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#12 & #14 I don't even know what you are arguing about, I'm not against any one, I'm just pro-logic, uniqueness of Amazon from perspective of someone living in Colombia is like uniqueness of Irish Pub for a Dublin dweller. EOT for me.


I hope you did go to national park, "Leticia" is just for reference like Rurrenabaque. To see the jungle you have to go deep. I personally prefer Madidi as well.

So what makes it dangerous again?

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#15

So what makes Galapagos unique then?? I can think of many islands of volcanic origin and with endemic animal species. And some of the so-called Galapagos "endemics" you will also find on Ecuadors Isla de la Plata or Costa Rica´s Cocos Island

Also, only a tiny percentage of people living and travelling in Colombia actually visits the Amazon region there. OP didn´t mention that he has been to the Amazon before, be it in Colombia or elsewhere. That´s why I was suggesting the Amazon as what I (not you!) would chose if I had only 7-10 days in Ecuador.

You´re Irish Pub analogy is one of the most stupid things I have ever read on TT. You find Irish Pubs all over Dublin and Ireland. Everyone in Ireland has been to an Irish Pub.
The Amazon, however, is one particular area of Colombia. And a lot of people in Colombia, be it locals or travellers, have never been there.
Likewise (and using your Ireland analogy), not everybody in Ireland knows the Giant´s Causeway which i find is quite unique and special. And if anyone asks me what particular and unique place he should visit in Ireland, I would rather answer "Giant´s Causeway" than "Irish Pub".

But I would still recommend visiting an Irish Pub at least once to somebody travelling in Ireland, although you can find “Irish” Pubs anywhere in the world. But in Ireland they are just a bit better.
And although you can find Amazon rainforest in several countries, also in Colombia, some places in Ecuador are just a bit better.

“I hope you did go to national park, "Leticia" is just for reference like Rurrenabaque”.

I studied tropical ecology and know by now that in order to see the rainforest and some wildlife, you have to leave the town where your plane has landed. I visited Amacayacu NP for several days and also crossed over to the Brazilian side to check out the area there, and - as I wrote earlier – found it disappointing compared to other Amazon NPs that I visited. Don´t get me wrong – it´s pretty and some wildlife can be seen, but it´s nowhere near e.g. Yasuni in Ecuador.

“So what makes it dangerous again?”

That certainly beats your Irish Pub analogy in stupidity.
Well, I explain anyway: Once you do a bit more travelling in SA and the whole world, you will realize that border areas are prone to drug trafficking and all sorts of trafficking, be it contraband, people, weapons, you name it – especially the when those borders are a bit remote and vast and therefore hard to control by authorities, and especially when they are between countries whose GDP per capita differs quite remarkably. The border in Leticia/Tabatinga/Santa Rosa is no exception. You will also experience that borders attract all sorts of tourist crime, especially when the border crossings are the only way to get from one country to another within a few hundred miles and every single tourist has to go through that bottleneck – just like the border in Leticia/Tabatinga/Santa Rosa.

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Read Darwin "Evolution of the species" again and start thinking.

Thank you for the lecture on Irish Pubs, no comments.

Border issue:

Tri-border is actually one of the safest places in Colombian Amazon, for the reasons you states yourself, it has big military presence. Pacific side is dangerous, so try not be such a smart ass amigo.

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I didn´t know that evolution only happens on the Galapagos Islands. If that case they are truly unique.

Neither did I know that Darwin only visited the Galapagos Islands on his 5-year voyage on the Beagle, and that only his observations on Galapagos lead him to his famous theory of evolution.
I always thought that he only spent a couple of weeks there and that he mentions the islands only a couple of times in his books, along the many other places he visited. But again, if I am wrong, then they are truly special.

Darwin´s famous book is actually called "On the Origin of Species". But I agree, everybody should read it at least once in his life. You, too!

So what other places in the Colombian Amazon have you been to make that judgment which ones are the safest?
I hope you know that the pacific side of Colombia is not part of the Amazon?
Anyway, Pacific side = dangerous and Amazon = safe is another bit of misleading information from your side.

I might be a smart ass, but at least I know my stuff. People who don´t aren´t always happy with that. No offence, amigo.

