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City in Ucayali, Peru
Photo: Klaus Schönitzer (my father, MichaelSchoenitzer (talk)), CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Pucallpa is a city in the Peruvian Amazon on the banks of the Ucayali River, a major tributary of the Amazon River. It's an excellent base for visits to Lake Yarinacocha.
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There is a recreation center about 25 km (15 miles) from Pucallpa. At this center is a restaurant, a pool, and several waterslides. This is a relaxing way to spend a day, and the food won't break the bank. If you travel here when the weather is warm (as it often is) you may find that an ice cream from the stand there hits the spot.
Pucallpa's zoo is called the 'Parque Natural'. The tour operators will try to sell you a trip to the zoo with a trip to Lake Yarinachocha, but this is not necessary. Ask any motocarro operator and they will take you there. You can also take the bus from near the Plaza de Armas. Do not expect to see animals in enclosures like North American zoos. The animals are in small cages and in many cases, you can get quite close to the big cats with only a fence between you. You will be able to pet or feed some of the animals (please fruit only) and see animals you will not be able to see in the jungle. Make sure you see the historical part of the zoo as well.
There is also another park on the other side of the river where you can have your photo taken with an Anaconda. They have a giant swing and you can hand feed Toucans and eat (!) crocodile.
There are two beaches on the Yarinacocha lake, with a muddy, dirty sand beach and basic food & drink stalls. One being a 30-min walk east from Yarinacocha, the other one a short boat ride from Yarinacocha (S/2).
Their specialty is Pollo a la Braza, a Peruvian favorite. For US$3 you can get a quarter chicken with french fries, and the food is excellent. Their frozen lemonade is also quite tasty. For the cost of round trip motocarro fare from the plaza to your location, they will deliver to you.
A seafood place only open for lunch (12:00-17:00). It serves imaginative dishes with seafood that is as fresh as can be gotten in Pucallpa. Their chef had culinary training in Lima, and it shows. The biggest downside about Mijanos is that it is quite pricey by Pucallpa standards (nearly US$30 for two people, including a shared appetizer and 2 beverages).
This vegetarian restaurant serves clean set meals, breakfast and have muesli and other vegetarian products for sale.
Although there are other good pizza restaurants in town this one is the best wood-oven pizza.
Friendly place for a fruit juice, breakfast and real coffee.
Considered by some as the best seafood restaurant in the Amazonas, this floating restaurant serves a variety of local fish.
A hidden gem, a block off the plaza, they sell a wide selection of barbecued meats, and the quality and price is excellent.
Grotty dark singles.
Decent rooms with and without airconditioning. Wi-Fi and small breakfast included. New towels and sheets every day.
Large but slightly broken rooms in a concrete building with private bathrooms in a garden setting
Has WiFi and a pool.
By boat
It's possible to travel by boat upstream from Iquitos on the Rio Ucayali all year round. It's also possible to come downstream from Atalaya on Rio Ucayali.
By bus
Buses from Lima take about 18 hours or more (about S/100; "Transmar", "Movil Tours" and other companies).
By car
The road past Huanuco is very foggy at times, with little visibility.
Mototaxis are motor-tricycle taxis that are the standard mode of transportation for Pucallpa.
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Pucallpa · International · PCL
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