Leticia

A small Colombian riverside town on the Amazon River serving as the northernmost gateway to the Peruvian Amazon and home to excellent museums about indigenous culture. It provides access to jungle lodges and the Three Frontiers location.

Things to do

• Museo Etnográfico del Territorio Isana — This museum showcases indigenous artifacts, traditional crafts, and ethnographic exhibits from the Amazonian peoples of the tri-border region.
• Three Frontiers Viewpoint — Visit the iconic marker where Peru, Colombia, and Brazil meet on the Amazon River, accessible by boat from the main waterfront.
• Parque Mundo Amazónico — This ecological park features native wildlife including pink river dolphins, anacondas, and caimans in semi-natural habitats with guided tours.
• Jungle lodge excursions — Multi-day trips into the rainforest from Leticia offer canopy walks, wildlife spotting, and visits to indigenous communities deep in the Amazon.
• Riverfront walks along the Malecón — Stroll the waterfront promenade at dawn or sunset to observe river traffic, spot pink dolphins, and experience the town's daily rhythm.
• Museo de los Niños — An interactive museum dedicated to Amazonian natural history and indigenous culture with displays about local ecosystems and peoples.

Food to try

• Tacacá — A tangy soup made with cassava broth, dried shrimp, and jambu leaves, served hot as a traditional Amazonian street food that tingles the mouth.
• Pirarucu à escabeche — Large Amazonian fish preserved in a vinegar-based sauce with onions and peppers, reflecting Portuguese-Brazilian culinary influences.
• Ceviche de tucunaré — Fresh river fish ceviche made with local tucunaré fish, citrus, onions, and served with cassava root, representing Amazonian coastal technique.
• Açaí na tigela — The iconic Amazonian superfood bowl made from native açaí berries blended with guaraná and topped with granola and fresh fruit.
• Pastel de camarão — Fried pastry pockets filled with fresh river shrimp, a popular riverside snack sold by street vendors along the waterfront.

Local customs & good to know

• Respect indigenous territories — When visiting jungle lodges or indigenous communities, always ask permission before photographing people or entering sacred spaces, and support locally-owned tourism initiatives.
• Learn basic Spanish and Portuguese — Leticia is trilingual with Spanish, Portuguese, and indigenous languages spoken; knowing phrases in both Spanish and Portuguese greatly enhances interactions.
• Dress for humidity and insects — The Amazonian climate is hot, humid, and insect-prone year-round; wear lightweight breathable clothes, long sleeves at dusk, and insect repellent.
• Currency and payment variations — While Peru uses soles, USD and Brazilian reals are widely accepted in Leticia due to its border location; carry multiple currencies for flexibility.