South America and South Atlantic Islands

Bolivia

Still current at: 30 August 2008

Updated: 26 August 2008

Terrorism

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.

For more general information see Terrorism Abroad.

 
Crime

You should be vigilant and cautious about your surroundings on arrival and while travelling in Bolivia because of the number of violent crimes against foreign nationals, including British visitors.  You should exercise caution when choosing which type of transport to travel in.  Look out for established transport companies and ask widely for guidance - you should avoid people offering cheaper transport, particularly, but not exclusively, at the popular overland Copacabana crossing point from Peru.  This has been a regular starting point of violent, and sometimes life-threatening, attacks and abductions.

Beware of individuals offering help at taxi points at bus terminals where many thieves work in teams throughout the day and night to distract their victims.  They are quick and effective once they have a target in view.  If you do use a taxi look out for a "radio taxi" (identifiable by the telephone number prominently displayed on the vehicle's roof), and make a note of the taxi's registration number and telephone number before starting your journey.  Such taxis should carry no other passengers. 

Some criminals pose as police officers and act in collusion with bogus taxi drivers to target foreigners on arrival.  Their tactics have included using bogus police stations to fool victims.  If you suspect that impostors are targeting you, take note that you cannot be searched without a written order from a state prosecutor. 

You should also be aware of the risk of so called "express kidnappings" - short-term, opportunistic abductions, aimed at extracting cash from the victim - that are occurring in Bolivia.  Victims are normally selected at random and held while criminals empty their bank accounts with stolen cash cards, or use their credit cards.  Once the criminals have managed to obtain two or three days money from the ATM, the victim is usually quickly released. Foreign visitors are particularly vulnerable when entering Bolivia on overland border points with Peru and Chile, such as Desaguadero and Copacabana, and in transit to La Paz. Visitors travelling from Copacabana to La Paz should try to get direct buses.  All travellers should exercise caution on arrival, especially in the Cementerio General area in La Paz where a number of incidents have been reported. As an illustration, a British citizen was physically attacked and robbed of belongings late at night in El Alto on his way from Copacabana to La Paz on what appeared to be public transport.  There have also been recent incidents in the Sopocachi area of La Paz. 

Petty criminals are common in central La Paz and other destinations popular with tourists. They are a common danger, especially on buses and in crowded areas and we have received numerous reports of bags being stolen.

You should always keep your passport, air ticket and other valuable items, especially bankcards, in a safe location.  You should also keep a copy of your passport, in case you lose the original, to facilitate a more rapid replacement.

For more general information see Victims of Crime Abroad.

 
Political Situation

Bolivia Country Profile

 

Local Travel

The current delicate political situation in Bolivia means that there is a risk of public disturbances.  Demonstrations, which could turn violent, can break out at short notice.  You should therefore take care to avoid all demonstrations.

The rainy season normally runs from November to March; landslides in mountainous areas and impassable roads are a regular occurrence at that time.

Social protest is the traditional way of gaining government attention to address local, regional and national issues of concern.  You should avoid all protests.  Although most are peaceful, some can turn to violence. Strikes and demonstrations, of which there is a constant risk in Bolivia, can affect local travel including the interdepartmental bus routes.  You should exercise caution and avoid protests wherever possible. Travel is likely to be disrupted.  As of 26 August, there are roadblocks preventing access to the city of Sucre.  Blockades have also been established on the main international roads from Argentina and Paraguay in Tarija and Chuquisaca departments (Camiri, Villamontes and Yacuiba in the Chaco region). There is currently the risk of violent protests in Santa Cruz province, especially the city of Santa Cruz.  Visitors there should avoid large crowds where possible.  

Groups often use road blockades as a form of protest, and such blockades can arise with no warning. You are advised not to attempt to cross these blockades. Access to airports can sometimes be difficult during times of significant protest.  You should maintain contact with your airline/tour operator before travelling, and in country you should monitor local media reports for up to date information.

Road Travel

 

Hire cars are available, but you will need an international driving licence.

 

Traffic is usually light, both on the main highways and unpaved roads.  But there is little control of vehicle road-worthiness and serious accidents do occur on the main tourist routes.  May drivers do not have licences and commercial operators drive for well over the time permitted in comparison with European laws.  There are also no controls over drink driving.  Some of Bolivia’s principal roads are paved, but of variable quality.  Most roads are unpaved rough tracks, which are graded from time to time.  4-wheel drive vehicles are often the best means of transport, especially during the rainy season, which can make roads completely impassable for days.  Broken-down vehicles with no warning lights are a frequent hazard on roads at night.

 

In the main cities, taxis are plentiful and cheap (but see Crime section above relating to bogus taxi drivers).  But many taxis do not meet European standards and rarely have seat belts.  There have been a number of recent accidents involving public transport, especially long distance buses.

For more general information see Driving Abroad.

   

River Travel

You can take boat trips on Lake Titicaca but you should be aware that the craft are often very basic. 

For more general information see River and Sea Safety.

Bolivia is the world’s third largest producer of cocaine.  In their efforts to control the production, the government have harsh penalties for those caught trafficking or in possession.  The minimum sentence is eight years.  You should therefore be very careful with your luggage and belongings and avoid any contact with prohibited drugs.

