Amazon Basin - Bolivia - page 622

Information
Banco Ganadero on the plaza has an ATM. If it's not working you can get cash advances
and change US dollars at Prodem ( 857-2212; Suárez 1880) . The post office and Entel
are near the main plaza and there is an internet cafe (per hr B$6) on the plaza itself. The
town's municipal water supply is contaminated, so stick to bottled or thoroughly purified
water.
Getting There & Away
Air
The airport is a 15-minute stroll south of the main plaza. Departing flights are subject to
an airport tax of B$7. Flights to Cobija and most to Guayaramerín are by avioneta and
must be full to depart. Call Avioneta Ariel ( 852-3774) or El Capitán ( 7686-2742)
at least a day in advance. Bank on paying around B$600 per person.
TAM ( 852-2646; Chuquisaca 1146) flies to La Paz daily (B$949, two hours) except
Monday and Friday, and has weekend flights to Guayaramerín (B$130, 20 minutes).
Flights to Trinidad leave on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday (B$130, 20 minutes), but
AeroCon ( 852-4679; airport) departures to Trinidad are much more frequent, with
several flights each day. Amaszonas ( 852-3933; Chuquisaca cr Sucre) also flies to
Trinidad and has the most regular connections with Guayaramerín.
Boat
The Río Beni passes through countless twisting kilometers of virgin rainforest and
provides Bolivia's longest single-river trip. Unfortunately, boats upriver to Rurrenabaque
are now rare and, in any case, they normally only run during the wet season (November to
mid-April). For information on departures ask at the Capitanía del Puerto at the northern
end of town between Calles Ballivián and Sánchez. Budget on spending B$250 to B$350
(including meals and hammock space) for the five- to eight-day trip. Lucky Peru-bound
travelers may also find cargo boats to the frontier at Puerto Heath, which has onward
boats to Puerto Maldonado.
Bus
The bus terminal is 3km east of the center, along the Guayaramerín road. The road from
Riberalta to Guayaramerín is a high-speed gravel track, and taxis (B$40, 1½ hours) ply