Colombia (Lonely Planet, 5th Edition) - Jens Porup [246]
Casa Museo Etnocultural (cnr Carrera 7 & Calle 5; admission free; 8am-noon & 2-5pm Mon-Fri), located in the alcaldía town hall building, has a small display of artifacts exploring the region’s indigenous populations.
For a bird’s-eye view of the village, climb the Mirador (COP$5000, 5am-5pm) tower, located at the top of Calle 4.
You can hike to several nearby indigenous villages including San Martín (three hours) and 20 de Julio (30 minutes) by following the sidewalks leading out of town.
Lago Tarapoto, 10km west of Puerto Nariño, is a beautiful jungle lake that is home to the Amazon’s famous pink dolphins (botos). You may also spot an Amazonian manatee and varied flora including the Victoria Regia, the world’s largest water lily. A half-day trip to the lake in a peque-peque can be organized from Puerto Nariño (COP$50,000 for up to four people). Locals can take you on boat excursions to many other places, including the Parque Nacional Natural Amacayacu.
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Sleeping
There are about a dozen hotel options in town.
Cabañas del Friar ( 311 502 8592, 320 596 6330; altodelaguila@hotmail.com; r per person COP$15,000) About 30 minutes west of town, famous friar Hector José Rivera and his crazy monkey Tata run this hilltop jungle oasis overlooking the Amazon. The complex includes several simple huts, shared facilities and a lookout tower. Friar Hector can arrange kayak trips, jungle walks and visits to indigenous villages. To get there, take Carrera 6 west out of town across the big bridge and just ask around for ‘Casa del Fraile.’
Hotel Lomas del Paiyü ( 313 237 0840; Carrera 6 No 7-74; elider_10@hotmail.com; r per person without/with private bath COP$20,000/25,000) This tin-roofed, family-run hotel is an old but reliable choice, with 10 basic, clean rooms.
Hotel Napü ( 310 488 0998; Calle 4 No 5-72; olgabeco@yahoo.com; r per person COP$25,000) Our favorite hotel has the look and feel of a treehouse fort. The rooms are simple but comfortable, with basic furnishings, fan and shared baths. Try for rooms 7 and 8 of the back building, which share a balcony with hammocks overlooking the courtyard garden and jungle.
Hostal Asaí ( 592 6656, 311 477 8973; hostalasai@yahoo.es; Carrera 6 No 6-65; r per person COP$30,000) Run by the Casa Selva folks across the street, the Hostal Asaí is a whimsical A-frame, thatch-covered house with shared baths and common area. There is a kitchen sink, but no fridge or stove.
Casa Selva ( 315 333 2796; casaselvahotel@yahoo.es; Carrera 6 No 6-78; s/d/tr COP$100,000/120,000/155,000) A tall, handsome wood building two blocks up from the dock is the most luxurious option in town. The 12 tasteful rooms have private bath, fan and balcony, surrounding a two-story courtyard and restaurant (mains COP$10,000).
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Eating & Drinking
Puerto Nariño is sorely lacking worthy restaurant options. There are a few fast-food joints and grocery stores on the main road facing the river. ‘Nightlife’ involves drinking at one of the hole-in-the-wall bars fronting the basketball courts.
Restaurant Tucanare (Carrera 6 No 5-29; breakfast, lunch & dinner) A locals’ favorite, this popular neighborhood eatery has great set meals of soup, serving of meat and side of veggies, all for just COP$5000.
Las Margaritas (Calle 6 No 6-80; set meals COP$5000-10,000; breakfast, lunch & dinner) Hidden behind a picket fence under a huge palapa (thatched roof), Las Margaritas is the best restaurant in town. The huge set meals of the day include local specialties like pirarucú and carne asada (grilled steak).
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Getting There & Away
High-speed boats to Puerto Nariño depart from Leticia’s dock at 8am, 10am and 2pm daily (COP$23,000, two hours); return