La Paz, Bolivia, is the world’s highest capital and a very scenic one at that. It lies nestled at the bottom of a canyon, with huge Illimani Mountain looking on and is a buzzing place of street markets, museums, eco-tourist friendly surroundings and the world’s most dangerous road.
La Paz means ‘Peace’ and takes a fair amount of getting used to due to the excessive altitude. Many people come here to take part in the nearby climbing and hiking at Coroico, but you should only do so after spending time chilling out and acclimatising.
Must-see attractions in La Paz include the many art museums, a flashy cathedral, the fine Mirador Laikakota lookout, La Paz Cemetery, and an abundance of street markets. The Black Market (Mercado Negro) and the Witch Doctors' Market (Mercado de los Brujos) are musts.
There are also the various government and presidential palaces and San Pedro Prison to look at, while kids have the aquarium and the playground up at the Mirador. El Prado is the heart of La Paz, where all the shopping, restaurants and actions kicks off, while the Malecon promenade is great for strolling and also has lots of eateries.
Eco-tourists should head for the nearby Madidi National Park and stay at the popular Chalalan Eco Lodge. Additionally, famed Lake Titicaca, the world’s highest navigable body of water, is also nearby, as is the world’s highest ski resort. Of much delight for ardent mountain bikers is the notorious La Paz to Coroico road.
It is especially worth budgeting for a good hotel in La Paz as it gets quite cold at night at all times of year. Thus, ensuring your hotel has 24-hour hot water and lots of blankets are musts. Hotels range from the suave Ritz All Suites Hotel down to university accommodation and hostels with advance online booking recommended.
Getting to La Paz is not all that easy even through the city has an international airport. You will invariably be routed through a US airport if coming from Europe and may have to change to a smaller plane due to the very high altitude of La Paz El Alto Airport. Apart from flying, bus is the other means of getting to La Paz from within Bolivia.
Due to La Paz’s lofty setting it remains relatively cool for the region year-round, with average daily temperatures hovering around 17°C. Much of the year also stays quite dry, apart from the summertime (November to March) when many streets turn into quagmires.
It is thus best to visit La Paz sometime in the shoulder seasons of April, May and September when night-time temperatures aren’t as harsh as in full winter and tourist numbers are down. Daytime temperatures in the winter (June to August) are still pleasant but nights are really cold. Bring warm clothing year-round.
