Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
THE CHACO
Flat and sparsely populated, the Chaco is a vast expanse of thorn scrub where dispersed
ranchers, isolated indigenous villages and Mennonite communities farm plots of land - it's
also dotted by police and military troops, guarding their posts. This silent flatland covers
most of southeastern Bolivia and western Paraguay and stretches into neighboring Argen-
tina.
Wildlife abounds in the undisturbed wilderness of the Chaco. With humans a relatively
rare species, animals are bolder and more visible here than in the Amazon and this is one of
the best places in South America to see large mammals like the tapir, jaguar and puma.
Plant life amazes with a series of bizarre (and often spiny) adaptations to the xeric environ-
ment. Apart from being prickled by various species of cacti, you'll be surprised by brilliant
flowering bushes and trees, such as the yellow
carnival
bush; the white-and-yellow
huevo
(egg) tree; the pink or white thorny bottle tree, locally known as the
toboroche
or
palo bor-
racho
(drunken tree); and the red-flowering, hard
quebracho
(axe-breaker) tree whose
wood, too heavy to float, is one of the Chaco's main exports.
Yacuiba
4 / POP 83,500
There's only one reason to visit Yacuiba: to cross the border between Argentina and
Bolivia. Tiny
Pocitos
, 5km south, is the easternmost Bolivia-Argentina border crossing.
Sleeping & Eating
The only thing Yacuiba has going for it is that there are lots of hotels. The best of the lim-
ited eating options are around the plaza.
PENSION
Gran Residencial Victoria $
(
682-3752; San MartÃn 639; s/d B$40/60, d with bathroom & cable TV B$90;
)
Hyperbolic name? Well yes, but this is the best of the motley selection of
residenciales
in
front of the bus terminal; useful if you have an early bus to catch (or indeed a late one) and
are looking for somewhere to rest your head for a few hours. Even the cheap rooms have
air-con.
