Nuevo Rocafuerte
Nuevo Rocafuerte is in Amazonian Ecuador.
Understand
editNuevo Rocafuerte is a shabby and dull frontier townlet next to the border with Peru and accessible only by a long boat trip along the Rio Napo. Yet, all these unappealing features make it a perfect place to get deep into the nearly unspoiled Amazonian jungle. A visit to the very near Parque Nacional Yasuni allows you to have a look on one of the last larger areas of the primary Amazonian rainforest. While there may be issues with rivers contamination by still rather modest oil drilling in Ecuador (and that have not reached so far from "civilization" yet), there are still no traces of logging for exotic wood so typical else in the rainforests of the world. If you want to glimpse the Amazonian rainforest as it was, Nuevo Rocafuerte is the place to go - and better do not wait too much as it may not last long even there, in this world madly rushing to spend all its vital resources.
Get in
editYou can get in and out from Coca by daily speedboat ($18.75) or by privately hired boat from Pantoja ($10-25 depending on bargaining and availability).
There is a daily speed-boat service between Coca and Nuevo Rocafuerte in both directions along the Rio Napo taking about 8 hours in a covered 60-passenger "canoe"; the boat stops for lunch about half way at Panacocha and makes short stops anywhere along the way on passenger request; it is leaving from Coca at about 07:30 and from Nuevo Rocafuerte at about 06:00. Some days of the week (information differs which) there is another faster speed-boat service along the same routes - it is the same kind of boat but it makes no stops along its way; this boat leaves in somewhat later hours than the usual slower boat.
Get around
editWalk everything is reachable in a few minutes.
See
editYasuni National Park is close. To visit the Yasuni NP you are required to be accompanied by a guide. In fact, as it is typical in the rainforest there are no long distance trails to get you away from modern settlements and you are restricted to travel along the rivers - thus, without a guide with a boat you will have no chance to get there anyway. There are two licensed guides available for hire at Nuevo Rocafuerte who could take you to the PN Yasuni there. You must enter the PN along the Rio Yasuni flowing right by the office of the Guardaparque, where your guide has to report your visit, so without a licensed guide you will likely run into troubles.
Contact local guide form some daily/multiday tour in the park and Indigenous Community (cheaper than Coca). All in all, there are 4 guides in Nuevo Rocafuerte, none of them speaks English. Prices are about $60-100 per person per day.
Do
editTake a bath in the river, take care its quite fast flowing.
Arrange your passage to Peru. Get passport stamped, which can take some time, as the office is not always attended. In case you wait till the official working hours of the office are over and they want you to come back tomorrow insist on it. Otherwise, there is also the possibility to get the passport stamped in Coca.
Buy
editThere is few shops near the boat piers with general goods including food )the biggest one in the Hostal Yurag Wasi) and also a bakery.
Eat
editThere are several small eateries near the boat piers where you can get usual rice-and-chicken (or possibly -fish) meal; you may even be able to arrange a vegetarian meal of rice and platanos.
Drink
editSleep
editThere are two hotels about 100 m from the boat piers. The best is the Hostal Yurag Wasi with a bright and clean air-conditioned single/double room for $12/25 per night (air condition comes really handy in the local rather hot and humid climate). The other hotel, Hostal Chimborazo, was offering rather dark double room with a fan only for $24 per night.
If you take the fast boat in the morning you can ask the captain if you can put your hammock up or sleep on the benches.
Connect
editNo Internet cafes around but in one street there is a card phone hanging. Wifi is available in the hotels.