Why Bolivia Is Unfriendly To Visitors

Bolivia is a landlocked country in South America, bordered by Brazil, Peru, Chile, Argentina and Paraguay. It is the most indigenous country in the Americas, with around 60% of its population of Native American ancestry.

Bolivia is somewhat safe to visit, but there are a few things to be aware of. Tourist hotspots, restaurants, shops and public transport are places where theft and pickpocketing are common, and violent crime also exists on the streets. Transport is unreliable and unsafe, and common strikes can affect public transport. Bag snatching is common, so it's best to keep your bag by your side. Bolivia's water distribution network is poor, so it's best to avoid drinking tap water.

Despite these issues, Bolivia is a fascinating country with incredible nature, from the Amazonian jungle to the snow-capped Andes. It's also a very cheap place to visit, with an average meal costing between $6-10.

Transport in Bolivia can be tricky

Bolivia's bus network is extensive, but it can be challenging to navigate. Buses run everywhere throughout the country's major towns and cities, but the process of catching a Bolivian bus can be an adventure in itself. Experiences on these buses can be debatable, with speeding drivers, bizarre departure and arrival times, and a constant gamble as to the bus temperature.

Bolivia's bus network is primarily made up of two types of buses: micros and trufis. Micros are minibuses that generally travel along a predetermined route, leaving when full and stopping whenever a passenger wants to get on or off. You can hail a micro from anywhere along the route and indicate where you want to disembark by shouting "me quedo", "bajo", or "esquina" about 50 metres before your destination. Trufis, on the other hand, are fixed-route taxis that only depart when full. They are cheaper than taxis and can be identified by a card that hangs on the windshield, as well as by the colour of small flags hanging from the hood.

Travelling by taxi is another option in Bolivia. There are two types of official taxis: radio taxis and regular taxis. Radio taxis are dispatched based on calls they receive, usually from private clients such as hotels or restaurants. They drive to where passengers are located and take them directly to their destination. Regular taxis, on the other hand, drive around the city, picking up people on the side of the street. Calling a radio taxi is the preferred option, but it requires a lengthy wait and the ability to speak and understand Spanish.

Bolivia also has an urban cable car system called Mi Teleférico, which connects the twin cities of El Alto and La Paz. This cable car system provides stunning views of the city and ensures access from the poorer neighbourhoods to the central downtown area.

While transport in Bolivia can be tricky, it's also affordable and offers a unique way to experience the country's landscapes and culture. With a little savviness and flexibility, travellers can navigate Bolivia's transport system and enjoy world-class travel experiences.

Money is a stressful topic

Money is a common cause of stress. In the US, 71% of people say that money is a significant cause of stress in their lives, and 72% feel stressed about money at least some of the time. This stress can lead to a range of negative health outcomes, including insomnia, weight gain or loss, anxiety, depression, and physical ailments such as headaches, stomach problems, and high blood pressure.

Financial stress can be caused by a variety of factors, including job loss, escalating debt, unexpected expenses, and a combination of these factors. It can also be caused by external factors such as a global pandemic, a potential recession, and persistently high prices.

• Talk to someone: Bottling up your worries will only make them worse. Speak to a trusted friend or family member, or seek professional advice from a financial counsellor or therapist.
• Take inventory of your finances: Denying your financial situation will only make things worse. Detail your income, debt, and spending over at least one month to get a clear picture of where you stand.
• Make a plan and stick to it: Identify your financial problem and devise a solution, whether that means living within a tighter budget, lowering your interest rates, or finding a new source of income.
• Create a monthly budget: Include everyday expenses such as groceries and transport, as well as monthly bills and annual expenses. Prioritize essential spending and find ways to cut back on non-essential purchases.
• Manage your overall stress: Exercise, practice relaxation techniques, get enough sleep, and find healthy ways to boost your self-esteem and mood, such as volunteering or spending time in nature.

Bolivian food is an experience

Bolivia is landlocked, so seafood isn't popular, but the country has many rivers and lakes that provide tiny fish that are very popular in Bolivian cuisine. The most popular is "trucha" (trout), which is deep-fried and served with French fries, salad, and white rice.

Every dish, regardless of where you are in the country, will always be accompanied by a spicy sauce called "llajua", which is blended tomato and locoto with the option to add other things like onion or cilantro. Bolivia is also home to 300 different types of potatoes, and terrace farming is very popular, with farmers selling their crops in nearby cities.

• Salteñas: Bolivia's most typical and popular food, similar to an empanada, with either chicken, beef or "fricase", and the option to make them sweet or spicy. What makes these "empanadas" special is the broth that is inside.
• Pasteles: Cheese empanadas, often dusted with powdered sugar, and typically eaten for breakfast or as a snack.
• Anticuchos: Skewered and grilled meat and offal dishes, typically made with beef or chicken heart marinated in vinegar, garlic, and herbs and spices, and served with roasted potatoes and a spicy aji peanut sauce.
• Sopa de mani: A traditional meat and vegetable soup thickened with ground peanuts, often made with beef ribs or chicken, and sometimes macaroni or rice.
• Silpancho: Layers of white rice, boiled and sliced tomatoes, and thinly pounded meat, often served with onion, beets, parsley, and a fried egg.
• Pique a lo macho: Strips of beef, sausages or hot dogs, French fries, onions, tomatoes, locoto chilli peppers, and hard-boiled eggs served with ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise.
• Picante de pollo: Spicy chicken cooked in chicken broth with finely chopped onions, garlic, cumin, and pureed aji amarillo, and garnished with fresh chopped parsley.

