Copacabana & Isla Del Sol

Copacabana, not to be confused with the Brazilian beach, is a small town built on the steady flow of tourists who all come to see the picturesque beaches and sweeping vistas.

After taking in all of the sights and sounds of Puno and that side of Lake Titicaca we had to say our goodbyes to Peru (even though she had treated us so well). Hopping on yet another bus we circumnavigated the southern end of the lake until we arrived at the Peruvian-Bolivian border. Having been given very specific instructions on how to smoothly cross the border we proceeded with the somewhat counter intuitive entry into Bolivia. Aside from nearly being mistaken for an American, which would mean serious border checks and importation fees, our transition into Bolivia went smoothly and we were once again loaded onto the bus for the last few miles of road between us and our next destination of Copacabana.

Finding our accommodations in Copacabana was easy as we had planned ahead and reserved ourselves a nicer, private hostel built into the hillside. The unique buildings that dotted the hill belong to an extremely welcoming and dedicated German (and thankfully fluently English speaking) hostel owner who was in the middle of putting the finishing touches on yet another private hostel residence. Taking the time to acclimatize us to the town and spending well over an hour chatting us up about the area and things to do during our stay, he then showed us to our two story room for the night.

After a wonderfully restful sleep we awoke early and took the hostel owner’s recommendation to catch an early ferry to the Isle de Sol. The day trip afforded us stunning views of the lake as we crossed the island by foot from north to south. Running into friendly local children on the island meant that we were chided into offering payment or even water for photographs or small baubles, but that only added to the overall experience. Returning that evening to our private residence we watched from our perfectly placed vantage point as thunder and lightning rolled in over the Copacabana bay. We would later learn that this weather phenomenon was a common occurrence as we would see it almost nightly during our stay. Heated by a wood burning stove and entertained by a wifi connection, the hostel was almost a perfect blend of old world comforts and modern luxuries.

Waking up early once again we decided to conquer our personal altitude handicaps and ascend the most popular vantage point in the village located behind our hostel. Before getting very far the communal hostel dog decided it would act as guide and motivator as it followed (and lead) us up the hill. Reaching the summit we were taken aback by the sheer vastness and beauty that stretched out before us as the lake appeared to be more like an ocean where water and sky were only broken by the horizon.

Taking the next couple of days to relax and recharge, I couldn’t have asked for anything more of the sleepy little town.

Written by AJ Kwong