South America and South Atlantic Islands

• Travel Summary
• Safety and security
• Local laws and customs
• Entry requirements

• Health
• Natural disasters
• General
 

Travel Summary

• There are confirmed human cases of A (H1N1) - Swine Flu in Bolivia.  The Bolivian immigration authorities are monitoring people arriving at ports of entry and on internal flights, and may quarantine individuals displaying symptoms.  You should monitor local media reports for any developments and advice.  The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised its Pandemic Threat Alert Phase to Level 6. The WHO website has further details. You can check for updates on the number of cases and their location through the Organizacion Panamericana de la Salud at: http://www.ops.org.bo/ (in Spanish). There is a dedicated swine flu page on the FCO website. Guidance on Pandemic Flu can be obtained on the UK Department of Health website.
  
  
• The political situation in Bolivia is tense and there is the risk that demonstrations and confrontations might break out at short notice. You should exercise caution and avoid large crowds. See the Local Travel section of this advice for more details.
  
  
• There is continual risk of public protests and strikes throughout Bolivia. Major roads can be blocked and public transport disrupted at very short notice. You should take care to avoid all public demonstrations which have the potential to turn violent.
  
  
• Road travel can be dangerous as a result of poor road conditions, local driving techniques and the condition of vehicles on the road. Heavy rains have meant that some roads have been washed away. See the Local and Road Travel sections of this advice for more details.
  
  
• There is a risk of 'express kidnappings'. You should exercise caution when arriving in, and travelling around, Bolivia and be aware of the general risks of crime for visitors. See the Crime section of this advice for more details.
  
  
• Travellers should take extra precautions to prevent against mosquito bites because of the risk of Dengue Fever in Eastern departments. The Bolivian Government are now asking that foreigners travelling to areas away from the altiplano should have valid Yellow Fever certificates. See the Health section of this advice for more details.
  
  
• There is a low threat from terrorism. But you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks which could be in public areas, including those frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.
  
  
• 24 British nationals required consular assistance in Bolivia in the period 01 April 2008 – 31 March 2009 for the following types of incident; deaths (5 cases); hospitalisations (5 cases). During this period assistance was also requested with regard to lost or stolen passports (92 cases). You should note that the British Embassy in La Paz does not issue full replacement passports.  Please also note that from 05 October 2009, for a short period of time, we will have limited ability to issue Temporary Passports. We will update the travel advice again once we are able to do so. We recommend that tourists visiting Bolivia and residents should register with the British Embassy using LOCATE. See the General section of this advice for more details.
  
  
• We recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. You should check any exclusions and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake. See the General (Insurance) section of this advice and Travel Insurance for more details.