Villa Oliva y Puerto Paraíso, puerta de los humedales del Ypoá
A fishing village an hour from Villeta where boats outnumber houses and the Ypoá wetlands begin.
What it is
Villa Oliva sits in the far north of Ñeembucú, about 120 km from Asunción, reached by a paved road less than an hour from Villeta. Its economy revolves around fishing and it lives hugging the river and the wetlands. Puerto Paraíso, a community within the district, is the most picturesque corner: it is said that there are more boats than houses. It has launch ramps, and local fishermen offer informal river outings. Other communities in the district, such as Estanzuela, touch the Ypoá wetlands, where cattle ranching and eucalyptus plantations coexist. It is a cheap and close getaway for river, fishing and quiet, and a good gateway to the marshes that explain much of the department's ecology.
What to see and do
- Puerto Paraíso and its boat ramps
- Sport fishing and river outings
- Ypoá wetlands and birds
- Paved road from Villeta
Did you know…?
The district had 3,377 inhabitants in the 2022 census.
The area is part of the great wetland plain known as Ypoá.
History
The settlement of Puerto Paraíso began as a colony between the late 1930s and the 1940s, under the governments of Marshal Estigarribia and Colonel Morínigo, according to the local account gathered on Wikipedia.
Tips
- Agree on the price of any boat trip before boarding and ask for life jackets.
- Bring insect repellent and sunscreen: the wetlands have plenty of mosquitoes.
Check opening hours before you go.
Best time: Autumn and spring; summer is hot and buggy.
Activities
Festivals and events here
Nearby
Alberdi · Ñeembucú
Alberdi, la «Venecia paraguaya», y la playa Punta Arena
A port on the Paraguay River facing Formosa, with a family beach and the Ypoá wetlands as backdrop.
Quiindy (acceso por la compañía Niño–Tacuary) · Paraguarí
Lago Ypoá
A vast wetland of floating islands and lagoons, a little-explored Ramsar site south of Asunción.
Villa Franca · Ñeembucú
Villa Franca, antigua reducción de los mbokovíes sobre el río Paraguay
One of the country's least populated municipalities, founded in 1775 as a reduction and refounded in 1824 on Francia's orders.
Villeta · Central
Lomas Valentinas e Itá Ybaté
The fortified hills where, in December 1868, the decisive battle of the Pikysyry campaign was fought.
Quiindy · Paraguarí
Quiindy
The ball capital: whole families hand-stitch balls for football, volleyball, rugby and pikivóley.
Villeta · Central
Villeta
A colonial port on the Paraguay River, scene of the December 1868 campaign, with a brand-new riverside promenade.
Researched and reviewed in September 2026 with 4 sources. A second reviewer checked dates, coordinates and lodging. Hours and prices may change.