Life in Bolivia - The Telegraph - UK
David Atkinson says that despite political and social problems, scratch beneath the surface and you'll
find Bolivia to be the most diverse country in the Americas.
David Atkinson is a British travel writer based in La Paz, Bolivia, where he works as a correspondent
for a range of publications. He is currently (2007) authoring the new Bradt Travel Guide: Bolivia, a
huge task which involves travelling the length and breadth of the country to uncover the fledgling
tourist industry in Latin America's next most-likely tourism hotspot.
When not travelling, David enjoys a decent llama steak, a drop of Tarija red and lazy days in La Paz
with his Bolivian girlfriend.
The poorest country in South America with a GNI per capita of US$890 (World Bank, 2003), Bolivia
has traditionally lacked the resources to promote its fledgling tourism industry. Latest figures (2003)
from the Bolivian Ministry of Tourism indicate just 352,575 annual foreign tourist arrivals. Yet, despite
a raft of political and social problems, scratch beneath the surface and you'll find the most diverse
country in the Americas.
Geography: Landlocked at the heart of Andean South America, bordered by Brazil, Peru, Chile,
Argentina and Paraguay, Bolivia is often called the Nepal of the Americas due to its high altitude. If
you’re looking for the world’s highest airport, the world’s highest zoo or world’s highest ski resort, you’
ve come to the right place.
However, you’ll miss your usual share of oxygen at this altitude, so take it easy at first and drink lots of
the local coca tea. One of the country’s geographical highlights are the vast and relatively
undiscovered national park areas.
Bolivia now has 22 national parks, representing 16 per cent of the country’s total land mass. The best
known is Madidi, with an area of 1.9m hectares, which commands 11 per cent of the world’s species
of flora and fauna.
People and Culture: The population of Bolivia is 8.7 million, of which 70 per cent live below poverty
line at latest estimates, many surviving on just US$2 a day.
The indigenous population is in the majority in Bolivia, accounting for 62 per cent. Overall the ethnic
groups are comprised of 30 per cent Quechua speakers and 25 per cent Aymara speakers; only 45
per cent of the population regard Spanish as their mother tongue.
This high percentage of indigenous people lends Bolivia a strong ethnic influence, making it hugely
diverse – but also provoking regular stand-offs between indigenous groups and what is perceived as
the European-descended European political elite.
Lifestyle: The north/south divide is alive and well and living in Bolivia. Strongly influenced by the
climate, the south, with Santa Cruz as its economic powerhouse capital, is tropical and Latino with a
strong outdoor culture. The high-altitude Altiplano, however, with La Paz as its primary city, is colder,
more reserved and more formal.
According to the World-wide Quality of Life Survey (Mercer Human Resource Consulting, March 2005)
La Paz ranks in 135th place, behind Latin American urban centres Buenos Aires (78), Santiago (81),
Rio de Janeiro (116) and Lima (123). Santa Cruz comes in at 143 behind Caracas (138) and Bogota
(141).
Media and Communications: The internet revolution is well and truly underway in Bolivia with internet
cafes on every corner, charging as little as 3Bolivianos/hour – that’s US$0.30 – in La Paz, rising to
16Bs (US$2) in more remote areas.
If you’re bringing your mobile phone, you can buy a local mobile phone ‘chip’ for Movil de Entel (www.
movil.com.bo), then recharge cards. Off the beaten track, however, finding a landline – let alone
getting a mobile signal – can be quite a challenge. According to local newspaper La Razon (www.la-
razon.com), 80 per cent of the population still has no access to a telephone line.
International media such as Newsweek can be found at news kiosks along the Prado, the main
thoroughfare in La Paz. Try to pick up a copy of the Llama Express (web: www.theexpress.org), a
monthly English-language newspaper run by volunteer staff from an office in La Paz (although other
destinations are covered).
Property: There are generally two options to find a flat. You either rent or arrange an ‘anticretico’, a
uniquely Latino system whereby you pay a large sum up front, but then – wait for it – get your money
back when you move out (like an interest-free loan).
Rents are typically around US$250/month for decent place in La Paz (ask for ‘calefon’, a hot water
system, and don’t expect heaters), slightly higher in Santa Cruz, where air conditioning is a must.
If you do take the ‘anticretico’ route, do so with caution. Get the contract drawn up and witnessed by a
lawyer with all parties present. Then ask your lawyer to sort out registering your interest in the property
with the office of ‘Derechos Reales’.
It’s a simple and inexpensive procedure that secures your interest over the property and prevents the
owner from selling it without giving you your money back. It also enables you to recover your money if
the owner tries to evade his commitment.
Dining and Entertainment: Eating out is cheap and satisfying, but international-standard eateries are
limited, especially outside of big cities. Vegetarians will struggle while those in the know make the
most of the generous and good-value set lunches, sticking to a lighter meal in the evening.
There are small international communities to be found in the major cities. In La Paz, they can be
found frequenting the bars around Sopocachi, or at events organised at the smart new Alianza
Francesa (web: www.afbolivia.org) or the Goethe Institut (web: www.goethe.de/lapaz); both have
small language libraries and offer courses.
While protests rarely impact on the daily lives of foreigners beyond this inconvenience, embassies in
La Paz do advise the expatriate community to exercise caution during protests, avoid political rallies
and register their contact details with their respective consulate. Details of the Embassy of Great
Britain can be found at web: www.britishembassy.gov.uk/bolivia.
