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The common answer is the Amazon, the world's most magnificent tropical natural museum, spanning nine countries and home to the world's longest and largest river.
Motorcycles and moto-kars are the primary modes of transportation in Iquios.
I've experienced moments of near-fatigue from thirst and the scorching heat during camel rides and wanderings in the Gobi Desert; moments of dizziness and despair from lack of oxygen on mountain passes over 5,000 meters high in Tibet; days of working in the fields and hunting in the forests with the Si La people (one of the smallest ethnic groups in Vietnam) in the Northwest mountainous region… but for me, exploring the Amazon rainforest and meeting its indigenous people remains a burning desire, even knowing it's a challenging journey.
The "exercises" of carrying a nearly 30 kg backpack and walking for hours, survival skills, stargazing, and navigation... I practiced again several months before setting off. Although I had spent two months in Peru (in 2008) working on a series of reports about the Incas, when the Peruvian consul learned I intended to go to the Amazon, he still demanded my yellow fever vaccination record and a number of other preventative medications such as cholera and malaria before agreeing to grant me a visa. "For your safety, nothing is too much preparation when going to the Amazon," the consul said, handing me my passport with a brand-new Peru visa stamp and a smile, "Have a safe trip."
Iquitos- ecological capital
Located near the border of Colombia and Brazil, and dubbed the eco-capital of the Amazon, Iquitos (a city in Peru) is isolated from the outside world by dense jungles and large rivers. Reaching Iquitos is only possible by air or sea (approximately 4-5 days). It is the world's largest city inaccessible by road.
It takes almost two hours to fly from Lima (the capital of Peru) to Iquitos. It's the same country, but just recently I was bundled up in warm clothes and a woolen scarf, coughing incessantly from the cold. Less than two hours after getting off the plane, the heat hit me. 36 degrees Celsius, 90% humidity. The wind was howling, but I still felt sticky and uncomfortable.
Discovered in the mid-18th century, Iquitos was initially just a small town nestled deep in the jungle. From the beginning of the 20th century, when the rubber boom (which was abundant in the Amazon) occurred, Iquitos became one of the most bustling cities in South America. Situated right on the Amazon River, Iquitos became a trading hub for Europe and the Amazonian population.
Wild animals are sold openly at the Belen market (Iquitos) - Photo: Nguyen Tap
Then the rubber boom passed (due to the invention of synthetic rubber and the Europeans' ability to acquire rubber plantations in Asian countries), and as if waking from a dream, Iquitos returned to its poverty. The once bustling port, teeming with foreign ships, was now reduced to small boats trading fruits and produce from the local population. Its former prosperity and flourishing state is only remembered by the old, dilapidated buildings that still stand today around the central square.
I hitched a ride on a moto-kar (a motorized trailer with a passenger carriage, similar to a rickshaw in Vietnam) with a few foreign tourists to begin exploring the city. While most South American countries use cars, in Iquitos most people ride motorcycles (mostly old models) spewing clouds of smoke. The drivers...
The motorbikes sped along, weaving in and out of traffic quite skillfully. As a Vietnamese person, I wasn't surprised, but for foreigners, it was an exciting experience. They roared, and some even covered their eyes in fear.
The people of Iquitos are still poor; many areas lack electricity and clean water. On street corners, every evening, housewives gather to chat. Naked children chase each other around, and when a TV program comes on, they huddle together on chairs to watch it on an old, worn-out domestic television. Here, television, telephones, and the internet are not very common. The 3G USB modem I bought in Lima, advertised as usable anywhere, completely failed here. I wasted 200 soles (about 1.4 million dong).
My purpose for this trip was to meet the Matsés tribe – warriors hidden deep in the jungle, notorious for kidnapping women from other tribes to be their wives and eat them. A local tour guide, hearing this, said, “Why go so far? Right here, there are the Bora and Yagua tribes, which are fantastic. Many newspapers and TV stations have even gone there to write articles and film.” To prove it, he showed me a series of pictures of bare-breasted (including women) indigenous people, with painted faces and striped bodies, holding blowguns (a type of weapon used by the Amazons to hunt animals). “Wow, that sounds fascinating!” I decided immediately. Yes, I'll go…
The Amazon rainforest covers 5.5 million square kilometers, spanning nine South American countries (Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guyana). The Amazon accounts for over 50% of the world's rainforests, home to more than 2.5 million insect species and tens of thousands of plant and animal species. The Amazon is also famous for its dangerous animals such as the giant anaconda, poisonous frogs, and piranha fish.
