Bolivia Today

Travel and Tourism Information for International Visitors

BOLIVIA TRAVEL LETTER

Volume 2 / Number 6 / June 2006

Winter in the Andes: The Importance of Hotel Selection

It's understandable that backpackers, generally consisting of the young college crowd, tend to travel on the cheap. After all, their goal is to see as much of the world as possible on a meager stash of funds. This situation can lead to unpleasant consequences in the Andes.

Between the months of May and October, La Paz and other highland areas of Bolivia such as Oruro, Uyuni, and Potosí can experience very cool to cold days and cold to freezing nights. The cold climate coupled with the affects of high altitude and changes in diet can lead to an illness serious enough to negatively affect a traveler's health during their stay in the Andes. And as a side note, don't' forget that while violent crime is not common in La Paz, petty theft is certainly more prevalent in the congested backpacker quarter.

Upon arriving in La Paz, backpackers often seek out hotels or hostels in the two star and below range. The attraction of course is a tariff that is usually less that $20 a night. But you'll probably get exactly what you pay for. There will be little hot water from a coil shower apparatus that more frequently electrifies the guests than the water. There will be no hot water in the bathroom sink, the toilet may not have a seat, beds will be in rustic condition, there will be no central heating, and probably not even a Continental breakfast. But it doesn't have to be this way.

Most of this can be avoided by simply moving up a star or two. La Paz has some excellent bargains in tourist class hotels. For example you can book a comfortable heated room with abundant hot water and a full American breakfast at the Hotel Columbus Palace, The Libertador or the Hotel Calacoto for less than $30 USD a night. If you are really on a tight budget, the Hostal Naira and the even cheaper Hotel España and Hostal República have small but equally functional rooms for around $20 USD. In these well-run establishments, a visitor is much more likely to stay healthy and comfortable and thus more likely to enjoy his/her trip to the Bolivian Andes. For more information on recommended hotels in Bolivia, go to our publication Instant Bolivia.

Eating High in Bolivia

Restaurants are a bargain in Bolivia but travelers should be careful about their eating habits in the high Andes. Travelers to Bolivia, like travelers around the globe, are confronted with strange foods, different eating hours, questionable sanitary conditions, and unfamiliar microbes. If this weren't enough, the high altitude can also play havoc with your intestinal tract. Apparently, in altitudes above 8,000 feet, until full acclimatization takes place (which can take weeks), the blood carries less oxygen and thus your body's digestive system is much less efficient. This can cause mild to pronounced intestinal discomfort in some travelers. But there are some simple steps that will alleviate this condition.

First, drink plenty of bottled water (the non-carbonated variety called agua sin gas in Bolivia) and get plenty of rest. Secondly, eat lightly for the first few days. Make breakfast a complete meal and lunch the principal meal of the day. Dinner should be on the light side. Limit alcohol intake and drinks that contain caffeine, especially in the evening.

If your hotel doesn't provide a full American breakfast, we recommend a restaurant such as Alexander's Coffee Shop, with branches throughout La Paz, Cochabamba, and Santa Cruz. They offer a variety of excellent breakfast choices from ham and eggs, to pancakes and waffles, and even oatmeal and pastries. Alexander's is great for lunch and dinner also. For a listing of dozens of restaurants in Bolivia, go to Instant Bolivia.

What's bugging you?

The June issue of Consumer Reports (CR) Magazine (page 6) contains an article on insect repellents. If you are traveling to the Oriente, the eastern lowlands of Bolivia consisting of the departments of Pando, Beni, and Santa Cruz, insect repellent should be at the top of your list. CR found that products containing about 30 percent Deet worked the best and were the safest from a health standpoint. For more information, go to Consumer Reports at www.consumerreports.org

Using Plastic $ in Bolivia

For some time, we here at Bolivia Today have recommended ATM cards as the best way for travelers to access their money in Bolivia. An article in the June 2006 issue (page 94) of the respected Kiplinger 's Personal Finance Magazine supports our recommendation. Although some banks charge transaction fees of $1-5 USD to use an ATM, this is offset by the fact that the exchange from USD to pesos bolivianos is done at the wholesale exchange rate, the best conversation rate available. And the news gets better. Citibank does not assess fees on its own network, which is available in 38 countries (unfortunately, Bolivia is not one of them). Some credit unions and savings and loan associations assess a fee of only $1 USD. Some banks such as HSBC, Washington Mutual, UBS, and Capitol One waive these fees. This means that overall, exchanging money at an ATM is safer and more affordable than other alternatives such as carrying cash or attempting to exchange Travelers' Checks. For more on this issue, go to Kiplinger's at www.kiplinger.com