Iquitos

[Jimbox]

My advice to everybody is never, exchange your money in the streets -- NEVER!. They will offer you a high exchange rate but they will rip you off when givin you the money (don't ask me how they do it). If you have to exchange your money in the streets look for the people how have their ID cards and always pick a women over a men.

[VoodooMan]

just recently spent 4 days in iquitos, stayed at the victoria regia. nice hotel. rented a enduro motorcycle, and toured the city on bike, which was a lot of fun, only kept it for oneday. overall as far as the women in iquitos, i didn't see many good looking ones walking around. my friend spent a few days with an 18yo who was decent looking, but as far as pretty girls, i think lima is much better. i walked around malecon and plaza de armas and realized it is true that the women are definitely very aggressive. they just come right up to you, almost in competition with each other. i had a few ask me to take them back to my hotel, but they weren’t my type. i took a tour of the amazon on a speed boat, that was pretty awesome. we went to club bananas on saturday night, it was a pretty cool place, but really no stunners there, i met a cute brazilian girl outside the club, and she agreed to come back to my hotel, i enjoyed her company, she stayed with me for the remainder of my stay.

vdm

[Screwed Up]

I rented motorcycles too in Iquitos. The scooter variant was about 6 sl/ hour. The big motocross one was about 30 sl, so I heard. It´s the best way to go if you want to explore all neighbourhoods. I was with my younger cousin, so didn´t partake in picking up chicks with my moto. But next time in Iquitos I sure will.
If you rent by the day you should get a significant reduction. You can also cut costs by turning it back in when you go to sleep. The guy I was renting from told me I could wake him up at anytime if I wanted to rent.

[Gauguin]

Yes, VM, you can rent motorcycles in Iquitos. I did not because I ended up too busy to try this, however, there are several places that will rent to you.
But, the bikes are brand spanking new. They are advertized in front of the shop for 30sl per hour, or about $10. I am sure that you can go lower. Ask any Moto-taxi driver and I am sure that they can take you there.

This caused me to worry a little in that the bikes looked so gorgeous, Were they theft bait? I actually carry 8 foot of chain everywhere I travel to lock up bags and what not. I could have used this on the bike, but if I was off wandering in the jungle, as is my wont, habit and desire, I would think that it would still be fairly vunerable, but maybe not.

I'm not trying to be paranoid on this, but I did want to let you know my thinking. I would suggest that you take something that would allow you to lock up a bike frame, (but also maybe the rental place gives you something), to a tree, especially if you are traveling alone, as I was. This doesn't have to be heavy gage or anything, just something to give the first level of security.
Or, those were my thoughts.

Let us know how it goes.

Best Wishes,

Gauguin

[VoodooMan]

hey guys,

very informative report on iquitos gauguin, and screwed up. i just booked my flight on lan airline for next weekend. $170 rt, i thought that was a reasonable price. i will be visiting for 4 days (fri-tues).

i am thinking of booking a room at the victoria regina hotel. this sounds like the better hotel of all your choices and does have high-speed internet which is a big plus for me. do any of you guys know if i can rent a motorcycle in iquitos? i was hoping to check out the city on motorcycle.

gracias!

[Lima Busy]

Gauguin,
Good report. Just so you know you only paid Priss $30.50 which means you could have had another 1/4 chicken over at Pollon! I will be interested in reading more about this city. Before your next trip talk to Dandaman our resident monger expert on Iquitos, but I guess you know that by now!

Salud,
LB

[Gauguin]

I wrote this elsewhere for for someone leaveing for Iquitos in a couple of weeks. This is not necessarily what I intened to write for here, but as I look at it, I think that it would be helpful to others also.

If I am sometimes on the Edge, "X" is seemingly always well off the cliff face. Mr X has adventures that scare the crap out of me.

Equally important, "X" helped me greatly when I needed a quick ticket to Colombia earlier this year. He trusted me to send him a check for the ticket, which I did of course, but he had never spoken to or met me...anywhere at any time. So I am indebted to "X,"...and if he needs something now, I will do what I can to help him. Off to Iquitos???? You must be mad...lol

Essential Information:

1. You can fly Lima/Iquitos on TANS for about $75 each way. Of course, it was TANS that crashed on the Iquitos run last month. TANS is apparently owned by the Peruvian Military but many ex-pats fly TANS for the savings.

