According to ezinesports, Bolivia (Quechua: Bulibiya, Aymara: Wuliwya, Guaraní: Volívia) is a country in South America bordering Peru, Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, and Chile. Bolivia is said to have been inhabited by Indians as early as 13,000 BC. The capital of Bolivia is Sucre. A number of major cities in Bolivia are: Santa Cruz de La Sierra, La Paz, Cochabamba and El Alto.
Bolivia is known for rugged landscapes and large vineyards. Bolivia also has a volcanic area in the south of the country and the Amazon region. The Bolivian Amazon has, among other things, 2000 different plants and approximately 1200 different bird species. In addition, there is the famous salt flat in Salar Uyuni (approximately 12,000 km²). Bolivia is not yet well known among tourists. See thenailmythology for Bolivia travel package.
Where is Bolivia located?
Travel information of Bolivia
Official name: Plurinational State of Bolivia
Continent: South America
Area: 1,098,581 km²
Capital: Sucre
Country code: BO, BOL
Population: 11,428,245 inhabitants (2019)
Form of government: Republic
Highest point: 6,542 m (Nevado Sajama)
Distance (Amsterdam – Sucre): 10,399 km
Flight time: approx. 15 hours
Travel advice
Current status: All travel to the area north of the city of Cochabamba is discouraged.
Current color code: Yellow and red. Due to this status, a partially negative travel advice
is in effect for Bolivia.
Corona
Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19), there may be (temporary) measures in Bolivia that you as a tourist may have to deal with. For the most up-to-date corona travel advice, please refer to our special coronavirus travel advice page. For the number of current corona infections, number of deaths and various corona-related graphs in Bolivia, please visit Countryaah.
Travel offer
On our travel offer page you will find an overview of reliable travel organizations that offer complete tours and holidays to Bolivia. In addition, you will find an overview of separate travel components (car rental, hotels and airline tickets) with which you can compose your ideal trip yourself.
Travel guides and maps
Are you looking for a travel guide, map, walking map, cycling map, book or DVD about Bolivia?
Weather and climate
The Andes Mountains have a lot of influence on the climate in Bolivia. This mountain range divides the country into different climate zones. In the north it is generally tropical and humid, in the southeast hot and dry, moderately cool in the valleys and cold in the highlands. Depending on the altitude, it gets increasingly colder. The summer and winter periods in Bolivia are opposite to those in the Netherlands.
The current weather (weather forecast) and a weather forecast for Bolivia can be found on our extensive weather page.
Extensive information about the climate of Bolivia can be found at Climate info.
Best time
May, June, July, August and September are the best months to travel to Bolivia. In these months the temperatures are the most pleasant, there is the most to do for tourists and you also avoid the rainy season.
Language
Spanish, Quechua, Aymara, Guaraní and 33 other indigenous languages are all official languages in Bolivia.
Travel documents
You must have a passport that is valid for at least 6 months upon arrival in Bolivia.
A visa is not necessary if you stay in Bolivia for less than 90 days.
Embassies and consulates
Below is an overview of relevant diplomatic representations, including addresses and contact details.
Netherlands Embassy in Peru (also for Bolivia): netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Dutch consulates in Bolivia: netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Bolivian Embassy in the Netherlands: embassyofbolivia.nl.
For urgent assistance, you can contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 24/7 on +31247247247.
Vaccination (inoculation)
Before visiting Bolivia, it is advisable to get one or more vaccinations.
For extensive vaccination advice and to make a vaccination appointment at home, please visit Thuisvaccinatie.nl. You can also see here whether your health insurance reimburses the vaccination(s).
Malaria
Malaria occurs in Bolivia (with the exception of La Paz, Oruro, Potosi, Sucre and Lake Titicaca). Malaria is an infectious disease transmitted by malaria mosquitoes. This infectious disease can lead to death if not treated in time and/or incorrectly.
For prevention and control of malaria, please visit our malaria page.
Money and Currency
In Bolivia, people pay with the Bolivian boliviano (BOB).
The current position of this currency (currency, currency) can be found on our exchange rate page.
An overview of all ATMs in Bolivia can be found on our ATMs page.
Price level
Prices in Bolivia are much lower than in the Netherlands. The price difference with the Netherlands is -47% on average. Some examples are: restaurants (65% cheaper), food (43% cheaper), imported beer in catering (11% cheaper), cigarettes (67% cheaper) and public transport (90% cheaper). Please note that the price difference in tourist areas, especially during high season, may vary.
