from: Dilwyn Jenkins: The rough
guide to Peru; Rough Guides, New York, London, Delhi; 6th edition
September 2006; www.roughguides.com
Transport in Puerto Maldonado
The quickest way of getting around town and its immediate environs is
to hail [take] a motocar (75
cents in-town flat rate, but check before getting in) or
passenger-carrying motorbikes (30 cents, also a flat rate).
Mototaxi ("motocar") in Puerto Maldonado
If you
fancy doing a bit of running about on your own, or have a lot of ground
to cover in town, moped rental is a useful option; you'll find a
reasonable place at Avenida Gonzalez Prada 321, by the Hotel Wilson ($1 for 1hr, $10 for
12hr; no deposit, but passports and driving licences required). Make
sure there's ample petrol in the tank (p.547).
Accommodation in Puerto Maldonado
 |
 Map of the town
of
Puerto Maldonado with tourist hotels and tourist information
1. Cabañaquinta
2. Hostal El Astro
3. Hostal El Solar
4. Hostal Moderno
5. Rey Port
6. Tambo de Oro
7. Wilson
8. Wasai
|
Puerto Maldonado has a reasonable range of hotels, most of them either
on or within a couple of blocks of León de Velarde. All the better
hotels offer protection against mosquitos and some sort of
air-conditioning (p.547).
Cabaña Quinta
[Jirón] Cusco 535, T. 082-571045, Fax 571890, e-mail:
cperezlencart@hotmail.com
This is close to the port and town center and is one of the more
popular hotels in town. Rooms are comfortable, have air-conditioning
and are surrounded by an attractive garden. There's also an excellent
bar-restaurant.
Hotel Don Carlos
[Jirón] Velarde 1271, T. 082-571029, Fax 571323
This well-run place overlooks the Río Tambopata in a relatively pretty
spot, within walking distance of the center, but just beyond the heart
of town. It has a swimming pool, good restaurant, and many rooms, most
with fans [ventilation] and TVs; all have private baths.
Hotel Don Carlos, entrance side |
Hotel Don Carlos, pool |
Hospedaje Amarumayo
[Jirón] Libertad 433, T. 082-573860, e-mail:
residenciaamarumayo@hotmail.com
This is a good deal, not least because it has a small pool and friendly
staff; rooms have fans [ventilation] and private baths. Some 6km
northwest from the town center, but only five minutes from the airport.
Hospedaje Rey Port
[Jirón] Velarde 457, T. 082-572685
Friendly but sometimes noisy; the beds are basic, rooms are small.
Hotel Iñapari
T. 082-572575, Fax 572155
Run by a Spanish couple, Isabel and Javier. Accommodation is in
bungalows next to the forest, an atmospheric place to start a visit to
the jungle (Javier organizes several trips), and the price includes
excellent breakfasts and dinners.
Moderno Hostal
[Jirón] Billingshurst 357, T. 082-571063
A brightly painted and well-kept hotel, with something of a
frontier-town character, not least by the nature of its clientele who
are mainly river traders. The rooms here are small and bathrooms
shared.
Wasai [lodge]
Plaza Grau 1, T./Fax 082-572290, e-mail: info@wasai.com, www.wasai.com,
or in Cusco: T. 082-221826, or Lima: T. 01-436-8792
The best of the more expensive options, offering fine views over the
Río Madre de Dios, and a swimming pool with a waterfall and bar set
among trees, overlooking a canoe-builders' yard. All rooms are
cabin-style with TV and shower, and staff here also organize local
tours and run the Wasai Lodge
(p.547).
The Wasai lodge with bungalows on stilts in Puerto Maldonado 25m above
the river banks
[You have to know that the natives are satisfied with houses like this,
with direct contact to god without many technical things, and you have
to know what arrogant impression the western white man is making when
he is arrogant]:
Typical houses of natives in Puerto Maldonado
Banks and exchange
-- Banco Credito
[Jirón] Arequipa 334 (Mon-Fri 9am-1pm, 5-7pm)
-- Banco de la Nación
Jirón Daniel Carrion 233 (Mon-Fri 9am-1pm, 5-7pm)
-- cambistas [money changer] usually hang out on the corner of
[Avenida?] Prada and [Jirón] Puno,near the Hotel Wilson.
-- Your hotel might also change dollars.
Tourist information
Captain's office
[Jirón] León de Velarde, between Avenida Gonzalez Prada and [Jirón] Dos
de Mayo. For permits to travel by river into the jungle. Mon-Sat 8am-6pm
Excellent-value hammocks are available from La Mascota, [Jirón] León de
Velarde 599, on the corner of [Avenida] Gonzalez Prada
Telephones: The main offices of Telefónica del Perú are on block 7 of
[Jirón] Puno (daily 7am-11pm). There are also public phones in most
parts of the town (p.548).
Official Offices
Bolivian consulate
Jirón Loreto, on the Plaza de Armas (Mon-Fri 8am-3.30pm)
Post office
[Jirón] León de Velarde 675, opposite the corner of Jirón Jaime
Troncoso. Mon-Sat 8am-8pm, Sun 8am-3pm
Immigration office
[Jirón] 26 de Diciembre 356, on block from the Plaza de Armas.
INRENA jungle office
(Instituto Nacional de Recursos Naturales) is where you have to go for
permission to enter the National Parks of the region. The office in
Puerto Maldonado is:
Dirección Subregional Agraria del departamento Madre de Dios
[Subregional Agrarian management of Madre de Dios department], Avenida
28 de Julio 482, Puerto Maldonado;
or in Lima: Calle 17, 335 Urb. El Palomar, San Isidro, Lima, T.
01-224-3298, e-mail: comunicaciones@inrena.gob.pe
(p.548)
Bus connections of Puerto Maldonado
To Cusco are several buses weekly, a trip ov 2-6 days. To Iberia
[before Iñapari in the North] the buses are very irregularly, a tripo
of 8-12 hours (p.568).
