Bolivia - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 217

RIBERALTA
Set on a bluff above a great sweep of the
Río Madre de Dios, sleepy, sun-baked
RIBERALTA is the second-biggest town in
the Amazon lowlands, with a population
of about 40,000, largely employed in
the processing and export of brazil nuts.
At least twelve hours by road from
Rurrenabaque when conditions are good in
the dry season, there's no great reason to
stop unless you're heading for Cobija (see
box below) and want to break your journey.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
By plane The airport is a 10min walk along Av Ochoa from
the town centre. TAM ( T 03 8522646) flies to La Paz on
Wed and to Santa Cruz on Sun, while Aerocon ( W aerocon
.bo) flies daily to Trinidad.
By bus Buses arrive and depart from the of ces of various
transport companies in the centre of town around República
de Brasil. There are 4-5 daily services to Guayaramerín (3hr)
and, when possible, services to Rurrenabaque, Trinidad and
Cobija.

Club Social Nautico Parque Costanera, on the riverfront.
Good Bolivian food and cheap almuerzos (B$24); you can
also cool off in the swimming pool for B$15.

GUAYARAMERÍN
On the banks of the Río Mamoré some
86km east of Riberalta, GUAYARAMERÍN is
the main crossing point on Bolivia's
northern border, a modern and prosperous
frontier town with a distinctly Brazilian
flavour and a thriving economy based on
duty-free sales. Most people only come
here to cross into Brazil (see box below).
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
By plane The airport is four blocks east of the plaza along
C 25 de Mayo. TAM ( T 03 8553924) flies to La Paz on Mon
and to Trinidad on Mon and Thurs.
By bus Buses from Riberalta and beyond arrive at the
Terminal de Buses, about 3km from the centre of town
along C Beni; a motorbike taxi from here should cost about
B$5. Buses to Riberalta leave throughout the day (3hr);
in the dry season, services attempt the long journeys to
Trinidad (around 30hr), Rurrenabaque (around 26hr) and
Cobija (around 15hr) - the length of the journeys varies
significantly due to road conditions.

2

ACCOMMODATION
Hotel Lazo C Nicolas Salvatierra T 03 8522352, T 03
8528326. Basic but clean place which offers a laundry
service and cheaper shared-bat hroom options a couple of
blocks from the plaza. Doubles B$70
Residencial Los Reyes T 03 8528018. Pleasant hotel
near the airport, with a garden, hammocks a nd pre tty tiled
walkways creating a cool ambience. Doubles B$80

INFORMAT I ON
Money and exchange The Hotel San Carlos , a block
north and east from the Plaza on Av 6 de Agosto, changes
travellers' cheques - the only place in town that does -
and also changes dollars and Brazilian reais. There are no
ATMs in town but there is a Prodem on the main square.
Tourist information The post o ce is on C Oruro, three
blocks south of the plaza. The ENTEL of ce is on C Mamoré,
two blocks north of the plaza.

EATING AND DRINKING
Cabaña Tom Southeast corner of the plaza. Tom's Cabin
does decent almuerzos as well as the two Beni stalwarts:
beef steaks and river fish. Mains from B$25.

CROSSING INTO BRAZIL: GUAJARÁ MIRIM
From the port at the bottom of Avendia Federico Roman in Guayaramerín, regular
passenger boats (every 15min; about B$6 each way) make the ten-minute crossing to
Guajará-Mirim in Brazil. The Bolivian migración (Mon-Fri 8-11am & 2-6pm, Sat 8am-noon)
is to the right of the port as you face the river; you should get an exit stamp here if you're
continuing into Brazil, but it's not necessary if you're just making a day-trip across the river.
If you need a visa, the Brazilian consulate (Mon-Fri 11am-3pm) is on Calle Beni, at 24 de
Septiembre, a block east of the plaza in Guayaramerín. Note that to enter Brazil you need to
have an international certificate of yellow-fever vaccination. From Guajará-Mirim there are
frequent buses to Porto Velho, from where there are connections to other destinations in
Brazil. You can also cross into Brazil via Cobija , capital of the Pando department, a remote
and sparsely populated rainforest region that until recently was accessible only by boat;
today, a rough road cuts through the rainforest running from just south of Riberalta to Cobija.
However, it's much easier to go via Guayaramerín.