When it comes to transportation, Iquitos has a personality of its own, very different from the rest of Peru and even other Amazonian cities. To begin, it is the largest city in the world that is inaccessible by road, meaning that in order to reach the city, you have to fly from Lima or take a boat down the Amazon River. I have, sadly, only done the former but hope to try the latter in the near future!
Once you touch down (or dock) in the city, you will see how the local climate in Iquitos effects how people live. It is very hot here (with average daily temperatures between 80-90 degrees Fahrenheit), and, therefore, most people prefer to drive a motorcycle rather than be cooped up in car. Their justification is that the feeling of wind on their skin gives them a momentary relief from the searing sun. However, you may be wondering what people do when it rains, because, this is, after all, the Amazon rainforest. Well, from what I have observed so far, people simply accept that they are going to get wet, and my theory is that people continue to view the rain as a break from the hot weather.
If you are, like me, dependent on public transportation, you will find two options in the city: a mototaxi or the bus.
