Wild and exotic, Puerto Maldonado is looked upon as the gateway to the Amazon Basin of Peru. Most visitors come here on their way through to the famous jungle lodges and riverside reserves in Iquitos and nearby Tambopata. Yet, other travellers unwind in the laidback town, making use of its well-developed accommodations and offerings of excursions into the wilds abounding with unusual species of flora and fauna. As any Puerto Maldonado tourist guide will tell you, it’s also home to an array of interesting colonial sights, most clustered around the bustling central square of Plaza de Armas, while the famous Monkey Island and towering town Obelisk are also worth a visit. What’s more, step behind the ramshackle façade of tooting bikes and inner-city shacks, to be treated to a lively nightlife scene and plenty of Amazonian-style eateries, where it’s possible to sample juices of exotic fruits never seen elsewhere, as well as the novel regional ceviche – raw river fish doused heavily in lime juice.