World City Guide

Mini Guide of La Paz

City Overview

La Paz will take your breath away. No, really. Flying straight into the world’s highest airport with an altitude of 4,050m (13,287 feet) is potentially a one-way ticket to altitude sickness. You will miss your usual share of oxygen at this altitude, so take it easy at first and drink lots of coca tea. Otherwise, just going for lunch feels like running a marathon. Once you are acclimatised, La Paz offers bustling street life, lively nightlife and a giant outdoor market. Better still, the Bolivian capital remains one of the best value cities south of Miami. Straddled between the windswept Altiplano and the tropical Yungas region, La Paz has prospered as Bolivia’s commercial centre ever since Simon Bolivar’s army entered the city on February 9, 1825. Today the city is a vibrant mix of indigenous Andean culture and post-colonial big city living. The legacy of the Spanish conquest (1535 to 1825) is still evident in the façades of buildings around Plaza Murillo. But head south down Avenida Arce and the cityscape shifts to high-rise blocks and modern apartments. In October 2003 a popular uprising unceremoniously dumped the previous US-backed Bolivian president, Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada. Calm has since been restored to the streets of La Paz but sporadic strikes and protests still arise.

Getting There By Air

El Alto International Airport (LPB)
Tel: (02) 281 0240.

Located 12km (8 miles) southwest of downtown La Paz and connected by a motorway tollroad, the airport is served by a handful of international airlines, including Aerolineas Argentinas, American Airlines and Varig, plus the national carrier Lloyd Aereo Boliviano (tel: (02) 237 1020; website: www.labairlines.com).

Airport facilities include ATMs, bureau de change, duty-free, coffee shop, news stand, internet access and car hire all available at the airport. There are no business facilities at the airport, apart from a public Internet cafe-style area.

Minibuses depart every 15 minutes outside the terminal and head for Plaza Isabel la Catolica via the Prado. Otherwise the best advice is to bargain hard with the awaiting horde of taxi drivers, though many new arrivals have complained of being ripped off. Some upscale hotels will also arrange airport transfers at a premium.

Getting There By Water

Getting There By Road

Some would suggest that driving in Bolivia is only for the truly brave. Others would say that it is plain stupid. In a country where paved roads as a share of total roads account for only 7%, driving is generally a skill best reserved for Bolivia’s army of mirco (minibus) drivers, who are well versed in negotiating the lethal combination of steep mountain roads and poor road surfaces. Worse still, 80% of roads are affected by flooding during the rainy season (December to March). If you do drive, keep to the right and make sure you have good insurance. Seat belts are required to be worn by law in the front seat of vehicles only (in reality, however, this law is not heavily enforced). The maximum limit of alcohol for drivers is 330ml of alcoholic drink before getting into their vehicle (this is enforced under Bolivian driving law). Heading to La Paz, the Titicaca road leading south from Lake Titicaca is paved and enters the city through the suburbs of El Alto, as does the Tiahuanaco route heading east from the Inca ruins at Tiahuanaco. For commercial traffic, however, it is the Ruta Nacional no.1 heading north from Oruro that makes for the main thoroughfare. All are well served by a slew of bus companies with domestic and international connections coordinated from the expansive Terminal de Buses in Plaza Antofagasta. For more details about road conditions, contact the Automovil Club Boliviano (tel: (02) 237 2139; website: www.acbbolivia.com).

Getting There By Rail

There are no rail connections to La Paz. The nearest train station is located at Oruro; the Empresa Ferroviaria Andina (website: www.fca.com.bo) has details of itineraries.

Getting Around

Like most South American cities, La Paz runs primarily on buses. The city’s deregulated public transport network is crowded, cheap and slightly chaotic, with routes usually marked on cards and tucked behind the windscreen. Do as the locals do: simply flag one down and wade in. Beware of pickpockets.

Taxis
Much of downtown La Paz is negotiable on foot but taxis are especially useful for those steep ascents. Collective taxis charge a low flat-rate fare but will stop en route to pick up other passengers. Radio taxis (identified by their roof sign) may charge more but are generally more reputable, especially after dark. Simply flag them down, always agree on fares upfront and make sure that you have lots of small denomination coins - nobody ever, ever has any change. There are lots of private taxis on the road so, if alone, it is best to head for the busy taxi ranks outside the Radisson Hotel on Avenida Arce or Plaza Isabel la Catolica.

Car Hire
To hire a car you will have to be aged over 25, and have your national driving licence and passport. You will also need to present an international credit card. Costs are generally high and you should expect to pay a deposit of up to US$1,000. Always check very carefully what is included in the hire company’s insurance and consider getting your own personal documentation translated into Spanish before arrival. Major providers include Kolla Motors (tel: (02) 241 9141; website: www.kollamotors.com) and Petita Rent-a-Car (tel: (02) 242 0329; website: www.rentacarpetita.com).

Bicycle & Scooter Hire
To rent two-wheeled transport, head for the ex-pat run biking specialist, Gravity Assisted Mountain Biking (tel: (02) 231 3849; website: www.gravitybolivia.com), located just off the Prado in Edificio Avenida. Cycling around the city can be even more hazardous than driving so care should be taken.

