Paraguay – The Underdog of South America (Part 2: Friends, Cities, and Eastern Explorations)

In Part 1, we shared our first impressions of Paraguay and explored its historic Jesuit missions. Now, our journey continues with reunions, big cities, muddy roads, and a deeper look at life in this underrated country.

Back to Encarnación: Reunion Time

On May 19th, we reunited with our American friends Duwan and Greg from Make Like An Apeman, who’d just finished backpacking South America for a year. They had booked two Airbnbs — one in Encarnación, the other near Areguá, an hour from the capital — and invited us to stay.

(As always, hover over or click on photos in galleries to read their captions.)

We quickly separated the camper from the truck, parked on a concrete pad, and shut down our fridge to enjoy house life for a change. The next few days were cozy and productive: we took turns cooking dinners, I did heaps of laundry in the available machine, Mark and I ran errands and caught up on work, and our group explored the city and waterfront with Maya.

We also followed a boardwalk to the colorful city “letters” and strolled past Encarnación’s cathedral and central plaza.

Sapucai: An Old Train Yard

As our friends stayed behind for another night, we hit the road towards Asunción, because we required two days of driving to reach the capital area. We stopped in Sapucai, known for its old train yard.

Unfortunately, the train museum closed earlier than indicated (we managed to visit in the morning), our fresh water tank ran dry (so we struggled with the little bit of drinking water we had left), and loud traffic and fireworks made sleep impossible (we should be getting used to this.)

Still, we walked Maya on a bike path and tried to stay flexible, adjusting our plans due to impending rain and muddy red dirt roads.

Yaguarón: The Wooden Church

Before reaching the capital region, we visited Templo de San Buenaventura in Yaguarón, known for its ornate wooden interior. A local guide explained the church’s intricate design for a tip.

We attempted to explore town and buy local produce, but firecrackers scared Maya, cutting our walk short. Respecting our principles (and her nerves), we left.

Areguá: Pool, Pizza, and Rain

Our next Airbnb near Areguá, east of Asunción, appeared fancy and comfortable. It had a big yard and a pool, a flooded field full of mosquitoes, and one bathroom for four, of which the toilet flooded after a heavy downpour. We still enjoyed the luxury and surroundings, though.

We again offloaded the camper, fixed our water pump, and reassembled everything two days later, before predicted storms arrived. Sightseeing had to happen first, when we had our truck available.

Highlights at the Airbnb and in town included: homemade onion rings and pizza nights, a cold-weather dinner out (with Maya under the table), cocktails on the patio, and pool time… just once, when the sun briefly returned.

We also met a fascinating expat named Dave, a former Michelin-star chef from Buenos Aires who now lives in Paraguay and went for a walk to the lake.

Asunción: Exploring the Capital

On a Sunday, we visited Asunción. Our first stop were the popular botanical gardens, where we were immediately overwhelmed by crowds, heat, humidity, and mosquitoes. Then, we parked by the riverfront.

A walking tour in the center of the city took us past the Cabildo (now a cultural center), some notable historical buildings, the National Pantheon of Heroes, the municipal theater, Independence House, and the Presidential Palace (Palacio de López). Tip: don’t get too close — whistles will blow. 🙂

We finished our walk on the riverfront as the sun set and ended the visit with a Korean dinner and ice cream, tired but satisfied.

Areguá Town Visit

Before the storms hit again, the five of us visited the center of Areguá, where we climbed to the cathedral, took photos by the colorful las letras, and walked cobblestone streets to the lake.

Maya had a brief stalker situation involving a very persistent black dog, which ended our lakeside peace. Back at the villa, we battened down for more cold and wet weather.

Yguazú: Ramen and a Fall

We said goodbye to our friends and headed to Yguazú, a town with Japanese influence. There, we enjoyed delicious ramen — a rare treat.

Unfortunately, I tripped on the road edge walking back and badly strained my ankle. It took weeks to heal but didn’t stop our travels (just slowed them a bit).

Ciudad del Este: Borders and Falls

Our next stop was Ciudad del Este, Paraguay’s border city with Argentina and Brazil. We visited the “Triple Frontier” viewpoint, where all three countries meet.

We also camped near the lovely Monday Falls, a smaller but impressive precursor to the famous Iguaçu Falls. Maya could join us on the trails — a win for dog-friendly travel.

Itapú Dam: Engineering Feat

On the road to our next camp spot, we visited Itapú Dam, the second-largest dam in the world, co-managed by Paraguay and Brazil. A 45-minute Spanish tour gave us insight into this hydroelectric marvel.

Tacurú Pucu Park: Rest at Last

We finally slowed down at Tacurú Pucu Park, a free campground run by Itapú Dam staff. After an hour of waiting to obtain a permit, we were allowed to stay.

Here, we waited on Mark’s Brazilian visa (a new requirement for US citizens since April 2025), did hand laundry, bathed Maya, caught up on work and research, and I finally finished Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari — a year-long read!

There was one hiccup: we got yelled at for walking Maya outside the designated camping area, despite the local stray dogs roaming freely. Irony noted. Unlike other campers, we don’t let our dog loose without supervision and clean up after her. None of that seemed to matter.

We stayed a total of two weeks (the maximum) at Tacurú Pucu, with a two-day escapade into Brazil to visit Iguaçu Falls, which I will report on separately.

Cerro Corá: Final Stop in Paraguay

Our last stop in this new-to-us country was Cerro Corá National Park, where we planned a long hike. But intense heat and humidity shortened it to a couple of miles. I still ended up with a migraine.

However, we were rewarded with monkey sightings in the evening and an encounter with a lovely South African couple we hoped to meet again.

Final Thoughts on Paraguay

What started as an estimated three-week visit without expectations turned into five weeks, with us liking Paraguay. It is affordable, the locals are friendly, there is a welcome cultural and culinary diversity, and there are enough unique destinations to keep you busy.

It’s not the easiest country to travel in — the noise, infrastructure, and unpredictability are very real, just like in the rest of South America — but it’s also authentic in its own way.

Next up: Our monthly expense report for June 2025.

Curious about a previous ten-year chapter in our nomadic lives, which includes eight years aboard a 35-foot sailboat in the tropics with dogs, check out my compelling, inspiring, and refreshingly honest travel memoir: