Bolivia is a landlocked country in Central South America. It is surrounded by Brazil to the northeast, Peru to the northwest, Chile to the southwest, Argentina and Paraguay to the south. It shares control of Lake Titicaca (Lago Titicaca), the world's highest navigable lake (elevation 3,805 m), with Peru. Sometimes referred to as the Tibet of the Americas, Bolivia is one of the most remote countries in the western hemisphere. It is also the most indigenous, with 60% of its population being of pure Native American ancestry.
Regions Map of Bolivia
Administrative divisionsDepartments (departamentos, singular - departamento):
Cities
Other destinations
UnderstandThe Vice Ministerio de Turismo de Bolivia, the official tourism website, of Bolivia has useful information in a bilingual format for planning your trip. Bolivia Today publishes an online travel guide in English for international visitors to Bolivia. HistoryBolivia, named after independence fighter Simon Bolivar, broke away from Spanish rule in 1825; much of its subsequent history has consisted of a series of nearly 200 coups and counter-coups. Comparatively democratic civilian rule was established in the 1980s, but leaders have faced difficult problems of deep-seated poverty, social unrest, and drug production. Current goals include attracting foreign investment, strengthening the educational system, and waging an anti-corruption campaign. ClimateBolivia's climate varies with altitude from humid and tropical to cold and semiarid. In most parts of the country winters are dry and summers are somewhat wet. Despite its tropical latitude, the altitude of cities like La Paz keeps things cool, and warm clothing is advised year-round. Get inBy planeThe national carrier Lloyd Aereo Boliviano [1] has regular flights to La Paz and Santa Cruz from major South American cities. There are also has direct flights to Santa Cruz from Miami, Washington D.C., and Madrid. AeroSur [2] also has connections from Buenos Aires and São Paulo. Aero Sur now has flights to Miami, USA; and is in process of flying to Madrid, Spain I don't know if currenlty they have the European route. There are other small airlines that have domestic flights. By trainThere are many train lines in Bolivia, each with varying degrees of quality and efficiency. However, adequate transportation via train can be found. The FCA timetable can be found at http://www.fca.com.bo/fca1/itinerarios_tarifas_1.htm Watch your belongings. By car- It is common for tourists to travel through a land border at the north-east of Chile/ South-West of Bolivia. - Keep in mind that only about 5% of all the roads in Bolivia are paved. However, most major routes between cities are paved (Aka big cities, Santa Cruz, La Paz, Cochabamba, Sucre) . 4x4 is particularly required when off the flatter altiplano. Be aware that in mountainous regions traffic sometimes switches sides of the road. This is to ensure the driver has a better view of the dangerous drops. - An international drivers license is required but *most* times EU or US drivers licenses will be accepted. There are frequent police controls on the road and tolls to be paid for road use. By busThere are many options for traveling from Argentina to Bolivia by bus. Check out the Bolivian Embassy's website in Argentina ( http://www.embajadadebolivia.com.ar/turismo/acceso.htm ) for specific options. By boatIt is common for tourists to arrive in Bolivia by boat, by navigating from the port city of Puno, Peru, over Lake Titicaca. Get aroundTransportation strikes (bloqueos) are a common occurrence in Bolivia, so try to keep tuned to local news. Strikes often affect local taxis as well as long-distance buses; airlines are generally unaffected. By planeFlying within in Bolivia is quick and fairly economical. Lloyd and AeroSur connect most major cities. By busBus transportation in Bolivia is a nice cheap way to get to see the beautiful scenery while traveling to your destination. Unfortunately the buses often travel solely at night. Occasionally, keep in mind that the road from La Paz to Cochabamba is blocked due to protests, often for several days. So, if you are planning to use the bus, you should also be willing to spend a few days sleeping on the bus. Also be wary of the "World's Most Dangerous Road" that goes from La Paz to the Amazon. Bus travel is usually pretty cheap. Estimate that it will cost you about 1 USD for every hour of travel (its easier to find travel times online than actual price quotes). Prices do change based on supply and demand. Sometimes you can get a deal by waiting until the last minute to buy. Hawkers are constantly crying out destinations in the bus stations cajoling potential riders to take their bus line. By taxiFor longer trips between towns and cities that aren't served by bus, shared taxis are common. TalkBolivia has three official languages : Spanish (often called Castellano), Quechua, and Aymara. In rural areas, many people do not