San Matías

Located almost exactly 500 miles (800 kms) northeast of Santa Cruz along Bolivia's battered Route 502, San Matías, with a population of roughly 11,000 inhabitants, is the largest town in Angel Sandóval Province and an important border crossing with Brazil. Although not a Jesuit settlement - it was founded in 1844 by General Fermín Rivero - the gateway to the enormous Área Natural de Manejo Integrado San Matías (the second largest park in Bolivia, at roughly 18,124 sq. miles [29,185 sq, kms]) lies just south of its path. Outside of the Puerto Quijarro crossing, San Matías is the only vehicular transit point into Brazil from the Chiquitania. (Puerto Busch, at the southeastern extreme edge of neighbouring Germán Busch Province, connects via the Río Paraguay only.)

San Matías also lies at the northern extreme of the Pantanal, the world's largest ecosystem of its kind. With a good 4WD or small boat along the Río Curichi Grande (especially during the rainy season), you'll have access to a pristine environment found nowhere else on earth. For the few travellers who come this way, this area is as entrancing as the much better known national parks likes Amboró and even Noel Kempff Mercado. The species diversity here is mind-blowing: on average, new fauna or flora are discovered each month.

In San Matiás itself, you can see just how important the Pantanal ecosystem is with a visit to the Centro Ecológico El Tumbador. Beyond this and a walk about the town's tranquil plaza principal, there isn't much to do in town. So where to go? Obviously, the Pantanal, or head out to Brazil, in which case all the information you need is here. Otherwise, if you're looking to stay closer to town, you can visit the peaceful Laguna Curichón, just 1.5 miles (3 kms) from the centre on the road to Santa Cruz, where you can swim, grill, or just admire the lake's mirror-like surface. As you might imagine, given its hyper-aquatic environment, there are numerous other local swimming holes and balnearios within a stone's thrown of San Matías.

Laguna Curichón: San Matías

You could call the Agencia de Desarrollo Económico Local (the equivalent of a local development assistance agency) at 979.2298 and see what's happening. They are not a tourist office per se, but do know what's on tap in the area. That also happens to be the same telephone number for the alcaldía, who also should have a good idea of what's happening here.

The wonderful ecological non-profit organisation Hombre y Naturaleza also is recommended as both a guide and source of information. It maintains El Tumbador in town, and probably knows the Pantanal better than any other outfit. You can reach them at 964.3074.

If you're looking to fly in and out of San Matías from or to Santa Cruz, you can do so on Fridays only via TAM (968.2256), as it stops here en route to/from Roboré. There is also bus service with Transbolivia and several other carriers to and from Santa Cruz.

Although Puerto Suárez and Puerto Quijarro are the leaders in the fine gems market, San Matías also is a good place to scare up high-grade Bolivianite (the industry's trade name for ametrine), if you're interested in amethyst-looking stones but don't want to pay amethyst prices.

Serious chunk of San Matías Bolivianite

Routes to San Matías
A note on travelling to San Matías if you're heading here from San Ignacio de Velasco: there are two separate approaches that connect.

The northern road - infinitely the more preferable of the two - runs from San Ignacio and passes through Espíritu. Here one takes a right at the fork, onto the road to San Vicente 74 miles (120 kms) east of San Ignacio. There is a petrol station here. The only other stops along the way until San Matías are the microscopic pueblitos of San Bartolo, Ascención, and Las Petas.

Several kms west of San Matías, in Ascención, there is an unmarked righthand turn that leads to the borders of the Área Natural de Manejo Integrado San Matías, but it is poorly marked at best. (Locals will know it, however.) Likewise, in Las Petas one can turn right (again, on an unmarked dirt road) and cut off a few miles, picking up the same access road closer to Candelaria, which is the northern entrance to the territory.

The southern route runs from San Ignacio via Santa Ana de Velasco and San Rafael de Velasco, where one strikes due east. This road passes through Arica, Mercedes, and Torno, then forks left to Cerrito (where it crosses the Curiche Grande), and approaches San Matías from the southwest. This offers quicker access to the Área Natural de Manejo Integrado, but otherwise is much more time-consuming. On the other hand, the southern route is more clearly marked (especially in the early stages) as it passes through Santa Ana and San Rafael, which probably accounts for it being better known to cartographers and travellers alike. The biggest problem with this approach is that it washes out more frequently. And may God help you if it does when you're on it.

These routes parallel each other for a good distance, and there are connecting roads between the two. Thus, one can take the northerly route and later branch off onto the southerly route and still reach the same terminus, and vice versa. The two spots where these connecting roads are most frequently used are Torno (south to north) and Las Petas (north to south).

Places to Eat in San Matías
The following establishments are listed alphabetically, and are not in any other particular order. Most hotels and other accommodations have their own restaurants. Room service is generally not offered, except in luxury-class establishments.

Only restaurants that have either a (sometimes vague) street address and/or telephone number are included. All towns in the Chiquitania have additional eateries, especially in or near the market (ideal for travellers with cast-iron stomachs), but this list incorporates only those that one reasonably can expect to locate without trouble.

Places to Stay in San Matías

When to Visit San Matías

But Does San Matías Have A...?