LA PAZ
If you ask any tourist they will think La Paz is the capital of Bolivia but if you ask a Bolivian you will get a mixed answer. La Paz is the second capital while Sucre is the official Capital. Residents of both may disagree. Bolivian politics is confusing, corrupt, sometimes violent and ever changing. La Paz is a city you will probably end up coming back to a few times. It has everything; good food, good markets, good transport with the Teleferico and a very famous prison.
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getting there
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La Paz is a big hub and the traffic is crazy, the airport in El Alto serves international and domestic flights.
The bus station is close to the centre with tonnes of buses leaving each day to places like Uyuni, Copacabana, Coroico, Rurrenabaque, Oruro and Cochabamba. The bus stations around Bolivia have helpful guides at the door telling you how much you should be paying for your ticket so you don’t get ripped off.
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To Stay
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La Paz is a sprawling city of two million. If you want to be by the restaurants and markets then we would recommend to stay by the Mercado de las Brujas. There are plenty of budget options around for you to choose from. Another area to stay in is Sopocachi, this is the upper class area with boutique hostels like Selina. Prices will be slightly higher, although still affordable and the centre isn’t too far away.
Diamante Azul | We went back to La Paz three times, the first time we stayed at Diamanté Azul which was good for the price, a little tired. The double room was the biggest we’ve had and breakfast was included for £20 a night. The breakfast will run out so get there quick.
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Skyline Hostel | One our second and third trip we stayed at the Skyline Hostel. Another good budget hostel in the centre, a double room with private bathroom and breakfast cost £17 a night. Rooms are on the cosy side and the bathroom smelt of the drains but it was fine for what we needed, and for the price. The staff at reception were excellent, offering us a sandwich and coffee because there was a slight delay in checking us in.
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To do
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Visit El Alto | Visit the largest open air market in Bolivia in El Alto and believe us it is huge!! You will find anything and everything. There things that you never even knew could be bought at a market. To get there ride the Red Teleferico line which is fun in itself and gives you amazing views over the city, at only 2Bs (£0.25) each way it’s the cheapest way to get there unless you want to brave the hill and its favelas. As soon as you get out the terminal you can’t miss the market. El Alto is known to be unsafe and it is advised not to go at night time but walking around we never felt unsafe, we never went in the evening and took the usual precautions.
Meet the Witches | Mercado De Las Brujas is known as the witches market. The stalls are full of llama foetuses and powdered concoctions to help with everything from love potions to good luck. Its a serious part of the culture, try not to look like dubious because they will be offended, and if you want to take pictures ask first.
Take a Walking Tour | We love a walking tour and the one we took in La Paz was one of the best. The tours in Bolivia are not free because of a law that was brought in but with Red Cap Walking Tours it is still only £2.50 plus tips. You will start at San Pedro Prison and learn all about the craziness of what goes on inside, visit the witches market and if it’s a weekend then you will visit the city market and learn about the different fruits and vegetables, visit San Fransisco church and head to the Plaza Murillo where the government buildings are to learn about Bolivia politics. You'll see the bullet holes from the last insurrection and the lampost from where a present was hung.
Cycle the Death Road | Just the name Death Road gives you a touch of vertigo but no longer is it the overused and under capacity road made famous by Top Gear, but a cyclists dream. Lots of agencies around La Paz offer the opportunity cycle down The Death Road. The cycle itself is around 4 hours but most tours are a full day. Tours are not cheap, use your splurge money though its well worth it. We recommend Gravity Bolivia 865Bob (£100) for all kit, transfers, guide, snacks and lunch.
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Go Lady Wrestling | Cholita Wrestling. It's a strange concept. The ladies known as Cholitas dress up in wrestling gear and put on a show with all the drama of a soap opera. It's in El Alto and the main event is a Sunday starting at 5pm so a few tour operators will offer transport and your entry ticket. With Red Cap Tours trips are £10.50. It goes on for hours, if you're leaving after dark get a taxi back down the hill or to the Teleferico stop. The Red Line is the closest.
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Learn About San Pedro's Economy | You can no longer party inside the walls of San Pedro Prison (apparently). Once the entrepreneurial Rusty Young was released the cocaine fulled tourist parties ended with robbery, assault and rape. While the prison economy still thrives there, we can't recommend strongly enough that you steer clear of any invite to go inside the walls. Read Marchin' Powder - sometimes fact is stranger than fiction.
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NEXT STOP
As the closest town to Madidi National Park in the Bolivian Amazon we thought Rurrenabaque (Rurre to the locals) would be a small with very few amenities but we were pleasantly surprised. You can feel the difference in temperature...