Four Things to Do in Puerto Maldonado
A Small Amazonian Town, PM, has Some Pleasant Ways To Spend Time
May 1, 2009
Occasionally the intrepid traveller comes across a place that raises one question – what is there to do? Puerto Maldonado is such a town.
Situated in Peru’s Amazon basin and a key transport hub usually reached by LAN’s regular flight direct from Lima it is very much a jumping off spot for some rich sites in the surrounding areas.
Four Things To Do In Puerto Maldonado
The town itself though is not without some interesting things to see and do. Here are four.
Obelisco
Top of this list is the Obelisco (Fitzcarrald & Madre de Dios 10.00am – 4.00pm) which is a ten maybe fifteen minute walk from the town centre but allows a good, even grand view of both the town and the surrounding areas. At thirty metres high it is not that tall although to some who aren’t that fit it will seem a fair bit more.
Nor is it an interestesing or even aesthetically pleasing building, elevator architecture in electric blue is a bit of contrast to the green and browns of the landscape but do make it easy to find. Still the views are impressive and at only 2 soles about US$0.60 its hardly a bank breaker.
Museum Avenida 2 de Mayo
Moving back into town is the Museum on Avenida 2 de Mayo. Two words best describe this eclectic although the emphasis on wildlife photography was a fresh take and low key. Still its free and shaded and on the days when it rains that counts.
Plaza de Armas, shade, ice-cream and flopping out
The Plaza de Armas is the town’s centre and quite a nice one it is. In one corner is a Church – a rather good example of modern architecture but the plaza is its bit of a star in its own right. Large and symmetrical as they all tend to be it has a fine collection of big trees which provide a great deal of shade.
With Peruvian ice-cream sellers never very far it’s a nice place to flop-out and watch the people.
Dessicated Piranhas
Whilst this might not appeal to some there are a number of decent cafes and bars (as well as some rather dodgy looking ones) fronting onto the square so there are options for food and drink and a spot of souvenir shopping. Especially if your taste runs to dessicated piranhas but more normal tastes such as T-shirts and fridge magnets are catered to.
The colour of Puerto Maldonado comes from the river port just north of the Plaza.
The Great Milky-Coffee Coloured River
As ports go its pretty small but it’s a key link in getting people, bikes, cars and lorries across the Madre de Dios River – a great milky-coffee coloured thing which it is an experience to cross.
Firstly there is this clumsy ballet of loading cars onto small ferries, then the drama of going counter to the current and the elegant glide across before landing at the other side and srambling onto land ahead of the cars.
When the bridge is finally built and you can see pylons for it in the river it might be quicker by about twenty minutes but some of the character and colour of this small town will probably go too.
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