Leticia is a jungle town set deep within the Amazon rainforest. There are no roads in and out but you can get direct flights from Colombia’s capital. It is a great place for unique, magical, memorable experiences and an amazing trip.
It can be hot, humid and uncomfortable but in my opinion it is well worth a visit.
I have lived in Colombia for over 15 years and I visited Leticia with my mum when she came to visit. In this article I will give my personal opinion and share some tips to make the most of your visit.
Exploring Leticia
It is a town of around 50,000 people set within the Amazon jungle on the tri-border with Brazil and Peru. It was founded in 1867 by a Peruvian military leader called Benigno Bustamante and was first named San Antonio.
It was initially a Peruvian settlement and an engineer renamed the small town in dedication of the woman he loved, Leticia Smith. The name stuck and was retained when the settlement became part of Colombia in 1922.
You can easily walk from end to end plus cross the international border into the Brazilian town of Tabatinga without presenting any paperwork. There is no passport stamp needed unless you stay the night because the two adjoined towns are so isolated with no road links. The only indication is a change from Portuguese to Spanish with the signs and names of stores.
When I crossed the border we went into a store where the owner said they wouldn’t want to live 10 minutes down the road because they are proud Brazilians. That is despite the fact that they would pay less tax if their business was at the other end of the street.
You can very easily walk around but there are also tuk-tuks available for a few dollars. The town is generally very safe and, although a little rough around the edges, fairly well maintained and pleasant. The central square dominates with the unusually shaped Catedral de Nuestra Señora de La Paz (Cathedral of our Lady of Peace) standing high above the open space.
You can enter the church and pay a small fee to climb to the top of the tower which is a great spot to enjoy the sunset and the unique natural phenomenon which occurs daily. Thousands of small parakeets return to Parque Santander every night to roost. Before settling into the trees they sing and fly at low altitude around the park. This begins at sunset and can continue for a couple of hours.
It is an amazing spectacle with the sky filled with what looks like a swarm of insects closely above your head. I have never seen anything like it and enthusiastic bird spotters will have their minds blown by this averian overload.
Food options aren’t amazing in Leticia, given its small size, but you can find some interesting options. Amazonian food is a unique experience while Peru is celebrated for its amazing food culture.
Tierras Amazonicas in Leticia has classic Amazonian food from Colombia, Peru and Brazil such as mojojoy worm and pirarucu fish, which is very typical of the region. El Nativo on the Colombian side has good ceviche, as does Brisas del Amazonas across Peru. Typical offerings will be fish and grilled meats with a bit of an international twist.
You can get grilled Brazilian meats, Colombian arepas, Peruvian ceviche and Amazonian worms all on one plate. The food is fine but I think as tourism grows there is the potential for some world club cuisine here which hasn’t yet been realized.
Encounters with Nature
The Amazon region has an estimated 40,000 plant species which all compete for space and sunlight. Around a third of plant species are known as epiphytes because they have adapted to grow on top of other plants and trees. This all combines to overwhelm the senses with a sea of dense, varied green all around.
Around Leticia there are around 195 species of mammals with bats making up almost half of this number. You will also find 2 species of dolphin, 16 species of monkeys plus rodents, opossums, wild pigs, anteaters, sloths and the elusive jaguar.
There are 430 amphibian species including the brightly colored poison arrow frog. There are 1,100 bird species close to Leticia including parrots, hummingbirds and hawks. You can find pirarucu, the largest scaled fish in the world, amongst the 3,000 fish species identified and there are over 130,000 species of insects.
Cultural Interactions
Leticia offers a very unique cultural experience. Of Colombia’s 102 native tribes, 64 live in the Amazon with the Tikuna people the largest. The people in and around Leticia combine 3 different national identities plus the rich, varied, storied cultures of the indigenous populations.
It is possible to visit and stay with indigenous communities along the Amazon river. You should arrange with a local guide, ideally from the tribe. It can be more difficult to find English speakers for these types of experiences.
You can stay in traditional lodgings and learn about the culture of the Tikuna people at San Martin de Amacayacu. Macedonia is 90 minutes from Leticia with a combination of Tikuna, Cocama and Yaga tribal influences. Macedonia is a destination that can be included as part of a package, they are used to welcoming visitors and they offer handmade products for sale.
You could also visit Aracuari which is deeper into the Amazon on a 5 hour boat ride or Santa Sofia which is only 1 hour from Leticia but with not too many tourists.
Mundo Amazonico ecological park also offers an introduction to Amazonian botany and culture. They have groups of up to 10 people with a native guide and the option of English translation available. You can sip on Amazonian tea, go bird watching, hike the rainforest and enjoy local food which includes piranha fish.
You can also visit the Museo Etnográfico close to Parque Santander in the town which has artifacts, video and books about the region and culture. Signs and much of the information is available in English. This can be a nice educational experience to inform the time you spend in the region.
