Iquitos

A true rainforest city, Iquitos is home to nearly half-a-million residents. Situated on the Amazon River at about 350 feet above sea level, it is a major port city of the Amazon Basin.

Though it's in the middle of the rainforest, Iquitos has everything you might expect from a city, including beautiful homes and churches, industry, schools and universities, and a growing tourist infrastructure, fed by outfitters who've made it a jumping-off point for those touring the Amazon Rainforest.

Of course, the one major difference is that the city is only accessible by boat or airplane though there is one small road that leads to the neighboring city of Nauta, about 60 miles (100 km) away.