Things To Do in Coca

There is very, very little for a tourist to do or see in Coca. If you've got some time to kill before heading down the Napo River on a tour or to a lodge, you should head to the riverfront Malecón for a pleasant stroll, and then stop at one of the simple bars or restaurants for refreshments or a bowl of ceviche.

Yasuni National Park -- While the Galápagos National Park covers more area, Yasuni National Park is Ecuador's largest land-based park, with some 962,000 hectares (2.4 million acres). Yasuni encompasses several parks and reserves, including the Huaorani Reserve, and has been declared a UNESCO Biosphere reserve. The park -- much of which has seen little or no human presence -- comprises vast tracks of lowland tropical rainforest, swampland, rivers, and lagoons. Several indigenous groups have their lands and homes protected within the park, and still live very simple lives as subsistence farmers, hunters, and gatherers.

Yasuni's wildlife is astonishing, and hasn't yet been fully studied or counted. Among the more striking denizens are the jaguar, tapir, harpy eagle, and anaconda. Tours through Yasuni must be made with a guide, either through one of the remote lodges in this region, or as part of a tour out of Coca. There's a $20 (£13) entrance fee to visit, which is usually collected by your lodge or tour operator and is good for the length of your stay in the region. Yasuni National Park is located to the east and south of Coca, with the Río Napo forming its northern boundary.

For a quiet drink, my favorite bar in town is Papa Dan's (tel. 06/2880-907), a simple, open-air joint on the Malecón facing the river; they have good bar food and rocking music. The Bar Emerald Forest Blues (tel. 06/2880-309), on the corner of calles Quito and Espejo, is also good. The liveliest spot in town for late-night fun is the downstairs bar and disco at the Hotel La Misión, called appropriately El Bunker. If you're lucky, you'll be in town on an evening when this same hotel's floating bar, the Big Bang, heads out onto the Napo River for a night of partying. The floating barge features an airplane fuselage for the bar's structure. Check with the hotel (tel. 06/2880-260) to get the barge-bar's current schedule, and to reserve a spot. For dancing, you might also try La Jungla Disco Club (tel. 09/7832-433), on the Malecón.