speak Spanish. Nevertheless, you should be able to get by with some basic Castellano. Bolivia is one of the best places in which to learn or practice your Spanish because of their very clean, deliberate accent. There are many options for studying Spanish in Bolivia, and they are usually very good (often, the program includes a very good homestay component). BuyThe national currency is the boliviano. As of September 2006, the exchange rate is generally Bs8.05/$USD. Bills come in denominations of 200, 100, 50, 20, and 10; coins are in 5, 2, and 1 bolivianos, and 50, 20, and you will find sometimes 10 centavos (1/100 of a boliviano). Bills larger than Bs20 can be hard to break, but a quick phone call or internet session at a Punto Entel (see Contact, below) will usually get you change. Currency can be exchanged for US dollars and most South American currencies at casa de cambio agencies or street vendors. Expect to negotiate for a favorable exchange rate, as most vendors will try to make money off a tourist. U.S. dollars are widely accepted in hotels, tourist shops, and for large purchases. Eat
The cuisine of Bolivia might be called the original "meat and potatoes" -- the latter (locally called papas from the Quechua) were first cultivated by the Inca before spreading throughout the world. The most common meat is beef, though chicken and llama are also easily found. Pork is relatively rare. Deep frying (chicharron) is a common method of cooking all sorts of meat, and fried chicken is a very popular quick dish; at times the smell permeates the streets of Bolivian cities. Guinea pigs (cuy) and rabbits (conejo) are eaten in rural areas, though you can sometimes find them in urban restaurants as well. A common condiment served with Bolivian meals is llajhua, a spicy sauce similar to Mexican salsa. Some notable Bolivian dishes:
Street food and snacks:
Breakfast (desayuno) typically consists of any of several of meat-filled buns:
Many people also start off the day with some concoction involving fruit:
DrinkJuice bars appear at most markets. Shakes (either with water or milk) are 2-3Bs. Locals can be seen to drink "(insert name here)" an egg, beer and sugar concoction or "Vitima" which includes coca leaves. AlcoholBolivia's traditional alcoholic drink is chicha, a whitish, sour brew made from fermented corn and drunk from a hemispherical bowl fashioned from a hollowed gourd (round-bottomed so you can't put it down). It's customary to spill a bit of chicha on the ground before and after drinking it as an offering to Pachamama, the Inca earth god. Singani is a grape liquor that's mixed with Sprite or ginger ale with lime garnish to make a cocktail called chuflay. There are a number of local beers, the largest being Paceña and its high-end brand Huari. El Inca is a very sweet low-alcohol beer. SleepOffering a favourable exchange for Western tourists, lodging can be found at very reasonable prices throughout the country, from hostels to luxury hotels. LearnVisitors who will come to Bolivia for study are usually attracted to reclusiveness of a pointedly cultural country whom most have never visited. WorkStay safeThere have been numerous reports of women tourists being drugged and raped during jungle excursions from Rurrenabaque. All tourists should be careful when selecting a travel guide and never accept medication from unverifiable sources. If possible try to take "radio taxis" private cabs by calling them since there have been some incidents at night of fake cabs taken from the streets that are used to steal their occupants. It is a good idea to register with the consulate of your country of residence upon entry into the country. Stay healthySome parts of Bolivia like La Paz(3650), Potosí(4010), Oruro(3950) and the Lake Titicaca region are high altitude, so adequate precautions against "sorojche" altitude sickness should be taken. At local pharmacies they sell sorojchi pills, that are supposed to help with altitude problems. In addition, the sun's ultraviolet rays are much stronger -- up to 20 times -- than at sea level. A sun hat, sunglasses, and skin protection (sunblock or long sleeves) are advised.
RespectDo not use the word "indigena" or "indio" in Bolivia to describe indigenous people. It is considered offensive. The term they use is "campesino" which translates to farmer. "Cholo" is a campesino who moved to the city, and though originally derogatory, has become more of a symbol of indigenous power. Nevertheless, some locals still use the word cholo as a derogative term. ContactBolivia's national phone company Entel has outlets on practically every block in major cities. Most Punto Entel shops also have internet-connected PCs, typically Bs4/hr. While traditional payphones still exist, you can also make local calls for Bs1 from cellular phones at kiosks or "walking phone booths" - look for a guy in a green vest with a cellphone on a chain.
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