Colombia (Lonely Planet, 5th Edition) - Jens Porup [245]
Five minutes by boat from Leticia, this tiny island village on the Amazon River has a few rustic hospedajes (hostels), some thatch-covered bars and restaurants but not much else. It’s home to a few hundred people and lots of free-range chickens and turkeys. About the only real tourist attraction here is a giant blue ‘Welcome to Peru’ sign where you can pose for photos. If you are coming from or going to Iquitos, you’ll need to come here and visit the Policía Internacional Peruviano (PIP) office to get your exit/entry stamp in your passport. Everything is located along the single paved footpath through town. Water taxis (COP$4000) ply the Leticia–Santa Rosa route from dawn to dusk.
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PARQUE NACIONAL NATURAL (PNN) AMACAYACU
Sprawling across almost 300,000 hectares, PNN Amacayacu ( 522 2890; admission foreigners/Colombians COP$21,000/8000) is an ideal spot from which to observe the Amazonian rainforest up close. About 75km upriver from Leticia, the park is home to 500 species of birds and 150 mammals and dozens of reptiles including crocs, boas and anacondas. And millions of mosquitoes. Activities include bird-watching, kayaking and multiday hikes.
The recently renovated visitor amenities include dorm lodges with shared baths, four luxury cabins with private baths and a restaurant. The luxury hotel chain Decameron now runs the park’s tourist facilities, and with them came sky-high prices. A simple dorm bunk will set you back a whopping COP$83,000 per person; rooms start at COP$160,000 per person.
High-speed boats to Puerto Nariño (Click here) will drop you off at the visitors center (COP$22,000, 1½ hours from Leticia). Boats often fill up; buy your tickets in advance. Getting back to Leticia can be a bit trickier. The best option is to flag down a high-speed boat returning from Puerto Nariño; they pass by the visitors center at around 11:30am and 4:30pm, but won’t stop if they’re full. As a last resort, try flagging down one of slow cargo ships or peque-peques (small motorized boats) back to Leticia.
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PUERTO NARIÑO
8 / pop 2000 / elev 110m
The tiny Amazonian village of Puerto Nariño is a world-class model for sustainable living. Here, 75km upriver from Leticia, this ecological community is living proof that man and nature can peacefully coexist.
Puerto Nariño has elevated the concept of green living to an art form. Motorized vehicles are banned. The spotless city is laid out on a grid of landscaped, pedestrian-only sidewalks. Every morning, citizen brigades fan out to tidy up the town.
The little town’s ambitious recycling and organic waste management programs would put most world cities to shame. Trash and recycling bins are located on practically every corner. Rainwater is collected in cisterns for washing and gardening. Electricity comes from the town’s energy-efficient generator, but only runs until midnight. Fall asleep to the sounds of jungle chit-chat and the pitter-patter of raindrops on tin roofs.
The majority of Puerto Nariño’s residents are indigenous Tikuna, Cocoma and Yagua peoples. Their community experiment in ecological living has led to an important source of income: ecotourism. This tranquil town is a great base from which to visit the pink dolphins of Lago Tarapoto by kayak, explore the jungle on foot or simply chill out in a hammock, enjoying the sights and sounds of the Amazon.
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Information
There are no banks or ATMs in Puerto Nariño, and credit cards are not accepted anywhere. Bring plenty of cash from Leticia.
Compartel (cnr Carrera 6 & Calle 5; per hr COP$2000; 8am-9pm Mon-Sat) Provides internet access plus local and international telephone service.
Hospital (cnr Carrera 4 & Calle 5)
Tourist office ( 313 235 3687; cnr Carrera 7 & Calle 5; 8am-noon & 2-5pm Mon-Fri) Located inside the alcaldía Municipal town hall building.
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Sights & Activities
Fundación Omacha (omacha.org), located on the riverfront just east of the docks is a conservation and research