The city of Moyobamba is one of the oldest Spanish settlements east of the Andean Range. Founded in 1540 as Santiago de los Ocho Valles de Moyobamba (“Santiago of the Eight Valleys of Moyobamba”), the settlement became an important hub for Spanish exploration of the surrounding region.

In the early 1900s, Moyobamba became the capital of the San Martín region of northern Peru, an area of humid high jungle (selva alta or ceja de selva).

The city remains the regional capital to this day, despite being overtaken in importance by the nearby city of Tarapoto, home to the region’s only major airport.

Despite being eclipsed to some extent by its burgeoning neighbor, Moyobamba is still an interesting tourist destination. The city, population 43,000, sits on a plateau overlooking the Río Mayo and its lush river valley. The tropical climate has made Moyobamba and the surrounding area an important center for orchid cultivation, while also being a paradise for wildlife spotters.

Moyobamba Tourist Attractions

The area surrounding Moyobamba is ripe for exploration, with waterfalls, caves and ecological reserves all waiting to be discovered. Popular tourist destinations within or just outside the city include:

• Baños Termales de San Mateo -- The San Mateo thermal baths are located a few miles outside of town and are easy to reach by public transport. You'll find hot springs of various temperatures, the hottest reaching 42°C.

• Orchid centers -- Orchid aficionados have plenty of options to choose from in and around Moyobamba. The Jardín Botánico San Francisco (San Francisco Botanical Garden) is a short ride west of the city center, while the Waqanki Orchid Center (www.waqanki.com) lies just over a mile outside of town. Another option just six or seven blocks north of the Plaza de Armas is Agro Oriente Viveros (Jr. Reyes Guerra 900, not far from the Malecon San Juan and the steps down to Puerto de Tahuishco).

• Puerto de Tahuishco -- This historic port below the northern end of Moyobamba was once an important point along the Río Mayo. Not so today, but it’s still an interesting destination.

• Mirador Turístico Punta de San Juan -- For views of the Río Mayo river valley, take a stroll to this popular viewing point.

• Waterfalls -- The Cataratas de Lahuarpía and Cataratas de Paccha are two popular waterfalls located about 30 to 45 minutes outside of town.

Food and Drink

For regional cuisine, try La Olla de Barro (Jr. Pedro Canga 398) and El Avispa Juane (Jr. Callao 583. The latter serves two interesting alternatives to the popular juane: the avispa juane (a variation on the classic juane containing ground pork) and the juane de yuca (a slightly gelatinous juane that is simply bursting with flavor).

For nightlife, take a stroll along Jr. Malecon San Juan at the northern extremities of the city. There are plenty of bars on the winding street that runs along toward the nearby mirador (lookout point/viewing platform).

Where to Stay in Moyobamba

There's a reasonable selection of accommodation options available in Moyobamba, ranging from family-run guesthouses to three-star hotels. Luxury accommodation (or thereabouts) is limited, but the three-star Hotel Río Mayo (Jr. Pedro Canga 415; www.hotelriomayo.com) is a comfortable and modern option in the center of town. Rooms start at S/.90 (US$32).

Across the street from the Río Mayo is the Hotel Marcoantonio (Jr. Pedro Canga 488), a respectable but slightly fading establishment that was once the city’s flagship hotel. It remains a good option, but it’s certainly tempting to pay just a little more for a room in the Río Mayo.

Less than a mile northeast of town is the Hotel Puerto Mirador (Calle Sucre; www.hotelpuertomirador.com), which offers good views, relaxing seating areas and a swimming pool. Rooms start at about S/.120 (US$43).

When to Go

One of the biggest annual events in Moyobamba -- and throughout the Peruvian jungle -- is the festival of San Juan on June 24. If you like swimming, eating, drinking and dancing, San Juan is a prime time for visiting any jungle town or city. Moyobamba’s semana turística (tourist week) also takes place in June, typically during the final third of the month (June 20 to 30, and therefore extending the San Juan celebrations).

Moyobamba celebrates its anniversary (Spanish foundation) on July 25; expect various parades and parties from July 22 to July 26, both for the anniversary and Fiestas Patronales de Santiago Apóstol y Santa Ana (patron saints celebrations).

If you’re heading to Moyobamba in search of orchids, keep an eye out for the annual Festival de Orquídia (Orchid Festival). The eighteenth installment of the ever-growing event took place in 2013. Exact dates vary, but the festival normally takes place in late October or early November.

How to Get to Moyobamba

Moyobamba sits on the Carretera Longitudinal de la Selva (Longitudinal Jungle Highway, designated as Route 005), which stretches from San Ignacio on the Peru-Ecuador border down to Tingo Maria (the highway officially runs all the way down to the Bolivian border, but the entire southern section is largely undeveloped).

The highway offers good road connections south to Tarapoto, Tocache and Tingo Maria. There are buses (including Movil Tours) and colectivos from Moyobamba to Tarapoto (about 2 hours). From Tarapoto south to Tingo Maria, your best option is a shared taxi service such as Pizana Express.

From the coast, buses head inland from Chiclayo, passing through Bagua and Pedro Ruiz (from where you can head south to Chachapoyas and Kuelap) before arriving in Moyobamba. If you go with Movil Tours, expect the bus ride between Chiclayo and Moyobamba to stretch out for about 12 to 14 hours.  

To cross over into Ecuador from Moyobamba, head along the Longitudinal de la Selva through Bagua, Jaen and on to San Ignacio. You may have to do this in stages, but it’s a picturesque route and the San Ignacio border point is particularly relaxed (as long as all your papers are in order).

There are no scheduled passenger flights into Moyobamba due to the slow demise of its airport, but you can fly into Tarapoto from Lima, Iquitos and Pucallpa.