The river beach
White sand at the confluence.
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Puerto Misahuallí is a small river port on the Napo in Ecuador's Amazon, about 30 minutes from the city of Tena. It is known for a white-sand river beach and the capuchin monkeys that live in the forest around town. It is a well-known starting point for canoe trips in the region. People began settling here after the 1941 war, when Napo riverside residents took refuge in the area, and numbers grew after the road opened in 1966. It became a parish in 1969. Before the road it was a busy trading port. A local story says the name means candle Mass, as a priest came from Tena at night, while another says hualli refers to the logs the river carries. At the confluence you see wide brown water among dense trees, with long canoes waiting by the sand. A small square gathers restaurants and shops, and the monkeys may come close, so keep food and bags away and do not feed them. The lodges around town have thatched roofs and forest paths. Canoe trips reach animal rescue centres and Kichwa villages. The town is 17.3 km in a straight line east of Tena. It is hot and humid, averaging 23.8 °C with about 3,800 mm of rain a year, so bring light protective clothes. Ask your doctor about yellow fever vaccination and bring repellent. Swim only where local people say it is safe, as the current is strong.
White sand at the confluence.
Trips on the Napo River.
Monkeys close to visitors.
Napo River bank, Tena canton, Napo province
They are wild and may grab food and belongings, so do not feed them and keep your things away.
By bus or taxi in about 30 minutes.