Peru - Lonely Planet Publications [435]
The main attraction in Pevas is the studio-gallery of one of Peru’s best-known living artists, Francisco Grippa. Grippa handmakes his canvases from local bark, similar to that formerly used by local tribespeople for cloth. The paintings on view are the outcome of Grippa’s 23 years’ observation of Amazonian people, places and customs. You can’t miss the huge house with its red-roofed lookout tower on the hill immediately above the port.
The best ‘accommodation’ in the conventional sense is at Hospedaje Rodríguez (83-0296; Brasil 30; s/d with shared shower S15/20), just down from the Pevas Plaza. Rooms face onto a pleasant courtyard.
The rustic but attractive Casa de la Loma on a hill in the Pevas outskirts offers Amazon views and activities including night walks, piranha fishing and visiting nearby indigenous communities (mostly part-acculturated). Reservations are notoriously problematic; the owner is contactable only by rarely functioning cell phone. Prices are not fixed, but start at around S15 for a bed in one of five dark, screened rooms sharing shower facilities. This is a place to get to know the town and the inhabitants by joining in a fiesta or shopping at the market. Be adventurous and show up: heading down from the plaza to the river, take the first left down to a bridge. On the bridge, a path leads up through woods to the entrance.
Francisco Grippa also has basic rooms in his house at the top of town that are sometimes offered to visitors.
Meals are available at Hospedaje Rodríguez and the more popular pool hall–restaurant El Amigo (lunch).
Leticia-bound cargo boats make request stops at Pevas, as do daily (except Monday) fast boats to the tri-border (the same applies if you are coming from Leticia). These slow cargo boats (S20, around 15 hours) or fast boats (S150, 3½ hours downriver, five hours upriver) also connect Pevas with Iquitos. Tour operators can also incorporate a Pevas trip into packages. Arriving independently, there’s an element of risk – you might get stuck here for a while – but a boat will eventually turn up.
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ACCOMMODATIONS
Accommodations in Peru range from basic crash pads and cozy Spanish-style B&Bs to luxury lodges that offer bath butlers and turn-down service. In touristy areas, you’ll find plenty of accommodations, and in every imaginable guise; choices in small villages are usually limited. In well-trodden destinations, hotel staff will generally speak some English (in addition to other languages), but in rural areas, you’ll need a grasp of Spanish basics. Many places will store your luggage for free if you have a late bus or flight to catch after checkout; some spots may charge for storage of more than one day. When storing bags, it is always a good idea to lock them and get a receipt.
Hotels are the most standard type of accommodations and will normally include private hot showers, telephone, TV and other facilities, such as a café or restaurant. Smaller than a hotel, an hostal is like a guesthouse, offering private rooms with en suite bathrooms and fairly reliable hot water. In some cases, these will include a very simple continental breakfast. Better hostales offer hot breakfasts and many of the same services as small hotels, while cheaper ones may have shared bathrooms. Hospedajes and albergues are generally small, family-owned inns. Expect basic rooms, including dormitory-style accommodations, and, in some cases, a shared kitchen.