Iquitos Warnings Or Dangers Tips by Austinsnow Top 5 Page for this destination

Crocodile (and other) meats

There are all kinds of interesting food to try in Iquitos, including crocodile meat and suri (huge grubs from the jungle, shishkebobed and barbecued). Some of it's really good and interesting to try, and if you really want to, by all means do. Just remember that often restaurants don't sell much crocodile meat, and so what they do have can be a bit old. Thus, you are more likely to get sick from this kind of meat than other, more common foods. Lots of tourists haven't have problems from these (myself included), but quite a few have.

So know what you're getting into, and be careful. (But don't be TOO cautious - vacations are for trying new things, right?)

If you have health problems...

If you are unlucky enough to have health issues in Iquitos, your best bet for a hospital is probably La Clinica Adventista Ana Stahl, on Avenida de la Marina. (I suppose I'm biased because I worked there some, but that's what the guidebooks say too...)

I've seen most of the doctors in action, I'd trust most of them to take care of me, especially for small-to-medium sized problems. Even if you need surgery for appendicitis, you'd be fine. For bigger problems and surgeries, including orthopedics, you might want to get back home. But for most emergencies, La Clinica is fine.

The one caveat is, very few people there speak much English. Bring a translator.