David Atkinson says that despite political and social problems, scratch beneath the surface and you'll
find Bolivia to be the most diverse country in the Americas.
David Atkinson is a British travel writer based in La Paz, Bolivia, where he works as a correspondent
for a range of publications. He is currently (2007) authoring the new Bradt Travel Guide: Bolivia, a
huge task which involves travelling the length and breadth of the country to uncover the fledgling
tourist industry in Latin America's next most-likely tourism hotspot.
When not travelling, David enjoys a decent llama steak, a drop of Tarija red and lazy days in La Paz
with his Bolivian girlfriend.
The poorest country in South America with a GNI per capita of US$890 (World Bank, 2003), Bolivia
has traditionally lacked the resources to promote its fledgling tourism industry. Latest figures (2003)
from the Bolivian Ministry of Tourism indicate just 352,575 annual foreign tourist arrivals. Yet, despite
a raft of political and social problems, scratch beneath the surface and you'll find the most diverse
country in the Americas.
Geography: Landlocked at the heart of Andean South America, bordered by Brazil, Peru, Chile,
Argentina and Paraguay, Bolivia is often called the Nepal of the Americas due to its high altitude. If
you’re looking for the world’s highest airport, the world’s highest zoo or world’s highest ski resort, you’
ve come to the right place.
However, you’ll miss your usual share of oxygen at this altitude, so take it easy at first and drink lots of
the local coca tea. One of the country’s geographical highlights are the vast and relatively
undiscovered national park areas.
Bolivia now has 22 national parks, representing 16 per cent of the country’s total land mass. The best
known is Madidi, with an area of 1.9m hectares, which commands 11 per cent of the world’s species
of flora and fauna.
People and Culture: The population of Bolivia is 8.7 million, of which 70 per cent live below poverty
line at latest estimates, many surviving on just US$2 a day.
The indigenous population is in the majority in Bolivia, accounting for 62 per cent. Overall the ethnic
groups are comprised of 30 per cent Quechua speakers and 25 per cent Aymara speakers; only 45
per cent of the population regard Spanish as their mother tongue.
This high percentage of indigenous people lends Bolivia a strong ethnic influence, making it hugely
diverse – but also provoking regular stand-offs between indigenous groups and what is perceived as
the European-descended European political elite.
Lifestyle: The north/south divide is alive and well and living in Bolivia. Strongly influenced by the
climate, the south, with Santa Cruz as its economic powerhouse capital, is tropical and Latino with a
strong outdoor culture. The high-altitude Altiplano, however, with La Paz as its primary city, is colder,
more reserved and more formal.
According to the World-wide Quality of Life Survey (Mercer Human Resource Consulting, March 2005)
La Paz ranks in 135th place, behind Latin American urban centres Buenos Aires (78), Santiago (81),
Rio de Janeiro (116) and Lima (123). Santa Cruz comes in at 143 behind Caracas (138) and Bogota
(141).
Media and Communications: The internet revolution is well and truly underway in Bolivia with internet
cafes on every corner, charging as little as 3Bolivianos/hour – that’s US$0.30 – in La Paz, rising to
16Bs (US$2) in more remote areas.
If you’re bringing your mobile phone, you can buy a local mobile phone ‘chip’ for Movil de Entel (www.
movil.com.bo), then recharge cards. Off the beaten track, however, finding a landline – let alone
getting a mobile signal – can be quite a challenge. According to local newspaper La Razon (www.la-
razon.com), 80 per cent of the population still has no access to a telephone line.
International media such as Newsweek can be found at news kiosks along the Prado, the main
thoroughfare in La Paz. Try to pick up a copy of the Llama Express (web: www.theexpress.org), a
monthly English-language newspaper run by volunteer staff from an office in La Paz (although other
destinations are covered).
Property: There are generally two options to find a flat. You either rent or arrange an ‘anticretico’, a
uniquely Latino system whereby you pay a large sum up front, but then – wait for it – get your money
back when you move out (like an interest-free loan).
Rents are typically around US$250/month for decent place in La Paz (ask for ‘calefon’, a hot water
system, and don’t expect heaters), slightly higher in Santa Cruz, where air conditioning is a must.
If you do take the ‘anticretico’ route, do so with caution. Get the contract drawn up and witnessed by a
lawyer with all parties present. Then ask your lawyer to sort out registering your interest in the property
with the office of ‘Derechos Reales’.
It’s a simple and inexpensive procedure that secures your interest over the property and prevents the
owner from selling it without giving you your money back. It also enables you to recover your money if
the owner tries to evade his commitment.
Dining and Entertainment: Eating out is cheap and satisfying, but international-standard eateries are
limited, especially outside of big cities. Vegetarians will struggle while those in the know make the
most of the generous and good-value set lunches, sticking to a lighter meal in the evening.
There are small international communities to be found in the major cities. In La Paz, they can be
found frequenting the bars around Sopocachi, or at events organised at the smart new Alianza
Francesa (web: www.afbolivia.org) or the Goethe Institut (web: www.goethe.de/lapaz); both have
small language libraries and offer courses.
While protests rarely impact on the daily lives of foreigners beyond this inconvenience, embassies in
La Paz do advise the expatriate community to exercise caution during protests, avoid political rallies
and register their contact details with their respective consulate. Details of the Embassy of Great
Britain can be found at web: www.britishembassy.gov.uk/bolivia.