Tipping
In Bolivia it is customary to tip. If no service costs have been calculated yet, a tip of approximately 10% is given. In smaller restaurants it is sufficient to leave your change.
Time difference
During our summer time it is 6 hours earlier in Bolivia.
During our winter time it is 5 hours earlier in Bolivia.
Bolivia has no difference in winter time and summer time.
The local time, date and time zone for Bolivia can be found on our time difference page.
Traffic and route
In Bolivia you have to drive on the right. You must have an international driver’s license
to drive and/or rent a motor vehicle in Bolivia. The international driver’s license is available at an ANWB shop. With the Google route planner you can compile a route description from, to or within Bolivia.
Electricity In Bolivia you may need an adapter plug and/or converter
in some cases. More information about common plugs and sockets in Bolivia can be found on our electricity page.
Emergency services
If you need help from the police, fire brigade and/or ambulance in an emergency, you can use the emergency numbers below.
– Police: 110
– Fire: 119
– Ambulance: 118
Tap water
It is not recommended to drink water from the tap.
If you are unable to buy bottled water, use a water purifier to purify the water or boil the water for 5 minutes. After this you can safely use it as drinking water and for things like brushing teeth, cleaning lenses and washing vegetables and / or fruit. More information about drinking water and/or the purchase of water purification products can be found on our drinking water page.
News from Bolivia
The latest news related to Bolivia can be found on Google news.
An overview of the newspapers from Bolivia can be found on Abyznewslinks.
Internet
Websites from Bolivia end in.bo.
Telephony
The country code (international access code) to call someone in Bolivia is 00591 or +591.
Do you want to call the Netherlands from Bolivia? Then use the Dutch country code 0031 or +31.
(If using a country code, omit the leading 0 of the number to be called.)
Company details can be found in Bolivia’s Yellow Pages.
Photos and videos
On Flickr you will find a nice collection of photos of Bolivia.
On Youtube you will find a nice collection of videos from Bolivia.
Public holidays
An overview of all public holidays in Bolivia can be found on Beleven.org.
Excursions, activities and day trips
With the help of Countryaah you can reserve an excursion, activity, guided tour, entrance ticket and/or day trip for your stay in Bolivia at a discount. This way you are assured of a place, in some cases you can skip the queue and you can already plan your travel program.
Reviews and travel experiences
On Zoover and TripAdvisor you will find reviews from travelers about accommodations (eg hotels and holiday homes), restaurants and destinations in Bolivia, supplemented with photos, videos and points of interest.
Travelogues
Are you looking for a travelogue about Bolivia?
Here you will find travel reports and experiences of travelers who have previously visited Bolivia. It is also possible to keep a free diary of your trip for family and/or friends.
Nature and world heritage
An overview of the protected nature areas (including national parks, reserves and wildlife parks) in Bolivia can be found on Protected Planet.
An overview of the world heritage sites in Bolivia can be found on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Customs rules
Do you want to know how much you are allowed to import and export when traveling to Bolivia? On the IATA website you will find an overview with the maximum quantities of cigarettes, alcohol, electronics, money and perfume. If you stick to these quantities, you don’t have to declare anything to customs. You will also find the laws and regulations regarding the entry of pets on this website.
Entrepreneurship and doing business
If you are planning to do business in Bolivia, it is wise to prepare well. The Netherlands Enterprise Agency can help you with this. On PaulSourcing.com you will find a large amount of information about Bolivia, including: opportunities, import and export regulations, trade figures, do’s and don’ts, business partners and subsidies.
Relevant legislation
Below you will find relevant legislation and regulations that you may encounter during your visit to Bolivia.
– Alcohol: Buying and/or drinking from the age of 18.
– Alcohol and traffic: The maximum permitted alcohol content is 0.7.
– Tobacco: Unknown
– Smoking ban: No
– Homosexuality: Allowed
Did you know that…
…Lake Titicaca is the highest and deepest lake in the world?
…Bolivia regularly experiences flooding due to the heavy rainfall?
…The largest salt flat in the world can be found in western Bolivia?
…Bolivia has been the largest world producer of tin for decades?
…Approximately 90% of Bolivians are Catholic?
