Walk past a market stall and you will see woven baskets, carved wood and fruit stacked high, while sellers chat as they count your change. Beyond town the rivers widen, the rainforest closes in, and the talk stays friendly and in English.

The climate is tropical, warm all year, with two rainy seasons that fill the rivers and make the forest loud. Mornings suit the market, afternoons suit shade and a cold drink, and drier months open the way to wildlife. A Local Friend walks beside you instead of ahead, introduces the makers by name and lets the day follow your curiosity.