PUERTO DE ASUNCIÓN ET CHACO'I

Asunción's river port is one of the oldest on the continent. Facing the Bay of Asunción, a stone's throw from the Palacio de López and the arcades of La Recova, it has long played a major role in the movement of goods to and from the capital. It was abandoned a few years ago, with the relocation of its main activities to the ports of Villeta and Pilar, but its rusty old cranes give it a charming old-fashioned atmosphere. The historic central customs building has undergone extensive restoration in recent years, and since 2024 has been hosting temporary cultural exhibitions. The whole area is currently being revitalized, and the port could soon find a real commercial and tourist vocation... At the bottom of Montevideo street, you can board a small, picturesque boat, called a tucú tucú, which takes around 20 minutes to reach the village of Chaco'í ("Little Chaco") on the other side of the Río Paraguay, for a beautiful view of Asunción (departures every 30 minutes from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.). Longer river trips are also available through agencies. Guyra Paraguay, for example, organizes birdwatching tours of Asunción Bay, an Important Bird Area recognized by Birdlife International. The bay lies on the border between the eastern and western regions of the country, and is home to around a third of the country's bird species.