San Matías between the airport and protected area

San Matías offers two distinct points of reference for travel planning: an airport for small aircraft and a large protected area in the nearby surroundings. The airport is located in San Matías and also serves private flights. The Área Natural de Manejo Integrado San Matías lies north of the town.

Getting there and finding accommodation

The airport in San Matías serves small aircraft, including private flights. If you are planning this type of flight, take this travel information into account as you prepare and confirm the specific connection that suits your plans. Once you have determined your mode of travel, you can align your hotel search in San Matías with your actual itinerary. The airport is therefore a specific consideration for certain travel plans, while your choice of accommodation depends on your stay as a whole.

Protected area and landscape

The Área Natural de Manejo Integrado San Matías was established in 1997 and covers 2,918,500 hectares. Its sheer size marks it out as a vast natural area, not a single attraction. The area includes parts of the Pantanal ecoregion as well as the Bosque Seco Chiquitano and the Cerrado. The Pantanal is therefore an important point of reference, but not the only way to characterize the protected area’s landscape. Together with the neighboring Parque Nacional y Área Natural de Manejo Integrado Otuquis, it forms an almost continuous geographic connection between the shallower and deeper parts of the Pantanal. This broadens the scope of your travel planning beyond the Pantanal: the connection to Otuquis and the area’s other natural features are also part of the geographic context of the surroundings of San Matías.

Birdlife around San Matías

Wildlife also shapes this natural area. Significant concentrations of waterbird species can be observed in the nearby protected area. The endangered hyacinth macaw (Paraba Jacinta) has also been recorded there; populations of the species are found in Brazil and Bolivia. These are two distinct points of reference: the waterbirds are present in concentrations of various species, while the hyacinth macaw is a specific endangered species with populations in two countries. When deciding what interests you most about your trip, you can therefore consider both birdlife as a whole and a particular species. In this way, wildlife adds another perspective for nature-minded travelers to the landscape of the protected area.

San Matías as a base for your trip

When searching for a hotel in San Matías, there are two distinct priorities to consider: travel by certain types of flights and the nearby natural area, with its size, landscape features, and wildlife. If you plan to arrive in a small aircraft, factor the airport into your plans. If you are especially interested in the landscape and birdlife, the protected area can shape your impression of the destination.

For the broader travel overview: Ángel Sandoval.