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Thank you all for your ideas and opinions, I highly value each one of them and I am truly sorry that the thread generated some animosity amongst certain posters. As it stands now, I think that we will focus on an Andean experience ... the Quilotoa Loop and Banos, before heading to Peru. You never know though, at the rate we're going, we may not make it to Peru at all. jgcp, can I PM you to benefit from your logistics experience on the Loop?

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#10 I have really better stuff to do ('life') than little internet wars with you. You manipulate my statements to show off. so be it. I'm out.
BTW Your right on the title, but not really on the essence.

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lol...I wonder what better stuff someone has to do and how his "life" looks like, when he finds the time to post over 700 times in one single internet forum over the last 4 months...

Anyway, let´s leave it there. I am not interested in "internet wars" either. And I have better stuff to do as well - like studying the essence of Darwin´s book again, since I got that wrong apparently...

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P.S... We have not yet been to the Amazon, but we do intend to get there eventually when we have more time to not have to rush through it. Thanks again all.

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I did the Loop by 4WD with Ecuadorian friends on a Thursday starting early in the morning and returning late at night. We visited the market both town and animal one during the morning and after an early lunch drove to Laguna Quilitoa where we spent a couple of hours and visited the other towns/villages on the way there and back. I must say this was more convenient than trying to organise bus trips but missed out on more interaction with the locals I suppose although we did interact with them during our various stopovers.

The Saquisili markets has vendors from Otavalo who come there and sell the same stuff you find at Otavalo so you won't be missing out on those wares if you want to buy stuff. There are also two markets not far from each other in Quito itself that sell the same stuff.

The Quilitoa crater is breathtaking - in more ways than one so we didn't go all the way to the bottom and coming back up the part we did go town was exhausting work for me at least as I guess I wasn't yet fully acclimatised to the altitude at that stage but the views are really worth it. If you go make sure you wear lots of clothes that keep you warm as it is very cold there - even the locals were well rugged up.

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#22

Well, depending if you ever make it to Peru ;-) , but a good option to see parts of the Amazon is the southeastern corner of Peru, since you probably going to Cuzco anyway. Cuzco is the gateway to Manu NP, one of the most diverse and pristine parts of Amazon rainforest that is left. Or you go from Cuzco to Puerto Maldonado (there is daily flights there and a new paved road with regular bus service) and vist the nearby National Reserve Tambopata (still quite diverse and pristine, but you have to go as far away from the town as possible). Tambopata is also an excellent area to see firsthand about the destruction of Amazon rainforest through goldmining, logging, cattle grazing, oil palm plantations, etc. Not pretty, but after all, it´s a reality that one should experience when visiting the Amazon.

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my two cents worth on Quilotoa. I did the loop with some friends back in August. We also had our private transport, which makes it really easy. Using public transport and the milk truck (as described in some guide books) is also possible, but requires a bit of planning. Hitchhiking is possible, too, but you may have to wait a bit for the next lift.
The lake truly is stunning, with water color changing constantly depending from which angle you look at it. But as jgcp writes, it can get very cold up there. And I heard, sometimes it is so cloudy that you don´t even see the lake from the crater rim. Since you made your choice (a very tough one indeed), I certainly won´t try to talk you out of it. But if you see once you get to the area, that the weather is turning really nasty, I would rather add a few more days in Baños.

Back then, we stayed in Chugchillan, which is probably the most convenient place to stay in the area in terms of altitude, proximity to the lake, and hiking trail options. There are three hostels there: The famous Black Sheep Inn, the friendly looking Mama Hilda´s, and the cheapest of the three, but still very good Cloud Forest Hostel (where we stayed, definitely recommend that one).

The Thursday market in Saquisili is worthwhile, the whole towns turns into one single market place. But like at any other market, things can get a bit repetitive after a while. So if you are a bit "rushed" anyway on your Ecuador part of the trip, a few hours in Saquisili should be enough. If you are lucky and have good weather, rather spend a bit more time hiking there, they really have one of the most gorgeous mountain sceneries in the whole of Ecuador there.

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I would say Canoa. I am currently living here. Warm climate and beautiful beaches. It draws an array of people. I am glad we chose this costal town.