Getting There & Getting Around

By Boat -- To hire a boatman to take you elsewhere in La Mosquitia, ask the Bodden family in Raista at Raista Ecolodge or Mario Miller in Belén at Pawanka Beach Cabins. Prices -- while they fluctuate, often depending on gas prices -- at last check were: Raista/Belén to Palacios (L800; 1 1/2 hr.), to Las Marías (L4,000 roundtrip with a 3-day wait; 5 hr.), and to Brus Laguna (L1,500 for 1-4 people; 2 hr.).

There is also a colectivo boat (L250; 2 hr.) that leaves almost daily from Río Plátano, a small town where the river meets the ocean, to Brus Laguna. You'll have to catch an early-morning pickup from the main road in Raista/Belén or walk for 2 hours to get to Río Plátano for the departure. Speak with Melissa Bodden at Raista Ecolodge for details.

By Air -- Sami Airlines (tel. 504/2433-8031) has sporadic flights to/from Belén to Brus Laguna, La Ceiba, and elsewhere in La Mosquitia. When there are enough passengers, a plane comes. It's as simple as that. Sometimes, you can wait a week, other times, just a day or two. The Sami Airline office sits right off the runway in Belén.

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