Bolivia

Travel Facts

City Codes
CBB: Cochabamba
LPB: La Paz
SRE: Sucre
VVI: Santa Cruz
TJA: Tarija
Entry requirements: Valid U.S. passport.
Taxes/Surcharges: International departure tax: $25. Hotel taxes and service charges: Vary by city and are normally included in price of tour packages.
Tipping: Service is included in restaurant bill; it is not necessary to tip. Taxi drivers own their own cabs and do not expect a tip, except for long trips.
Currency: Boliviano. Exchange available at hotels, tourist agencies and banks. Banking hours are 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon and 2:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Monday thru Friday.
Shopping: Shop for vicu and alpaca knitted and woven goods (rugs, ponchos, sweaters, wall hangings). Good buys in gold, silver and leather goods. Also, stop by the Witch's Market in La Paz for a fascinating view into Bolivian folk medicine. Here one may purchase exotic herbs and remedies for ailments and prevention. Also popular are musical instruments, such as the charango (mandolin with armadillo shell sound box) and the quena (Inca flute). Wooden carvings are also popular purchases.
Food and Drink: Despite being landlocked, fish is among the specialties served in Bolivia. Freshwater trout from Lake Titicaca's icy waters and Surubi River fish are tasty examples. Typical foods can be exotic - tropical fruits from the jungle lowlands, chuno (pressed dehydrated, frozen and re-constituted potatoes), salteno (spicy meat pies), sulpancho (fried breaded meat with eggs, rice and bananas) and picante de gallina (peppery chicken stew) to name a few. Yungueno (grape brandy with tangerine or orange juice) is the popular cocktail. Local beers are excellent.
Telephone Area Codes:(591) country code: La Paz (2), Cochabamba (42), Sucre (64), Troija (66) and Santa Cruz (33).

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