I flew LAN at the suggestion of Surfer. I was very happy with my LAN flight, but, since I ticketed only an hour before my flight, I ended up with an unrestricted ticket costing about $105, one way, $210 total. With a little planning LAN Iquitos flights can be had as cheaply as $175 round trip.

2. A MotoTaxti from the Airport to Downtown should cost 5/6Sl...8 if you feel generous, but it is a fairly long trip so don’t worry if it seems to be taking a while. (And don’t be shocked...Iquitos is a shit hole but you’ll be okay)

3. I was very happy at the Victoria Regina Hotel. Stated Rate is 175Sl per night, ($53), I offered 120sl which was immediately accepted. It was late, It was dark, I was desperate, I was tired...I think that they would accept 100sl

4. Hotel Real right down on the Malecon will give you an air-con single for as little as 24sl ($8), though there is a posted, non-bath room for 16sl...bath down the hall.

4. Hotel Europa is 66sl, ($20) but you might be able to negotiate lower. Damned if I know...but this over time came to trouble me...everything was negotiable, you never knew what anything was supposed to really cost.

5. Hotel Amazon, right across from the Plaza de Armas is okay and similarly priced.

6. I did spend a night in Hotel Anaconda...70sl...but they knew I was rich and I was tired of bargaining over .66 cents. Nice place, nice people, good breakfast on the upstairs roof, great view of the city...some working girls in the lobby, not bad looking but I was leaving by then. (No Hot Water).

7. You can call the US from El Cyber Café that is right across from the Plaza de Armas for .10cents a minute...it was fabulous in that other places were charging $1.00 per minute. I made lots of business calls and also called my brother just for the fuck of it...cost me $3.20...and I laughed.

8. Good dinner can be had at Pollon on the Plaza for 7.5sl (($2.50)...a good quarter chicken, fries, salad. The waitresses in the nicer, brighter restaurant almost next door on the corner can be had with a little work

9. I walked the city freely as late as 3am...but not Belen after dark, or even alone...you must have protection in Belen...always, really, trust me on this. I’d say especially lower Belen, along the river, but I don’t want to give you a false sense of security. Have a native friend with you if you enter Belen.

10. I never cracked the city. I was king of Lima, even with no Language Skill, but I never beat Iquitos. Maybe it was because I didn’t do any advance research. I never even was able to get a local map despite asking everywhere, I had no travel book on the area.

The touts and the begging kids and the heat and the constant negotiation for everything! Eventually wore me down.

It seemed that young pretty women were available...not for pay necessarily, but for presents and love, all along the Malecon, or river front walk in the early evening...I did not partake.

Of course, in my 5 brief days on the ground. I did get situated, I got laid 4 times, did Belen, spent a half a day on the river, (nice big, 200hp private boat, they want $100 per half day...I paid $50), and made it up towards Omaguas, but not as far as Nauta by motorcycle. I did not get down river to Mazan or Fransciso de Orellando. However, I did meet twice, and thought about sleeping with a Belgian girl, but she came back from this exact journey, really, really covered in nasty bites of some kind! Take lots of Deet with you if you make this trip.

My primary regret is that. I never got the river really knocked. I wasn’t ready for it. I was busy doing other things. My bad.

Next time!

Oh yeah, I paid Priss 100sl per night. I can afford $33 for someone that looks like her. She wanted 200sl, I just walked away, but she chased after and the deal was struck.I also paid as little as 20sl and that's about what it was worth. I think that 100sl is just about right, high, yes, but not really out of bounds for someone you really want.

With Affection,

Gauguin

[Member #3407]

Gauguin,

How are the Jungle Cuties working out?

It would be good to have a report on the Chicas of Iquitos by a jungle expert like yourself.

Did you ever make it to the highway to Nauta with your motorcycle?

Please let us all know how you enjoyed your trip to the jungle.

[Gauguin]

The one on the left in the last picture Laredo posted is gorgeous. Even though Iquitos is FAR from the surf, I am SO there.

I just finished canceling my last appointment for the period in question. I'm good, look to Thursday afternoon to finalize and purchase tickets if possible.

As you know, I am much more the expert on the other end of the Amazon, having been to Belem` three times and Manaus once. The jungle, the jungle, the fecund matta, the gorgeous green that stretches forever, and whatever one might find therein.

Sounds good to me.

Gauguin

[Laredo]

Chicas from Iquitos by an Amazon beach.

[Laredo]

Chica from Iquitos.

