood?" To surf this longest wave you must visit the state of Amapa, Brazil and surf The Pororoca: Tupi-Guarani Indian for "great destructive noise."

Amapa is located in Northeastern Brazilia and is one of the least developed States in Brazil. Their largest interior river is The Rio Araguari and originates high in the western Tumucumaque mountain range; it flows SE until it reaches the Atlantic coast just north of the mouth of the great Amazon River.

During February and March strong Atlantic Ocean tides generate waves, or 'bores', (from the Old Norse, bára, meaning a wave or swell.) up to 12 feet high; the wave can last for over half an hour.

These incoming bores enter the wide funnel-shaped mouth of the Rio Araguari at 10-15 miles per hour, plunge into the narrow riverbed, and create thunderous noise. As the riverbed narrows, the bores gain velocity and sweep up everything in the path: anacondas, spiders, Jaguars, houses, crops, and people. Nothing escapes The Parococa.

If this sounds tailor made for you, you're not alone. Since 2001 bore surfing has become so popular that Brazil organized a Brazilian National Porococa Surfing Championship held annually in São Domingos do Capim, Brazil.

According to Ricardo Tatuí from the Rio de Janeiro area, who won the competition in 1999 and 2001 and finished second in 2005, ''Surfing The Pororoca is an entirely different sensation from surfing in the ocean. The waves can be smaller, but they are also more treacherous, and you have to learn to make adjustments to the curves in the river.'' And to the Anacondas.

If you go:

• Fly into Macapa International Airport (Macapa is the capital city of Amapa) on Tam Linhas Aereas (operated by United): It will take you 34 hours and 36 minutes with 4 stopovers.

• Charter an airplane or a helicopter, get on a speedboat, and of course, bring your surfboard.

• The average temperatures will be a 73 low and an 85 high with a dew point around 77.

By Melanie Martin