5 Reasons you Should Visit Bolivia Right Now

Ok… I know I’m a little biased, but I’m telling you, Bolivia is one of a kind!

Growing up in Bolivia, I’ve been able to experience its beauty and I want the same for you! From the highlands to the Amazon rainforest, Bolivia is so diverse, you will definitely find something to enjoy.

Let’s get started…

1. It’s Beautiful!

When most people think of Bolivia, they think about Lago Titicaca (the highest navigable lake in the world) or the Salar de Uyuni (the world’s largest salt flat). While these are the most notable instances of Bolivian beauty (and unforgettable tourist destinations), there is much more to talk about.

For example…

Llamas!

Native to Bolivia, and its national animal, these camel relatives are very useful. From beautiful weavings to delicious food, llamas got it all. I was able to take this picture while driving through the Bolivian country side becuase a pack of llamas decided to block the road!

Urban Flora!

Streets in Sucre, the capital of Bolivia, are riddled with palm trees and my favorite flower, the Santa Rita. My favorite memories of Bolivia are walking down the streets and admiring the beautiful floral colors.

Flamingos!

I was finally able to get a picture of a wild flamingo without it running away at the edge of a lake in Uyuni. I was doing a tour of the salt flats but my group decided to explore a bit more and drive around the back country.

This is what i’m talking about!

Definitely go to the tourist attractions, but don’t miss out on a once in a lifetime opportunity to see something extra.

Side note – Did you know theres also anaconda hunting expeditions?!

2. Great place to learn Spanish

Bolivia is known for not having a distinctive accent in Spanish. This is great because not having an accent allows you to communicate easily with Spanish speakers from all over!

Also, tourism is a large contributor to the Bolivian economy, so people are used to seeing many foreigners. They might assume you speak English and try to practice their English with you but just ask politely to speak in Spanish. As long as your upfront about wanting to practice your Spanish, you’ll have no problems.

Not specific to Bolivia, but learning or practicing a language in its native country is by far one of the best ways to improve. For example, if you constantly have to resort to speaking Spanish to order food, buy bus tickets, make a reservation, etc… you’ll pick Spanish up very quickly.

In my case, I barely spoke Spanish when I moved to Bolivia, but in just a couple of months I was completely fluent!

P.S… If you’re having trouble learning Spanish, read this!

3. Very cheap

Like many South American countries, Bolivia is so cheap!

Don’t believe me?

Here i’m going to list off the price of a few things (provided by bolivianexperts.com) and you can decide for yourself:

• Fancy restaurant dinner – $20
• One night at a 3 star hotel – $35
• Street food – $1
• Bus fare – 30¢
• Museum entrace fee – $3

4. Food = Scrumptious

The good thing about Bolivian food, it’s not only cheap, but delicious as well! Traditional plates include Picante de Pollo, Salteñas, cuñapés, etc…

Picante de Pollo is a traditional Bolivian dish, characterized by its spicy taste and red pigment. It’s usually eaten on August 6th (Bolivian independence day), but you can find it year round. A special component to this dish is Chuños, which is a dehydrated potato included in many Andian recipies.

Salteñas are a type of empanada (like a pastry turnover) filled with meat, potatoes, peas, and egg. The contrast between a slightly sweet dough and the rich fillings creates a deliciously unique taste. I find this contrast is fairly common in Bolivian foods but not so much in the U.S.

5. Culture…

Bolivian people are hospitable and kind. Theres always a buzz of chatter since everybody simply must stop and catch up with friends on the street.

My favorite thing about Bolivian culture, though, has got to be the celebrations seemingly every other day! From Carnaval to Las Alacitas, some sort of social gathering is always taking place.

In Sucre, every Sunday the center of the city is blocked off for cars because of peatonalización (pedestrianization). This is the city’s way of encouraging more walking instead of using vehicles. If you walk around, you can see cultural demonstrations, outdoor cafes and restaurants, and even public chess boards.

I loved going to the city center every Sunday with my friends! It’s the little things like this that made me love living in Bolivia.

Thanks for making it this far! Feel free to leave a comment and check out some recent posts below!