Hotels and Hostels in La Paz (Book Online!)

We’re at the end of our three month stay in Bolivia: one of the most incredible periods in our lives. In the past 91 days, we’ve seen more amazing places and done more exciting things than I could ever have anticipated. It’s been an experience that we’ll never forget.

Bolivia has left us exhausted. Beaten down, dirty, haggard, semi-cripples. We usually stay three months in a city, and this is the first time we’ve decided to jump around an entire country. Turns out, Bolivia is way too big to see in three months! We completely missed huge regions, such as Tarija. The entire eastern section of Bolivia received short shrift; we only had time for a few quick posts from Santa Cruz, and never got a chance to see the Chaco.

Still, the things we did see will be etched into our memories forever. The clean white horizons of Uyuni’s salt flats; the most bizarre area I’ve ever visited. The heartbreaking city of Potosí, under the shadow of the massive Cerro Rico — pillaged and past its prime, a living metaphor for the city that it once made unfathomably rich. The charming colonial heritage of Sucre, a city with an easy way of life we never expected to find in Bolivia.

La Paz! The bustling markets, filled with every color imaginable, from the bright reds and yellows of the fresh fruits available on every corner, to the neon greens and purples on the blankets of the Cholitas who dominate paceño street life. Packed into a gorgeous mountain valley, La Paz is desperately, almost frighteningly alive.

Cochabamba and its surrounding villages. Villa Tunari. The Isla de Sol. The rate at which we racked up incredible memories was almost nauseating. No chance to reflect on the mountain village festival, time to go on the jungle hike! Even on those rare nights we were able to rest, we kept ourselves busy by reading about the country’s tragic history, or hanging out with some of the cool people we were lucky enough to meet.

I can’t say we’re upset to leave. We’re sick of constantly being on the move, and both of us are ready for the comfort and amenities of Europe. For example, I’m looking very much forward to being able to flush toilet paper, instead of shoving it into overflowing bins. But regardless of the difficulties and the exhausting nature of our schedule, Bolivia has earned a spot in my heart from which it will never be dislodged. It’s the most beautiful country I’ve ever visited, and one I’ll never be able to forget.

Next, we’re onto Palermo, Italy, after a month-long break at our home base in Valencia, Spain. We hope that you continue to follow our travels.

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Santa Cruz is in Bolivia’s Amazonian Basin, surrounded by jungles, with the hot, humid climate of a rain forest. So the existence of a massive field of sand dunes just sixteen kilometers south of the city is a geological marvel. On our very last day in Bolivia, we visited Las Lomas de Arena, declared a National Park in 1990.

There wasn’t much practical information online about the dunes, so we arrived woefully unprepared. Entry to the park costs ten Bolivianos per person (about $0.14), but the gate is almost two miles away from the sand. Luckily, our taxi agreed to drive us most of the way, until the path became too difficult to navigate. The dunes were visible in the distance, so we paid the fare and prepared ourselves for a hike.

But boy, we picked the wrong day to visit sand dunes! A strong wind was gusting down from the north, sending sand flying at incredible velocities. Protecting our faces as best we could, we clambered to the top of the first dune and discovered a beautiful lagoon on the other side. The park is home to 286 different bird species who use the safety of the dunes’ lagoons for rest. We spotted a small falcon, and some other birds… that were colorful … Sorry, I’m not an ornithologist. But they were definitely birds.

Though our skin was under ceaseless attack by thousands of little sand bullets, we endeavored to explore a bit. But after thirty minutes of misery, with our eyes shielded and unable to enjoy the view, we decided to cut the trip short. Unfortunately the park’s entrance was over two miles away, but we got lucky and waved down a semi-truck going in our direction. For the price of a coke, the driver agreed to take us the rest of the way.

It wasn’t the most successful trip, but Las Lomas de Arena is a strange and beautiful spot. The heavy winds were bad luck, but in retrospect, we should have chosen to go with an organized tour operator that offered explorations in 4x4s. It’s the perfect area for that kind of excursion, and would have been worth the extra cost.

Location on our Bolivia Map
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