Think twice.
No major changes since yesterday.
Governments, one trip
What they're telling their own citizens about Bolivia
The real score
The breakdown
See it from your perspective
Think twice.
The general Sketch Score, unweighted for any specific traveler.
Don't fall for it
Scams to know
Fake radio taxis
Fake cabs operate frequently at night and are associated with robbery and rape. Use only radio taxis to avoid these risks.
Drugged food and drink
Passengers on interdepartmental buses may offer drugged snacks or drinks to rob you. Decline all offers from strangers with a firm no, gracias.
Street solicitation
Strangers who approach or attempt to befriend you in the street often have ulterior motives. Walk away immediately and say lo siento to avoid potential criminal targeting.
Staying healthy
What to watch out for, health-wise
Active notices
- • Global Dengue
- • Chikungunya in Bolivia
- • Global Measles
Vaccines
Required: Yellow Fever
Recommended: Chikungunya, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Malaria, Measles, Rabies, Typhoid
Source: CDC Travelers' Health →Getting in
What you'll need at the border
Citizens (ordinary passport holders) of specific countries and territories are eligible to visit Bolivia for tourism or business purposes without having to obtain a visa.
Source: Wikipedia →Real, not invented
Terrorism
Although there’s no recent history of terrorism in Bolivia, terrorist attacks cannot be ruled out.
Source: UK FCDO →Real, not invented
Cultural & legal notes
LGBT+ travellers
Same-sex sexual activity is not illegal. However, same-sex relationships are frowned on by many Bolivians, more so in the Altiplano than in Santa Cruz, where attitudes tend to be more liberal. Read more advice for LGBT+ travellers .
Source: UK FCDO →From people who've been there
Local know-how
Staying safe
- •Apply common sense and take precautions that apply elsewhere.
Staying healthy
- •Some parts of Bolivia like La Paz (3,650 m), Potosí (4,010 m), Oruro (3,950 m) and the Lake Titicaca region (3,400 m) are high altitude, so adequate precautions against "sorojchi" altitude sickness should be taken.
- •At local pharmacies they sell sorojchi pills, that are supposed to help with altitude problems.
- •However, severe cases of high altitude disease can be treated at the High Altitude Pathology Institute at Clinica IPPA.
- •UV radiation is strong in La Paz and in mountainous areas. The use of high-factor sunscreen is recommended.
- •Yellow fever vaccination is recommended for those who plan on spending time in the Bolivian Amazon.
- •Malaria prophylaxis is recommended if the visitor plans to visit tropical-rural areas.
Adapted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA — edited by travelers, not us.
Right now
In the news the last few days
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- As Deforestation Falls in Brazil , It Surges in Neighboring Bolivia2026-08-11
Real talk
What travelers actually say
Travelers looking at Bolivia face official warnings from foreign offices that categorize the country as a place requiring high caution. These advisories highlight risks including robbery, kidnapping, scams, fraud, and assault directed at tourists. While some travelers question if these warnings are exaggerated, the available discourse confirms that tourists are targeted for serious crimes. There is no consensus or specific data provided in these discussions regarding the safety of walking at night or the reality of violent crime rates, as the conversations focus primarily on weighing official government travel advisories against the desire to visit the region.
“both Peru and Bolivia are labeled as countries where “high caution should be exercised” - now of course that’s a given, but details explain that tourists are often victims to serious crimes e.g. robberies, kidnapping, scams, frauds, assaults, etc.
— r/travel
“We found out some month ago that Peru (and maybe Bolivia) are currently not supposed to be safe for travelling and thus considered it an option to go to Brazil instead.
— r/travel
Pack this, know this
The little things that trip people up
Plug & voltage
A / B / C · 230V
Driving side
right
Emergency
police: 911 / ambulance: 911 / fire: 911
Tipping
Service charges are included with the bill. Still, a small tip, around 5% or so, is sometimes given, and is considered polite. No tipping necessary for taxi drivers.
Cash vs. Card
The national currency is the Boliviano (ISO code: BOB), denoted Bs. (with dot).
Show the receipts (9 sources)
- us-state — observed 2026-09-09
- uk-fcdo — observed 2026-09-09
- ca-gac — observed 2026-09-09
- worldbank-political — observed 2026-09-09
- worldbank-policeTrust — observed 2026-09-09
- cdc-health — observed 2026-09-09
- wikivoyage — observed 2026-09-09
- reddit — observed 2026-09-09
- lgbtq-legal-wikipedia — observed 2026-09-09