Magia Verde Lodge — Hotel in Puerto Misahuallí

Scott has done an incredible job re-transforming former yuca fields back into a beautifully enchanting jungle paradise. Built almost entirely by hand with the help of one talented assistant and the occasional volunteer, Magia Verde lives up to its name.

Regrettably, Google’s reluctance to correct their erroneous map marker(s) makes it a bit difficult to find the first time. My advice, to find this magical oasis, follow Scott’s directions and ignore Google Map’s markers until they are corrected. Coming from Misahualli, cross the bridge at Pununo. Immediately upon stepping off the bridge you’ll see signs for Magia Verde to your left. Make a hard hard left just feet from the bridge. The narrow road, mostly tree covered and strewn with leaves, follows the contours of the Misahualli river north 300 meters or so, ending at the entrance to Magia Verde.

Another sign and a cute little arched stone bridge on your right welcome you to the jungle retreat. Across the bridge two paths on the left will both lead you to the lodge and cabañas, forward up the path is reception, if Scott hasn’t already met you along the route to Magia...

I’ve been cycling through South America for the past six months, and I can tell youthis place is truly special. The setting Bryan has created blends beautifully into this corner of the Amazon, without ever feeling out of place or overdone. It’s genuinely and thoughtfully designed.

And if you’re looking to take your Amazonian experience a little further, I highly recommend meeting his neighbor, Michki. When I arrived at the lodge, the road was flooded due to heavy rains (the kind they hadn’t seen in ten years), so I had to pass through Michki’s garden. Right away, I could tell he was an exceptionally kind person. He immediately offered to help carry my bike up the steep path from his garden to the lodge and insisted on walking with me the whole way.

You don’t meet people like that very often, I can tell you.

Thank you, Bryan. Thank...

This is hands down the most special place we have stayed in Ecuador…. And probably in our life. We arrived after an insane flood, and had to walk our way through a small trail to arrive to the place. And wow. We were the only ones to stay there for the two nights. Scott has built a small paradise perfectly integrated with the jungle around. Scott is also super caring, and made sure we had everything we needed. And if you care about either meeting a wonderful human or even experiencing a more « authentic » Amazonian ritual, you cannot miss meeting Mishky. We will be forever grateful for your care.

Big big love for both of you and for the wonderful place you’ve built. Simple, natural, yet...