 

You should also be careful especially when carrying cameras or binoculars when travelling off the beaten track, particularly in coca-growing areas such as the Chapare and the Yungas. 

You should also check before taking photographs of the local population.

 

Homosexuality is not illegal, but is frowned upon by the majority of Bolivians, more so in the Altiplano than in Santa Cruz, where attitudes tend to be more liberal.  

For more general information for different types of travellers see Travel Advice Relevant to You.

Visa

As a British visitor to Bolivia, you do not need a visa. The length of stay permitted on entering Bolivia is 30 days.  This can be extended for a further 60 days, at no extra charge, provided you apply before the end of the 30 day period at the Department of Immigration offices throughout the country.  If you want to stay longer you should seek advice from the Bolivian Consulate.  Long-stay travellers should report on arrival in Bolivia to the Department of Immigration office in La Paz at Avenida Camacho No. 1468 to obtain the necessary endorsement in their passport.  On 29 August 2007 the Bolivian authorities introduced new regulations which require that all visitors arriving by air should be able to produce return air ticket or other proof of how they are planning to leave the country at the end of their stay.

Passport validity
 
Passports should have a validity of at least six months from the date of arrival in Bolivia.

Travelling with children

Single parents or other adults travelling alone with children should be aware that Bolivian authorities require documentary evidence of parental responsibility before allowing lone parents to enter the country or, in some cases, before permitting the children to leave the country.   For further information on exactly what will be required at immigration please contact the Bolivian Embassy in London.

 

Yellow Fever Certificates

 

The Bolivian authorities are requesting that all travellers who arrive from Brazil or Paraguay should show valid Yellow Fever vaccination certificates.

Medical facilities in the largest cities are good, and they are acceptable in the main tourist areas.  However, outside those areas the facilities may not be to the standards expected.

Dengue fever is common to Latin America and the Caribbean and can occur throughout the year.  In 2007 there was a marked increase in the number of reported cases of dengue across the region. The areas most affected are the regions of Santa Cruz and Beni, centred around the city of Trinidad, and within Santa Cruz city itself.  The rainy season floods in these areas have also led to a greater threat of disease.  

There were a number of cases of Yellow Fever in the Yungas (La Paz department) and in the Chapare (Tropic of Cochabamba).  Following the heavy rains and flooding in early 2007, there have been reports of yellow fever in the regions of Cochabamba, Santa Cruz and Beni. When outbreaks occur, the government sets up vaccination points at police checkpoints.  At each of these, you may be vaccinated if you do not hold a valid Yellow Fever vaccination certificate.

There is a high incidence of malaria in lowland tropical areas (Beni and Pando) and the area known as Chaco in the south (Yacuiba, Paracari).  There have also been outbreaks of leptospirosis in rural areas of Chuquisaca.

In the 2006 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic the UNAIDS/WHO Working Group estimated that around 6,800 adults aged 15 or over in Bolivia were living with HIV; the prevalence rate was estimated at around 0.1% of the adult population. This compares to the prevalence rate in adults in the UK of around 0.2%.  You should exercise normal precautions to avoid exposure to HIV/AIDS. For more general information on how to do this see HIV and AIDS.

You should seek medical advice before travelling to Bolivia and ensure that all appropriate vaccinations are up-to-date.  For further information on vaccination requirements, health outbreaks and general disease protection and prevention you should visit the websites of the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) and NHS Scotland’s Fit for Travel or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

For more general health information see Travel Health.

 

Natural Disasters

 

Floods and landslides, especially in mountainous areas, are a regular feature of the Bolivian rainy season, which runs from November to March.  Roads are frequently impassable for days at a time.  (See Local Travel section for the latest situation).

Insurance

 

We strongly 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. For more general information see Travel Insurance. Some activities, such as mountain biking, are classified as hazardous and may be excluded in personal insurance policies.

If things do go wrong when you are overseas then this is How We Can Help.

Registration

Register with our LOCATE service to tell us when and where you are travelling abroad or where you live abroad so our consular and crisis staff can provide better assistance to you in an emergency.  More information about registering with LOCATE can be found here.

Identification

 

You are required to carry some form of identification at all times, in case it is requested by the police.  You can carry photocopies of the relevant pages from your passport, ensuring that you keep the original in a safe place.  Should you lose your passport or other documents, the Consular Section of the British Embassy will do their best to help you with replacements.  For this reason, you are strongly advised to keep separately a photocopy of your passport and also register with the British Embassy on arrival.

 

Passports

 

The British Embassy in Bolivia does not have the facility to issue full passports.  You are advised to check the validity of your passport and, if necessary, to renew it before travelling.  You should ensure that you enter next of kin details in the back page of your passport.  The Embassy can accept applications for new passports, which will be forwarded to the British Consulate General in Rio de Janeiro for processing.  You should allow 4 to 6 weeks for receipt of the new passport.  If you lose a passport while in Bolivia, you must report this immediately to the police and obtain a police report.  The British Embassy does have the facility to issue you with a Temporary Passport, valid for up to one year, to facilitate onward travel.

 

Money

 

Banking facilities are good in all of the main Bolivian cities.  You can access your money via ATMs, which cater for Visa, Cirrus, and Mastercard.