Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ditional Miskito power shake consisting of plantains mashed with coconut or cow's milk.
Brown also sells the world's only Miskito-Spanish and Miskito-English dictionaries
(US$25), which he wrote and published himself.
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE
GOLD FEVER
If you've arrived in Waspám and are wondering where all the people are, you've probably come
during the gold rush. Every dry season, hordes of locals travel up the Río Coco to the rapids near
Carizal to pan for gold, leaving the place feeling like a ghost town.
Sleeping & Eating
Although authentic Miskito cuisine is hard to find, keep an eye out for delicacies like
wabul, pihtu talla laya
(fermented pineapple-rind drink),
twalbí
(corn liquor),
takrú
(fish
and yucca baked together in banana leaves) and
auhbi piakan
(Miskito for 'mixed togeth-
er'), which involves plantains, meat and coconut.
Hotel Coco
( 2792-9126, 8910-3435; Muelle, 100m O; r US$12.60, without bathroom US$6.30)
Waspám's
best budget choice, with simple varnished wooden rooms and flasher ones with cable TV
and bathrooms. There's also a great rear porch overlooking the river.
GUESTHOUSE
$
Hotel Casa de la Rose
( 2792-9112; frente la pista; s/d with fan US$10.50/14.50, with air-con US$17/21; )
Rooms
are clean with fresh tiles, cable TV and a lovely wooden porch nestled in the banana
palms. It has a terrific restaurant (meals US$2.50 to US$3.50), set in a sweet wooden
cabaña
patrolled by parrots.
HOTEL
$
Hotel El Piloto
( 8331-1312, 8642-4405; hotelitoelpiloto@live.com; Muelle, 20m S; s/d US$25/35; )
Waspám's best all-round choice. Rooms have fresh paint and bathroom tiles, and a terrific
location steps from the river. The friendly owners are a wealth of information and will
happily arrange all manner of local excursions.
HOTEL
$$
Comedor Milagros
NICARAGUAN
$
