Archidona
is a well-kept
town that
sits in cultivated
fields in
the hills
10km north
of Tena. It
was the first
capital of
the Oriente
until 1920,
when power
shifted to
Tena due to
the formation
of the new
[and now defunct]
Napo-Pastaza
province.
Since its
foundation
in 1560, missionaries
have ensured
the place
has stayed
shipshape
and the church
is a case
in point,
its concrete
blocks painted
layer by layer
in brown,
white and
yellow like
a Lego building.
Apart from
gawping at
the church
and wandering
around the
pleasant central
square crammed
with shrubs
and flowers,
Archidona
won't keep
you occupied
for very long.
Places
to sleep
Archidona
is only a
short ride
from Tena,
which is far
better geared
towards tourism
and a much
better place
to stay than
Archidona.
If you do
end up in
Archidona
for the night,
try some inexpensive
residentials
near the plaza.
They have
private bathrooms
and are reputed
to be the
best in town.
Places
to visit
Not far from
the town there
are a number
of caves and
petroglyphs
including
the Cuevas
de Jumandy,
and the Museo
Mundos Amazonicos
[around $1*],
signposted
at the southern
end of Archidona
on the main
road. Built
by the Union
Huacamayos,
one of the
museum's pride
exhibits is
a large sacred
stone carved
with petroglyphs,
thought to
be over two
thousand years
old, located
by the entrance.
Inside the
museum, a
modest but
wide-ranging
collection
of artifacts
with accompanying
text provide
a good summary
of the Oriente's
indigenous
peoples.
Getting
there
Buses to Tena
from Baeza
or Coca usually
pass through
Archidona
along the
main road,
but it's best
to ask the
driver to
stop in Archidona.
Local buses
from Tena
to Archidona
leave from
the corner
of Amazonas
and Bolivar,
stopping at
the top [north]
end of the
main street.
*Prices
quoted are
approximate
Last updated
14th June
2006