The culture is fascinating

Bolivia is home to the largest indigenous population in the Americas, with over 50% of its population maintaining traditional lifestyles and beliefs. The country is a cultural treasure trove, just waiting to be discovered.

The combination of Indian and European cultural influences in Bolivia has produced a thriving artistic community. Bolivians have gained prominence in painting, sculpture, classical and traditional music, and folk dancing.

The most prominent museums are the National Museum of Art and the National Museum of Archaeology, both in La Paz, and the Casa de Moneda National Museum in Potosí.

The country's dozens of Roman Catholic churches and cathedrals, mostly dating from colonial times, constitute a national architectural treasure. They are generally ornamented in an extravagant Baroque style, although some are in Renaissance or later styles.

The most important folk festival is held in Oruro during the Carnival holidays preceding Lent; many Indian musical and dance groups compete, providing a magnificent display of costumes and decorations.

The wild places of the Yungas, Chaco and Amazon have their own draw. These places offer some of the best opportunities to see South American wildlife, such as vicuña, spectacled bears, condors, jaguars, and capybaras.

The first inhabitants of Bolivia were nomadic hunter-gatherers who came across the Bering Strait. It is commonly believed that these first Asian colonizers reached the South American continent by 12,000 BC.

The Tiahuanaco culture of the Bolivian Altiplano rose to dominance around 300 BC. During the next 1,000 years, the Tiahuanaco culture prospered and advanced in art, agriculture and architecture until it equalled that of ancient Egypt. Eventually, the Tiahuanaco civilisation began to fade, giving way to the Incas of Peru.

The Spanish arrived in 1531, and Francisco Pizarro and Diego de Almagro made their way inward looking for wealth and land. Modern-day Bolivia was referred to as Alto Peru by the new Spanish governors.

The discovery of silver in Potosí made the Spanish crown richer than even a king could dream. Thousands of fortune hunters from Europe poured into Bolivia, and Potosí became the largest city in the Americas overnight. In the following centuries, millions of conscripted Indians would die in the atrocious mines of Potosí.

The Spanish soldier, administrators, adventurers, and settlers became a strong landed aristocracy, and the indigenous people of Bolivia were reduced to tenant farmers and slaves.

With such wealth and poverty living side by side, Bolivia, it was only a matter of time before rebellion ignited. It was in Sucre that the first call for independence in Spanish America sprang. After independence in 1824, Alto Peru became the Republic of Bolivia.

The predominant religion in Bolivia is Roman Catholic, with a scattering of other Protestant groups. Indigenous Bolivians have blended Catholicism and their traditional religious beliefs.

Spanish is the official language throughout Bolivia, although only 60-70% of the population speaks it, and then often as a second language. The indigenous languages of Quechua and Aymara are the preferred languages when bargaining in rural markets.

Bolivians tend to be relaxed about everything, especially time and punctuality. They are open, friendly, welcoming, and affectionate. Bolivians often hug, kiss on the cheeks, or say hello to everyone they meet.

People often give bad advice

I've been in Bolivia for fourteen weeks. During that time I’ve visited nine cities, taken part in two volunteer projects and spent way too long stressing about an overstayed visa.

While I’ve seriously enjoyed the time I’ve spent travelling in Bolivia, there’s no doubt that over the last three months it’s also slowly been driving me crazy.

Bolivia has a number of idiosyncrasies that have the ability to make or break a traveller’s experience here.

Once you get off the well-trodden gringo trail of La Paz, Sucre, Potosí and the Uyuni salt flats, it turns out that Bolivia isn’t very set up for tourism. And while I relish the challenge of navigating a non-touristy country, there are a myriad of barriers to surmount – mainly in terms of transport, money, food, culture, and the country’s unique method of giving advice.

Bolivia is also the only country where I’ve been consistently required to know both the directions and eventual location of where I’m headed infinitely better than the taxi driver. There have been slews of drivers who look terrified when you flag them down – that is, if they stop at all. Numerous taxis have driven straight past me, or started their engines and speeded off as soon as they hear an address they’re not explicitly familiar with.

Bolivia is a challenging country for travel at times due to endless delays and a notoriously informal service industry. But equipped with the right knowledge and plenty of patience, a journey through the country needn’t be fraught with frustration.

Bolivia can be challenging for travel at times due to endless delays and a notoriously informal service industry. But equipped with the right knowledge and plenty of patience, a journey through the country needn’t be fraught with frustration.

The Bolivian approach to punctuality could be described as casual, at best. It’s pretty much the norm for things to run late, be they buses, tours, meetings or social occasions (especially social occasions). Then there are things such as poor road conditions, strikes, and blockades with which to contend. Take all this in your stride and remember that patience is a virtue in Bolivia.

Bolivia offers incredible rewards to travellers who ignore its past reputation. Its diverse range of landscapes is mind-blowing, and the country is packed with ancient landmarks – from the birthplace of the Inca dynasty to one of the cradles of Andean civilization.

You will discover a population who – despite what you might hear – are friendly and welcoming. Most importantly, travellers who go the extra mile will discover how hospitable Bolivians really are.

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