Bolivia has had more coups d'etats and revolutions than years since independence from Spain, back in 1825
Taken from The Traveller's Handbook.
Bolivia holiday experts at WEXAS will tailor-make all aspects of your itinerary to create a Bolivia holiday, personal to you.
Bolivia tailor-made holiday highlights
La PazBuilt in a steep crater high in the Andes, Bolivia's capital is a bustling and colourful city. It has many museums and some interesting Spanish and mestizo architecture, notably the Iglesia de San Fransisco. Nearby, the beguiling Witches' Market has stalls selling potions, silver jewellery, sweets and dried llama foetuses.
Lake TiticacaThe world's highest navigable lake is an immense body of clear sapphire-blue water, revered by local Indians who live on its shore. The Islas del Sol and Islas de la Luna are the legendary sites of the Inca's creation myths. The towns of Copacabana and Sorata nearby are popular with hikers.
Salar de UyuniMassive flat saltpan at 3,650-metre altitude, dotted with piles of salt and cacti. Best explored from the village of Uyuni in the south-east corner.
CochabambaKnown as the garden city, this large market town was founded in 1574 and boasts a long tradition of local culture and folklore. It has a clutch of historical and archaeological attractions, including the Convento de Santa Teresa and the Museo Arqueologico.
RurrenabaqueOne of the loveliest lowland villages, on the Rio Beni 300 km from La Paz. The local rainforest offers great jungle trips to see Amazonian wildlife, including river dolphins and birds.
Laguna Colorada & Laguna Verde Stunning lakes high up in the Andes, amid peaks that resemble chocolate sundaes. Laguna Colorada is home to flamingoes.
People & place
Bolivia facts
Capital: La Paz
Language: Spanish.
People: Aymara and Quecha Indians, mestizo
Religion: Roman Catholic.
Size (sq km): 1,098,581.
Population: 9,119,152.
Population density/sq km: 8.
Etiquette
Refer to rural Bolivians as campesinos, rather than Indians to avoid causing offence.
Shopping
Wood carvings, jewellery, llama and alpaca blankets, Indian handicrafts, costume jewellery.
Food & drink
National dishes often based on meat, for instance lechon al homo (young roast pig). Empanada saltena is a pastry filled with diced meat, chicken, chives, raisins, diced potatoes, pepper and hot sauce). Bolivian beer (especially pacena) is reputed to be the best on the continent.
International Airports
La Paz (LPB) 14 km from centre. Santa Cruz (VVI), 16 km from centre.
Internal travel
Air travel can save a lot of time considering the topography and tropical regions. However, be prepared for delays and cancellations. The rail network is much reduced and what does run is chaotic Most Bolivians travel by bus, or camiones (lorries), which are slower and cheaper. Buses are good value and a chance to really see the country, roads are slowly being improved. Car hire is possible in La Paz.
Red tape
Visas
(UK/US) Not required for tourists.
Vaccinations
BCG, Hep. A, Hep. B, Malaria, Rabies, Typhoid, Y. Fever3
Driving requirements
International Driving Permit required.
Reps in UK/US
UK: 106 Eaton Square, London SW1W 9AD, tel (020) 7235 4248, fax (020) 7235 1286, email info@embassyofbolivia.co.uk. US: 3014 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20008, tel (202) 483 4410, fax (202) 328 3712, email webmaster@bolivia-usa.org.
UK/US reps in Bolivia
UK: Avenida Arce 2732, Casilla PO Box 694, La Paz, tel (2) 243 3424, fax (2) 243 1073, email ppa@megalink.com. US: Avenida Acre 2780, Casilla PO Box 425, La Paz, tel (2) 216 8000, fax (2) 216 8111, email consularlapaz@state.gov.
Currency
Boliviano (Bs) = 100 centavos.
Finance
US dollar traveller's cheques best form of currency at the moment. Very limited acceptance of credit cards.
Business hours
0830-1200, 1430-1830 Monday-Friday, 0900-12300 Saturday.
Safety & life expectancy
Safety information
One of the safest Latin American countries, but take care in any cocaine-growing areas.
Life expectancy
Life expectancy: M 63.53, F 68.97.
Useful websites for travel
Bolivia.embassyhomepage.com, www.bolivia-usa.org, http://lapaz.usembassy.gov.
Local media
The Bolivian Times is the English weekly.
Tourist boards
