Taquile Island — Local services in Amantaní

I think anyone that has raved about Taquile has never been to Amantani, or even Uros. We did the usual boat trip out of Puno to Uros then stayed on Amantani and the next day we visited Taquile. Our view could have been slightly tainted by the fact that we had a wonderful stay on Amantani the previous night with a genuine appreciation for us as tourists. So when we got to Taquile the next day we were warned by the captain not to take pictures of the locals, full stop. I thought this may have been as, unlike Amantani, they will charge you for any shots as in Cusco. It was only when we had clambered up the 150 or so steps that we realised what he meant.

You get to the top of the steps, with 3 lovely man made arches to shoot the sea through, to be met by a young man who will charge you 8 sols per person to visit Taquile. The problem thereafter was that nobody smiles, a couple of older men smiled at us when we said hello as we passed, but barely any of the women. It was as though they really didn't like the tourists, which felt strange considering they rely so heavily on the tourism.

You walk through uninteresting streets past uninteresting houses to a decidedly sad square with nothing much in it apart from a man selling drinks and more surly locals. There is another artisanal market on two floors with ladies on one and men on the first floor, strangely the products look exactly the same. There are a couple of overpriced restaurants and a small snack shop… and that's about it.

As I said we were probably spoilt having had such a wonderful welcome on Amantani but I really expected much more from a UNESCO recommended island, I can only assume no one from UNESCO has ever actually visited Taquile. As far as being an area of outstanding beauty, the only thing I found to be closely resembling outstanding was the view towards the top of the stairs out over the ocean through the arches, what we should have done thereafter was to walk straight back down the stairs and got back on the boat.

Save your money and go to Amantani and give your money to locals who REALLY appreciate your business and welcome you rather than snarl at you.

Before you think we are the usual inconsiderate snotty tourists that rock up and are rude to everyone they meet, we have been travelling for 2 months now and always try to meet the locals to get a feel...

About a three-hour boat-ride from Puno, this island is a paradise where the Titicaca lake seems like an endless sea so pristine you are bound to long for a swim every day of your stay (the locals bathe themselves int he lake as the water supplies in the pipelines on the island are limited). The people on the island are kind and humble, food is delicious and the local crafts (weaving is typical for women while knitting for men) are of a high-quality and skill. All the locals are dressed in their traditional costumes and it is nothing unlikely to observe them exchange their coca leaves from the hand-crafted pouches as a gesture of kindness and friendship. The highest authority on the island is a president, not a mayor, and visitors are often invited to the local culturalcentre to observe dances and other foklore. Take a stroll, meditate, breathe, just enjoy the natural beauty everywhere... This place is bound to make it straight...

I loved our visit to the Taquile islands! You get there by boat and start with lunch. The people who live on the island have a culture going back a long time and they do not live like modern Peruvians. They have a “restaurant” at the entrance of the island. It is operated by the family, and lunch was included with the price of the tour. Our options were fish or eggs. I got the fish, and it was fresh and delicious! A little boy served our food. I gave him 10 Nuevo soles (about $3) as a tip after the meal. His eyes lit up and he asked if I needed change. I will never forget the look on his face and his gratitude when I told him it was all for him. After lunch you get to watch the locals dance for you, and then you hike along the other side of the island where you are picked up by another boat. The island was beautiful and the experience...