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BOLIVIA TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION INFO

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Travel and transportation can be a real challenge in Bolivia. Landlocked Bolivia is likely the most isolated of all countries in South America. It has just slightly more than nine million people and the majority live in one of three large cities: Santa Cruz, Cochabamba and La Paz, as well as several secondary cities such as: Oruro, Potosí, Sucre, Tarija, Yacuiba, and Trinidad. The remaining population is widely dispersed in remote rural areas.

Despite it's small population Bolivia is actually quite a large country and many travelers underestimate both the distances between cities and tour attractions, and the remoteness of some of these. In this section I've attempted to include all the different types of information you'll need.

7 Oct. 2009: Police Detaining Foreigners Here's why - and what you should do.

Each section has very detailed information

Tourism
Detailed descriptions of all the best tours and tourist attractions all over Bolivia.

Top Bolivia Travel Tips
Travel tips and advice contributed by other travelers and tourists. Add yours!

Airlines
All the different airlines that connect Bolivia to the rest of the world.

Hotels, Hostels and Accommodations
A growing listing of accommodations by rating and location.

The Hotel Review
Travelers rate and recommend Bolivian hotels and hostels. Add yours!

Restaurants
The largest listing of restaurants in Santa Cruz Bolivia available anywhere.

The Restaurant Review
Tourists and travelers rate and recommend Bolivian restaurants. Add yours!

Bolivia Travel Forum
Share your Bolivia travel stories and photos or ask questions in our forums.

Bolivia Travel Forum Topics
A list of existing topics - see if your question has already been answered.

Travel Agencies and Tour Operators
Your best source for further information on travel, touring, transportation in Bolivia.

The Travel Agency Review
Travelers rate and recommend tour operators and travel agencies. Add yours!

Bella’s Top Recommended Tour Operator
Perfect English, Spanish and Dutch, great customer service, and amazing safety record.

Travel maps.
Bella's Bolivia travel map store. Options for purchasing them online.

Spanish.
20+ ways to learn Spanish before you arrive and where to take classes in Bolivia.

Backpacks and Travel Gear
Bella's Pack-It-Up! Backpack shop. Find great packs and travel gear too.

Demand safety guarantees!
You can and should demand your tour operator provide proper safety equipment.

Travel insurance.
Your travel stories prompted us to contact World Nomads to bring you the best.

Altitude Sickness.
I grew up in La Paz. Here's what works for me and some links to advice from doctors.

Roads.
A description of Bolivian roads, road safety and where to find out about road conditions.

Car rental.
Where to rent vehicles and what you'll need in order to do this.

Insurance.
Where to get insurance and what type of insurance you'll need.

Buses.
The different types of buses in Bolivia and where to find them.

Bus Stations
An explanation and listing of bus stations in major Bolivian cities.

Things to Do
A detailed description of Santa Cruz urban and regional sites and attractions.

Shipping.
How to ship anything from small packages to your household belongings.

Couriers.
International couriers and national postal services available.

Waterways.
Rivers and ports in Bolivia. Shipping and where you can travel by river.

Trains.
Trains and railway systems, where they are located, and where the trains travel.

Customs.
How Bolivian customs works, how to get a visa, airport customs, and more.

Immigration.
How immigration works and what it's like to process a visa for Bolivia.

Taxis.
The different types of taxis you can use and precautions you should take.

Drivers license.
How to get a drivers license if you plan to drive while you live or tour here.

Towing.
Hopefully you won't need this, but just in case.

Traveling with kids.
Bolivia has both national and international laws about traveling with minors. Know them.

Travel with pets.
The documentation you'll need, and how to keep your pet comfortable during the trip.

Americans.
A page dedicated to announcements for Americans traveling to or living in Bolivia.

US citizens.
Embassies and consular services for US citizens touring or living in Bolivia and US visas.

Embassies.
List of foreign embassies in Bolivia, their locations and their contact information.

Preparing to travel.
What to bring, what to leave behind, documentation, safety, medications, and more.

Travel precautions.
How to stay safe while you travel or live in Bolivia.

Etiquette in Bolivia.
Tons of advice on social, business and dining etiquette in Bolivia.

Bolivian holidays.
National, regional and local holidays with a few totally unknown ones sprinkled in.

Banks and Bolivian money.
Currency, banks, exchange rates, money transfers, using cash, credit cards, etc.

Health Services in Bolivia.
Doctors, dentists, opticians, pediatricians, hospitals and clinics and more.

Live in Bolivia.
Information for those of you who will be relocating to Bolivia, not touring.

Living Overseas.
A section filled with resources specifically for expatriates.

Bolivia Expat Forum.
A forum specifically for those of you who plan to live in Bolivia.

Bolivian Food and Recipes.
Check out our enormous food and recipes section. Plus markets and grocery stores.

Learn to barter in Bolivia.
How, where, and when to get the best prices at stores and markets.

Shopping in Bolivia.
Learn about the Bolivian sales tax and Bolivian shopping etiquette.

Santa Cruz Tourist Information Center.
Small and nobody speaks English, but it's packed with brochures.

What You Want
Have a question? Just click on the TELL BELLA button on every page of the site.

ADDITIONAL ARTICLES.
This section on Living in Bolivia has many articles of interest to tourists too.

A special note from me about your safety on Bolivia tours

Travel Insurance

World Nomads Quick Quote

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You can always extend your policy while you are away.

Type of cover single family

Dear Friends: Because there has been an unusually high number of accidents and crimes involving tourists, especially in the La Paz and Uyuni areas, I contacted World Nomads and partnered with them to bring you one of the top rated travel insurance options you can find. Never purchased travel insurance? You may not use it. But is that ever predictable?

Please read this article I recently wrote about demanding your tour operator provide proper safety guarantees and my advice on what you can do about it.

10 Reasons We Partnered with World Nomads (Not just travel insurance).