Tarapoto sits straddling the base of the Andean foothills and the edge of the vast jungles of eastern Peru. A lethargic and stuffy rainforest metropolis, its part of the Amazon Basin while managing to cling to the rest of Peru by the umbilical cord of a long paved road back to civilization. From here you can either take the plunge deeper into the Amazon, or just enjoy the easily accessible jungle lite, with plenty of great places to stay, eat and reliable connections to the coast.