The Amazon - The Rough Guide to Brazil

Travel Reference

In-Depth Information

Make sure to head to the leafy Parque Santander , locally nicknamed Plaza de los Loros

for the thousands of little parrots that flock to its trees, dancing in the air and letting out a

deafening orchestra of squawks; the parrots can be found here around 4.30pm and 5am.

ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION

LETICIA COLOMBIA

Information There is a tourist information o ce at Calle 8

9-75 (Mon-Fri 7am-noon & 2-5.30pm; T +57 8 592 7569).

By taxi A taxi to Leticia from Tabatinga airport costs

R$30 (20min).

By moto-taxi Moto-taxis connect Tabatinga and Leticia

(10min); to make the journey back into Tabatinga you

can catch a moto carro (10min).

ACCOMMODATION

★

The Amazon Bed & Breakfast Calle 12 9-30 T +57

8 592 4981, W theamazonbb.com. This lovely bed and

breakfast features spacious, tastefully decorated private

rooms and bungalows with modern amenities giving onto

a leafy garden. The B&B runs a Spanish language school

and o ffers social and cultural a ctivites along with volunteer

work. COP$186,500 (US$91)

Hotel Anaconda Carretera 11 7-34 T +57 8 592 7119,

W hotelanaconda.com.co. Located in the centre of town,

this longstanding hotel offers fifty spacious and well-

appointed rooms with a/c, fridge and cable TV. There's an

inviting swimming pool with loungers in the courtyard,

and an in-house t ravel agency who can hel p organize tours

to the rainforest. COP$296,000 (US$145)

Mahatu Hostel Guest House Calle 7 1-40

T +57 8 592 7384, W mahatu.org. Set in a lush garden

with a couple of lakes and towering exotic fruit trees -

coconut, mangoes, banana, acai, cupuaçu , to name a few

- this tropical hostel is the perfect spot to kick back and

enjoy the laidback pace of life of the Colombian Amazon.

Dorms are simply furnished but comfortable; try and stay

in the maloka dorm with native-style furnish ings. The free

wi-fi re aches so me of the rooms. Do rms COP$20,000

(US$9) ; doubles COP$60,000 (US$30)

EATING

Amektiar Carrera 9 8-15 T +57 8 592 6094. Attracting

its fair share of tourists, this spic-and-span modern

restaurant has indoor and outside seating, and offers a

range of international dishes. The menu includes all-time

favourites like burgers (COP$15,000; US$7.30), pastas

(COP$16,000; US$7.80), crêpes (COP$15,000; US$7.30),

and Mexican fare such as burritos (COP$17,000; US$8.20)

and tacos (COP$14; US$6.80). Daily 11.30am-11.30pm;

closed every other Wed.

★

dangling wicker baskets. The menu features an extensive

choice of Amazonian dishes (try the pescado a la pupeca ,

fish wrapped in banana leaf; COP$18,000; US$8.80),

served at the rustic tables on the ground floor or on the

welcoming mezzanine. There's free wi-fi, too. Tues-Sun

11.30am-10.30pm, Sun 11.30am-9pm.

Tierras Antioqueñas Calle 8 9-03 T +57 8 224 4056.

This relaxed restaurant with wooden tables lining the

street is a good spot for a quick bite to eat; the menu

features a range of fish dishes (COP$15,000; US$7.30)

along with ceviche de pirarucú (COP$20,000; US$9.80).

Daily 7am-9pm.

Tierras Amazónicas Calle 8 7-50 T +57 8 592 4748.

This wonderful native-style restaurant is chock-a-block

with Amazonian curios, from wooden wall masks to

TOURS

Selva Aventura Carrera 9 6-85 T +57 8 592 3977,

W selvaventura.org. A reliable and experienced operator

organizing jungle day-trips, kayaking tours and multi-day

excursions with overnight stays in the bush. All hotels

reviewed here have their own in-house travel agencies; the

friendly owner of Mahatu Hostel can also help organize tours.