Vilcabamba!

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A strange little town, that got stranger the longer we stayed. On the surface it is a nice little town, charming, set in the hills, a good place to stay and relax a few days. We got a room out of town in this little mini tourist resort of sorts with a pool and hot tubs and sauna.. way too posh for us normally but we got a deal because the dorms were all full. We wandered back into the main square and started noticing something... there were mostly gringos in all the shops and restuarants. And not just a few adults here and there, but whole families of expats running amok.

Turns out, more and more people who visit Vilcabamba just decide to stay. Which makes for some tensions in town between the locals and the gringos. We heard a lot of stories, some having to do with robbery at gun point, and arguments about what the police should do to keep the gringos safe etc. The whole atmosphere was a little charged, and I don´t think either of us would choose Vilcabamba to run away to.

Aside from that aspect though, we had a really good time just relaxing around the pool and taking a little walk to another hostel nearby with great views of the valley for lunch. The food in general was really really good, one benefit of all the tourists! There were a bunch of other backpackers volunteering at our hostel and we had a good time getting to talk to them and compare stories. We didn´t get much sleep due to very loud, very persistent mosquitos, but all stayed an extra night to avoid the bus one more day just the same.

We have a few long days of busing ahead to get back to Peru and see Chachapoyas and the ruins of Kuelap. We are crossing the border at La Balsa, which could be an adventure because it is a smaller, less used crossing. Wish us luck!

Danielle (and Oliver)

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Photos

The Sign
Leading us to our fancy hostel. Note: Starting at $6 does not explain that they add a 30% tax to everything, haha.

The River
Women doing laundry in the river.

All these sauces
for one meal!

Comments

[Maurice Horn]

Mosquito Net?
Do you recommend a mosquito net for sleeping?

[BearandButton]

nightmares
We really got very little sleep in Vilcabamba due to the darn things, so yes, I would say a net would be a good idea. Most places we haven´t had any issue with them, but in this town (and Quito) you might drag one along.