Business

Business Etiquette
Business hours are Mon-Fri 0930-1230 and 1400-1800; downtown La Paz can feel very quiet on Saturday afternoons and Sundays. When conducting international business, Bolivians tend to be well presented, courteous and respectful, addressing each other as ‘Señor’ (Mr) or ‘Señora’ (Mrs). They expect the same of their guests. They are, however, notorious for their poor time-keeping. By all means make appointments but do not be surprised if the other person is 30 minutes late, or be annoyed when they think this is a perfectly normal turn of events. The Latin ‘mañana’ spirit, it seems, lives on in Bolivia. Finally, always try to carry an umbrella. La Paz is prone to flash rain showers and it will save you turning up to a meeting looking wet and dishevelled.

Sightseeing

Sightseeing Overview
La Paz may lack the museums of Lima and the cultural life of Buenos Aires, but it more than compensates for these shortcomings with its vibrant street life – from the stalls that line the Prado, the city's main artery, to the sprawling market area southwest of Plaza San Francisco. The must-see Museo de la Coca tackles the thorny issue of coca with an informed and objective jaunt through the history of the much-maligned coca leaf. It is a thought-provoking one hour visit, after which you can make up your own mind or ask questions of the friendly staff. More unusual is the Mercado de Hechiceria (Witches’ Market), where potions and charms designed to placate the Aymara spirit world are readily available. The perennial bestseller is the dried llama foetus, a ghoulish charred skeleton to be buried in the foundations of new homes or offices to ensure future prosperity.

Tourist Information
The Bolivian Ministry of Tourism
Edificio Palacio de Comunicaciones Piso 16
Tel: (02) 236 7464.
Website: www.desarrollo.gov.bo/turismo/turismo/default.htm

Key Attractions

Museo de Coca
The city’s best museum tackles the thorny issue of coca with an informed and objective jaunt through the history of the much-maligned coca leaf. Surprisingly insightful, it leaves you to make up your own mind about a continually contentious topic.

Calle Linares 906
Tel: (02) 231 1998.
Website: www.cocamuseum.com

Museo Nacional de Arte
La Paz’s finest baroque building includes a collection of Andean art classics spread across three floors, including works by Bolivia’s best-known artist, Melchor Pérez de Holguin.

Calle Socabaya 432
Tel: (02) 240 8600.
Website: www.mna.org.bo

The Mercado de Hechiceria (Witches' Market)
The Mercado de Hechiceria, where potions and charms designed to placate the Aymara spirit world are readily available, is La Paz’s most colourful site. The perennial bestseller is the dried llama foetus, a ghoulish charred skeleton to be buried in the foundations of new homes or offices to ensure future prosperity.

Calle Linares between Sagarnaga and Santa Cruz.

Museo de Arte Contemporaneo Plaza
This popular museum has three floors of modern artworks set in a striking old colonial building (Gustave Eiffel was involved in the design), plus a peaceful on-site cafe. The standard of the works can be variable, but the setting is attractive.

Avenida 16 de Julio 1698
Tel: (02) 233 5905.

Museo Costumbrista
La Paz’s best-preserved colonial street is home to four traditional museums of which the Museo Costumbrista, with displays on La Paz’s colourful history and characters, is the most rewarding. The ticket is valid for the other museums in the street.

Calle Jaén corner with Sucre
Tel: (02) 237 8478.

Further Distractions

Museo Nacional de Etnografia
Housed in a historic building, this museum explores indigenous Indian culture through its arts and crafts, such as weavings and masks. One for anthropology buffs.

Calle Ingavi 916
Tel: (02) 235 8559.

La Paz Zoo
Set amid one of the city’s few open spaces, La Paz Zoo houses the animals in a park-like setting. A great spot for families, although often packed on Sundays. Located on the road to Rio Abajo, Zona Sur.

Tours of the City

Magriturismo (tel: (02) 244 2727; website: www.magri-amexpress.com.bo) offers a city tour of La Paz by bus with two daily departures in the morning and afternoon. The tour, which takes in the city’s main sights from Plaza San Francisco to Zona Sur, lasts around four hours. Tickets available from the Magriturismo office in Calle Capitan Revelo.

For something a bit different, Calacoto Tours at the Hotel Calacoto (tel: (02) 279 2524; website: www.hotel-calacoto-bolivia.com) arranges two-hour horseback or horse and carriage tours of the valley around Zona Sur with the option of a picnic or barbecue lunch.

Excursions

The favourite escape from La Paz is a trip to Lake Titicaca, the world’s highest navigable lake straddling the Peruvian/Bolivian border at 3,962m (13,000 feet). It’s an easy three-hour bus journey along paved roads and the view from the window is always spectacular. Travellers congregate in Copacabana, famous for its Cathedral with its black wooden statue of the Virgin Mary, while a boat trip to the Isla del Sol is a truly serene experience. Turisbus, Avenida Illampu 704 (tel: (02) 245 1341; website: www.turisbus.com) will organise transport plus lunch at its smart hotel on the shores of Titicaca, Hotel Rosario del Lago (website: www.hotelrosario.com/lago).

