Colombia (Lonely Planet, 5th Edition) - Jens Porup [243]
Tierras Amazónicas ( 592 4748; Calle 8 No 7-50; mains COP$8000-21,000; 10am-11pm Tue-Sun) At first glance, this looks like an unapologetic tourist trap. The menu is written on a wooden plank; the walls are covered in kitschy Amazonia knickknacks. Nonetheless, it’s a fantastic place for a fun dinner. The specialty is fish. The pan-grilled pirarucú is heavenly. There’s a full bar, and live music most nights. This is the real rainforest cafe.
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Drinking & Entertainment
Discoteca L’ Boom (Calle 9 No 10-40; 9pm-2am Thu, 9pm-4am Fri & Sat) Also known as Kahlúa, this is the only real nightclub in Leticia, and not a particularly good one. The dimly lit interior looks more like a strip club, complete with mirrored walls and stripper poles. DJs crank out salsa, cumbia, vallenato and reggaetón tunes. The adjoining chill-out bar, Emociones, is much more inviting, with a terrace overlooking the city.
Várzea ( 320 316 6083; Carrera 10 No 14-12; 6pm-2am Tue-Sun) Off the beaten track on the road to the airport, this trendy little neighborhood bar was one of Leticia’s best-kept secrets – until now. It has a friendly atmosphere with great music and strong drinks. It also happens to serve the best pizza in town, with a huge selection of toppings. What more do you need?
Mossh Bar ( 592 7097; Carrera 10 No 10-08; 4pm-2am Tue-Thu, 4pm-4am Fri & Sat) This trendy bar facing Parque Santander is a step up from the usual Leticia watering holes. The modish interior is decorated in red, white, black and chrome. The full bar serves strong drinks, with hefty prices to match.
Barbacoas ( 592 2005; Carrera 10 8-28; 6am-2am) Unlike most Colombian billiards clubs that only cater to men, ladies are warmly welcomed at Barbacoas – probably because the pool tables are hidden in a separate back room. The sidewalk cafe is a pleasant place to people-watch over a beer or coffee.
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Getting There & Away
There are no overland crossings to Leticia.
AIR
All foreigners must pay COP$15,500 tourist tax upon arrival at Leticia’s airport, Aeropuerto Internacional Alfredo Vásquez Cobo, to the north of the town.
AeroRepública ( 592 7666; www.aerorepublica.com.co; Calle 7 No 10-36; 8am-noon & 2-6pm Mon-Fri, 8am-noon Sat) has daily flights to Bogotá. The Colombian Air Force–operated airline, Satena ( 592 5419; www.satena.com; Calle 9 s/n; 8am-noon & 2-6pm Mon-Fri, 8am-noon Sat), flies to Bogotá on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Prices vary widely, but expect to pay about COP$300,000 for a one-way flight; Satena is usually cheaper. Book early for the best rates.
Trip (www.voetrip.com.br) flies from Tabatinga International Airport to Manaus daily (COP$600,000). The airport is 4km south of Tabatinga; colectivos marked ‘Comara’ from Leticia will drop you nearby. Don’t forget to get your Colombian exit stamp at Leticia’s airport and, if needed, a Brazilian visa, before departure.
BOAT
To Manaus (Brazil)
Boats to Manaus leave from Tabatinga’s Porto Fluvial on Wednesday and Saturday at 2pm, with a stop in Benjamin Constant. The journey to Manaus takes three days and four nights and costs around COP$150,000 if you bring your own hammock, or about COP$555,000 for two people in a double cabin.
Traveling upstream from Manaus to Tabatinga, the trip usually takes six days, and costs about COP$250,000 in your hammock or COP$750,000 for a double cabin. See the boxed text, for more information.
To Iquitos (Peru)
Transtur ( +51 65 221 356; www.transtursa.com; Rua Marechal Mallet 248, Tabatinga) operates high-speed passenger boats between Tabatinga and Iquitos. Boats leave from Tabatinga’s Porto da Feira at 5am on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, arriving in Iquitos about 10 hours later. The boats call in at Santa Rosa’s immigration point. Don’t forget to get your Colombian exit stamp at the Leticia airport DAS office the day before departure. The journey