Most towns in the Amazon Basin have a port and an airstrip but almost never a serious road out, so transport options are necessarily limited. Fundamentally it’s clearly better to travel substantial distances by plane (say, over 50 miles) and make modest journeys by boat, not only for financial reasons but in order to fully absorb the stunning environment. However, time is also a factor of course as visitors with limited time will probably prefer to spend it partly in a plane and mostly in a canoe or walking, rather than sitting in a noisy river barge for a week.
A common and fun compromise is paying a bit over-the-top for a speedboat transfer.

For the family a small motor powered boat may be more efficient. Photo by Dirk Henker

The second must-do activity in the Amazon Rainforest is of course walking. Note the anti-snake boots. Photo of Jim by his guide

A termites nest built high to escape the annual flooding. Photo by Jim

Another traditional Amazon activity, fishing for piranha and admiring their dental work. Photo by Mélété

And catching baby caiman at night for a fondle, before putting them back. Photo by Jim

A humming bird. Photo by Doug88888

A tiny mouse monkey. Photo by Jim

A deadly Amazon Eyelash Pit Viper. No fondling this beast unless you want to go home in a box! Photo by Geoff Gallice

Hoatzin birds. Photo by Patty Ho