Sport

Shopping

You’ll have to head to the wealthy suburb of Zona Sur for La Paz’s boutique shopping experience, but closer to the centre there are plenty of craft and artisan stalls dotted around Plaza San Francisco to keep the budding bargain hunter busy. The sprawling market behind the cathedral is chaotic but fun to snoop around, while more orderly is Calle Sagarnaga, the traveller hub for buying alpaca sweaters, ponchos and jewellery. Bargain hard for good prices and don’t be afraid to shop around.

Two shops worth a look include Galeria Millma, Calle Sagarnaga 225 (website: www.millmaalpaca.com) open 0930-1230 and 1500-1930), which has a great selection of textiles and alpaca goods made in their own factory. Artesania Sorata, Calle Sagarnaga 311; open 0930-1900 Mon-Sat; 1000-1800 Sun), specialises in weavings made by a women’s cooperative.

Culture

La Paz’s cultural powerhouse is the Casa de la Cultura Franz Tamayo on the corner Avenida Mariscal Santa Cruz and Calle Potosi (tel: (02) 240 6877), where a range of galleries, concerts and events are arranged – they are generally free to enter. Film fans flock to the Cine Monje Campero, Avenida 16 de Julio (tel: (02) 232 3333), the city’s most modern cinema and home to the most recent international film releases. La Paz has its own ballet and symphony, while the Teatro Municipal, on the corner of Calles Sanjines and Indaburo, is home to the local theatre company. The small international community can be found frequenting events organised at the smart new Alianza Francesa, Calle Guachalla 399 on the corner with Avenida 20 de Octubre (tel: (02) 242 5004; website: www.afbolivia.org) or the Goethe Institut, Avenida 6 de Agosto 2118 (tel: (02) 244 2453; website: www.goethe.de/lapaz); both have small language libraries and offer courses. Cultural events for the month ahead are posted outside the Biblioteca Municipal (Municipal Library) in Plaza del Estudiante (website: www.bibliotecamunicipal.gov.bo) and in the foyer of the Casa de la Cultura Franz Tamayo. Otherwise check listings with the local newspaper, La Razon (website: www.la-razon.com).

Nightlife

The two main areas for going out are in Sopocachi, especially around Plaza Avaroa, and the streets around Plaza San Francisco. The former attracts a more local, residential crowd while the latter is the preferred traveller hang-out. Friday is the big night out in La Paz with bars open into the early hours and most places only getting going after 2300; weekdays are quiet but better for an intimate drink.

Mongo’s, Calle Hermanos Manchego 2444, in Sopocachi, is the city’s main expat hang out with a late bar and dancefloor for fraternizing with the locals. In the same area, The Lounge, Calle Presbitero Medina 2527, is a funky, arty café bar with snacks, cocktails and a more refined vibe, and RamJam, Calle Presbitero Medina 2421, is the place for cocktails and dinner early in the evening, dancing and drinking after midnight make this the current hot spot in town. In the San Francisco district, candlelight and occasional live music make Sol y Luna, Calle Murillo 999, a perennial favourite for locals and travellers seeking a less hectic night out, while La Luna, Calle Oruro 197, is the last place to close in town and this is where you’ll find those seeking to continue the fiesta into the early hours.

Dragonfly, Calle Fernando Guachalla 319, is a cool disco bar with an older crowd and see-and-be-seen kind of atmosphere, while Forum, Calle Victor Sanjines 2908, is the teenagers’ favourite club, and a place to spot the latest Latin sounds and fashion trends. Both are located in Sopocachi.

Puerta del Sol folk pub, Calle Max Paredes on the corner with Sagarnaga, San Francisco, is the place for folk live music, while jazz aficionados should head for Thelonious Jazz Bar, Avenida 20 de Octubre 2172 in Sopocachi.

City Statistics

Location: Landlocked at the heart of Andean South America, bordered by Brazil, Peru, Chile, Argentina and Paraguay.
Country dialling code: + 591.
Time zone: GMT – 4.
Electricity: 110 volts, 50Hz; US-style flat two-pin plugs.
Average January temp: 13°C (55°F).
Average July temp: 12°C (54°F).
Annual rainfall: 600mm (23 inches).

Special Events

Alisitas Fair, late Jan, a La Paz tradition, held in Parque Central and around Plaza Sucre
Carnival, early Feb, celebrations around Plaza San Francisco get rowdy with water bombs
Festival de Gran Poder, end of May, the city is filled with parades and dancers in colourful costumes lining the Prado
Aymara New Year, the Bolivian winter solstice on June 21st, is celebrated with firework displays and bonfires, with the ruins of Tiahuanaco providing the focus
Independence Day, Aug 6, is marked by a loud gun salute and parades through
New Year’s Eve Party, Dec 31, comes accompanied by fireworks at midnight in Plaza San Francisco

Cost of Living

1 Boliviano (B) = £0.07; US$0.12; C$0.14; A$0.16; ¬0.10
Currency conversion rates as of October 2005