Day Trips and Excursions
There are many options available to experience the nature of the region. Exploring the rivers and jungles surrounding Leticia is what has made it an increasingly popular destination with an incredible amount of unique nature to observe.
The region has the largest aquatic flowers in the world known as victoria regia or Amazonica. They are large, green and circular which look like giant water lilies. They are quite impressive and can reportedly support the weight of a teenager. They look as though you could run across them to get across the river but that is probably just the influence of cartoons.
You can see the unique plants at the Reserva Natural Victoria Regia which is 15 minutes by boat or 3 hours walking from Leticia.
You can go on a bit of a jungle adventure at Tanimboca nature reserve. They have zip-lining, tree climbing and kayaking available plus the chance to explore the jungle with a guide. It is 11 km from Leticia and around 30 minutes by tuk-tuk.
Puerto Nariño is 2 hours from Leticia by boat with trips leaving 3 times a day with the last before 2pm. The cost should be less than US$10 in total. There are no motorized vehicles in Puerto Nariño so it is relaxed and peaceful. Also no ATMs so make sure you have cash.
From Puerto Nariño you can visit Amacayacu National Park and Lake Tarpoto where you can find the endangered pink dolphins. Local legend has it that the Gods became jealous of a particularly handsome young warrior and they turned him into a pink dolphin. Apparently, despite now being basically a big fish, the warrior is still a great dancer and irresistible to women.
If you visit these rare, impressive creatures then keep an eye on your wife just in case she dives out of the boat when one of those finned flirts decides to swing those alluring fishy hips. I am not sure if dolphins have hips but regardless it is a great afternoon excursion.
Parque Nacional Natural Amacayacu has over 400 species of birtds and 150 species of mammals including jaguars, pink dolphins and the tamarin, the world’s smallest primate.
Finally, Isla de los Micos (monkey island) is also very popular with tourists. A guide will hand you some fruit and dozens of monkeys will come over. They are very used to the visitors and climb all over you.
Challenges of Traveling in Leticia
Don’t plan to have an internet connection for most of your time in and around Leticia. You can occasionally pick up data and there is wifi but it very barely works. I had to print my boarding pass for a flight so I went to the internet cafe. It took literally 30 minutes to open and load the PDF.
We are talking about the late 90s internet speeds in Leticia.
I would definitely recommend bringing mosquito spray when out and about in the region. It may be because I was prepared, but I didn’t find it particularly bad. Yellow fever vaccine is recommended but not mandatory for travel.
Leticia is hot, wet and humid all year. Temperatures are almost always close to 30 °C and even the driest months, June to September, will have a fair amount of rain. Expect to be wet and sticky, although I didn’t find it particularly uncomfortable.
Finding a Hotel/Hostel in Leticia
My mum booked 2 places for our trip to Leticia. The first place we stayed was Waira Suites in the middle of the town which was perfectly comfortable with a nice pool and a good restaurant. The price was very reasonable and we were very impressed.
The second place we stayed was in a treehouse high up in the canopy of the jungle. We walked 20 minutes from the reception to the tree where we would be staying. There was a high staircase and we entered through the floor. There was a toilet and a light with everything sealed to keep snakes and insects out. They brought some cooked over later in the evening.
We watched a film on my mum’s ipad and then tried to sleep. We could hear what sounded like thousands of animals arguing from when the sun rose until the sun rose. It was an amazing experience but we did choose to check out early and head back to the Waira.
It was an amazing place to go but it turns out the jungle is quite loud and boring. For the first night it was really cool but we didn’t fancy sitting around in a small sweaty wooden box waiting for the sun to go down again so we could try and fail to sleep. I am fully aware that this is our fault for being spoiled with short attention spans.
Leticia has decent 3 or 4 star level hotels and it has options out into the jungle to get a real Amazon experience. I preferred the latter but maybe you are braver and tougher than me.
Practical Tips for Travelers
As mentioned, yellow fever vaccines are recommended and try to avoid too many mosquito bites. Bring a change of clothes but also be prepared for your clothes to get sweaty and damp very quickly. You can try to stay fresh with a thin waterproof layer or just accept the inevitable.
I would recommend waterproof shoes, boots or footwear you don’t mind getting dirty too as there is a lot of mud everywhere outside the town. You won’t need to bring particularly fancy clothes, even the nicest restaurants are quite casual.
Buy bottled water to drink as the tap water isn’t great. There are many areas of Colombia where you will be fine but Leticia is not one of them. Also, remember to have cash as many places don’t take cards and there are few ATMs.
Conclusion
I really enjoyed my visit to Leticia. I have been to towns and cities all over Colombia but this trip felt very unique and special.
I played football with locals in a square filled with thousands of parrots flying overhead. We visited 3 countries in a single day and I saw plants and animals I have never seen before and may never see again. It really felt that I was on a jungle adventure with my mum.
We have been to places that were more comfortable but this trip gave true lasting memories that we still speak about and share.