[Screwed Up]

Damn, Nibu. I wished I had known before. I was in Iquitos again a few weeks ago.
I visited Belen again, but didn´t see any riverboat brothels. When are their opening hours? And what year is Micheal Palin´s report from? I´ll check on my next visit. Thx.

I didn´t go to Iquitos through Leticia. I had no time and on top of that direct Avianca flights from Bogota to Lima were cheaper then Bogota-Leticia flights. Didn´t feel like mongering in Bogota either. It was cold and I had work to do.

The black Colombian girl I boned last time is still in Iquitos. I asked the waiter of the yellow rose of Texas (24hr Texas restaurant) to give her my number when she passed by. As usual she came in at around 3AM and she called me and send me cell phone messages from 3 to 8 AM (I was sleeping). She has some issues though. Although the sex was still awesome, she just talks too much. Especially jealousy bullshit, about me hanging and fucking with other girls. After that long first night of constant bullshit, sex, no sex, jealousy,... I didn´t call her again. Funny note, she send me a message to apologize for her behavour the day after and promised it wouldn´t happen again.
However I was with family in Iquitos so I didn´t have time anymore. Two weeks later she called me and messaged me why the fuck I left her like that, she prolly thought I was still in Iquitos.

Iquitos seems to have a surprise for me every single time though. I met a 29yo chick who had been living in Paris for 8 yrs. So she wasn´t like your average loreteña, no first date sex (second date). And damn she paid her own meals and own cabs, plus she had awesome skills. She never had kids and her body was flawless. She was the oldest girl I ever had in my life (previous was 26yo). An intelligent girl that has travelled a lot and knows what she´s talking about. Probably one of the smartest chicks I was ever with. I truly enjoyed every minute we spend together.
She´s still married though and hasn´t made up her mind yet whether she´ll divorce or not. I didn´t ask any further questions.

I also checked out strip clubs Africa and another one I can´t remember the name off. It´s supposed to be the best in Iquitos. Entrance fee comes with a free drink. Anyway, stay away. The girls are overpriced and the shows aren´t anything special either. Free girls it´s where it´s at in Iquitos.

Try open air disco Explosion or tourist disco Noa Noa (3 blocks from Plaza de Armas). Perutops reports state that some chicks at Explosion will ask for a little financial compensation (20-30 soles) after staying wiith you.

Mototaxi´s all over centrum Iquitos are 1.5 soles. Explosion one way is about 2 or 2.5 soles.

[Screwed Up]

I forgot to mention I also went twice to club "Bananas".

20 soles entrance fee and it comes with a free drink.

I always asked for a can of cold mineral water. I don´t like beer.

There was no show, so I asked the door guy to have a chick up and stripping.

20 min. later a chubby chick was dancing and stripping. I didn´t like her body, but she sure knew how to move it.

When she´s butt naked she´ll go in the public grinding her ass on some guys and you can touch and lick her boobs if you want.

You can ask as many girls as you want to come sit with you and drink.

20 soles per can of beer. Have them dance in front of you or with each other while you touch their ass. No need to dance yourself. It´s pretty hot inside, no AC? I asked them to have the DJ play reggeaton (perreo) and I was sitting down, sipping my drink and slapping their ass while they were shaking it bend over.

They asked 250 soles per hour. Holy smokes! And they would not come down below 150 soles per hour. They weren´t even that cute.

Bye bye.

[Screwed Up]

I stayed in El Dorado Plaza Hotel (5 stars) right on the Plaza de Armas. I had a really big room and a big bed that can fit 3 persons for $73/night.

I left that hotel after two days because they didn´t have broadband internet.

I moved 4 blocks away to the Victoria Regia hotel (3 stars).

I had a room twice as small as in the El Dorado Plaza with a really noisy airco for $30.

The noise doesn´t bother me though. They have a pretty fast internet connection in the lobby where I can plug in my laptop for free.

It´s a pretty good hotel. Even the Porto Rican singer Eddy Herera (or how do you spell that) and his crew stayed here.

I met a USA tourist who stayed in LaCosta hotel for $15/night.

A lot of girl in Iquitos are available for free. I don´t find most of them that attractive though. A tall black Colombian 18yo with an amazing ass has been sleeping at my place at night and sucking & fucking me during my whole stay there.
I never bought her any drinks, never took her out to dinner and only paid 10 soles (less than $2) for her mototaxi´s. On my last night she asked me for 20 soles for something. It was in the middle of the night and I didn´t really pay attention to what she was saying, so I just gave her the money and she came back a few hours later.
The guy working at the desk, a couple of taxi drivers and some girls here told me that she´s a ***** who normally charges 100 soles/hour. I don´t know why she´s fucking me for free. She wears a necklace with a picture of her and her 40yo American (ex-)husband. She says she likes me because I´m so crazy. She gave me a pretty nice Colombian wrist band.

Another thing, you can get a good exchange rate in casino. And almost all casinos are open 24hrs a day. In fact I have never ever seen a closed casino in Peru.

I do this: give them a $20 bill and when they ask me for how much I want to play I say 5 or 10 soles. I never tried a $50 or $100 bill though.

I play 2 minutes. Most of the time I do win a sol or two or at least get my money back. Then I go back to change the chips into soles.

For $20 they gave me 65 soles yesterday, which is a rate of 3.25. All other places give 3.21 to 3.23.

I mainly do this when I don´t need a lot of cash and/or when the gambio´s are closed.

In some supermarkets (Metro) they allow you to pay with $ and give you your change in soles with a good rate as well. I haven´t seen any Metro´s in Iquitos though, only in Lima.

There are a lot of *****s on the Plaza de Armas in Iquitos. I never asked prices and noticed that some of them are tranny´s.

In Iquitos I didn´t find any local sex ads in the papers. That´s a first.

There are 4 chongo´s just outside Iquitos.

You can take a mototaxi and it shouldn´t cost more than 3 soles.

When you take the big avenue to head back to the airport you will notice a big sign on your right saying "Bomberos". This is in San Juan. Turn right in this street and go on untill you pass the firemen trucks on your right. After 2 min. you will see 3 buildings next to each other. And the one in the middle has a sign that says "STAR". Entrance is free and girls ask 10-15 soles per suck and fuck. I didn´t do any of them.

They say they do anal. I saw some really nasty old fat hoes and some skinny tiny 18yo hoes as well.

If you walk out you can continue to walk a few meters to another chongo.

2 soles entrance fee. 10-15 soles per suck and fuck.

[Birds]

My first post.

I travel mainly to watch birds (aves, not chicas) but, inspired by this forum and the fact that birdwatching is pretty limited at night, I decided to give another hobby a try, and what better place to start than Iquitos.

My first night, being a beginner, I went to a "nightclub." But the girl I ended up talking with (in a limited way as my Spanish is weak) insisted on 200 Soles plus 50 to leave and wouldn't budge, and that seemed a lot so I left.

On the way back to my hotel, two girls who seemed maybe semi-pro stopped me and only wanted 50 S. each. I told them I only wanted one but maybe they were a support group so I brought them both back, but it was more like sex with one girl with an observer and not that great.

I went for three days to one of the Amazon River lodges not expecting much opportunity, but wound up talking to the cook(female) the second night and having a bunch of beers, and we agreed to meet by the hammocks at 1AM. (She was real sensitive about getting caught). It was OK but not great. The next morning I went over to have a coffee with her in the kitchen and she asked me for some money, which I gave her.

Then a few more nights in Iquitos, birding in the morning at a road-accessable park upriver from Iquitos. The first night I ran into the prettier of the two girls from night one, and we spent some time and it was better but still not quite meeting expectations. She wanted to see me again the next night (Sunday) at 8PM which seemed a good idea as I had to get up the next morning at 4AM. I had decided already to take her to dinner first (there is a good chicken restaurant across the street from the hotel) but I was surprised when she arrived and I asked her if she wanted to get some chicken first and she says yes, can my Mom come too. (Mom had just gotten out of church) Well, why not, but I think it was just as well my Spanish was weak. But the sex wasn't getting better so I told her not to come back.

A couple days later I'm losing interest in this new hobby and having some beers in a tourist bar and talk a little with the bartender and we get along and she has some English and we agree on dinner. The subject of sex never comes up, we just walk over to the hotel after dinner and have great sex. When she sees the hotel (the Maranon) has a pool, she says she wants to go swimming first the next night. And the next night, the hotel staff actually goes out to buy her some shampoo and conditioner, and lends her a hair dryer - I guess that qualifies as chica friendly.

Our last night we went dancing first, a fine evening. I always gave her some money (which she never asked for). My worry is that I might be a little spoiled starting in Iquitos.