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Travel Information
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Travel Insurance
Travel Insurance can be very helpful when traveling abroad and can cover for such things as medical expenses, emergency evacuations, personal liability, theft, lost baggage, and of course - cancellation of the trip. Class Adventure Travel does not offer travel insurance within the price of our packages – but we do recommend www.travelguard.com. Travel Guard International is quite possibly the leading provider of travel insurance plans in the world. Travel guard covers over 6 million travelers a year and has great records. |
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Vaccinations
In order to enter Bolivia, visitors must have received the international vaccine against Yellow Fever. This vaccine must be administered 10 days prior to the person’s arrival within the country. All the vaccines depend on the region that the traveler plans to visit.
- The Malaria vaccine must be administered if the visitor plans to visit tropical-rural areas.
- The Yellow Fever vaccine must be administered if the visitor plans to visit rural areas.
- As a preventive measure, some medics suggest getting the following vaccines: Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B and Tetanus, Diphtheria and Measles Booster-Vaccines.
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Health
Because of altitude and the climatic variations, good physical condition is recommended.
Drinking bottled water and eating well cooked food is strongly recommended. Bolivian water, even inpopulated areas, can contain amoebae and parasites. It’s much easier to drink only bottled or treated (boiled) water. Ice should like-wise be avoided as well.
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Visa
Most foreign citizens are able to enter the country for 30 days, although it is advisable to check with the embassy before hand. Extending the 30 day visa another 60 days is a simple enough procedure. Many European countries are allowed a stay for 90 days automatically. |
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Money / Currency – ATM, Credit Cards
The official currency of Bolivia is the Boliviano (Bs).. In La Paz, Sucre, Cochabamba and Santa Cruz de la Sierra, there are many “Casas de Cambio” – that are safer and offer a better guarantee in the transaction – and street cambistas that are not completely reliable. Travelers Checks tend to receive much lower exchange rates than U.S. Dollars, meaning you lose money in the exchange. Travelers Checks are also not accepted in many places. Mayor credit cards are accepted in the most important hotels, restaurants and commercial centers; however the same is not true of smaller establishments nor in remote towns. In general, MasterCard, Diners, Visa and American Express are very well acceptable.
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Tipping
South Americans in general are inclined to tip very little if they leave a tip at all. Generally people are advised to tip according to how well they feel they were served. One should always remember however, that while in a Third World country, a few dollars saved for you may be enough to feed someone for over a week. |
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Airport Taxes
Passengers of international flights should pay an Airport Tax of $25 USD. For domestic flights the Airport Tax is 15 bolivianos. There is a current intention to require US citizens to pay an extra tax, but it has not yet been implemented because the Bolivian Government wants to carry out a publicity campaign to inform US travelers about these new requirements. Please check current status of this tax.
Visitors entering Bolivia, coming from Chilean border of San Pedro de Atacama must pay 15 bolivianos tourist tax fee. Just 20 minutes on the road in Bolivia, visitors must pay the entrance fee of 30 bolivianos for the National Reserve “Eduardo Avaroa”. |
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Customs
According to the customs norms of Bolivia, the following objects are discharged of the tax payment: one photographic camera, one portable computer, one video camera with its accessories, one recorder, one radio, sport equipment, five liters of alcoholic drinks, four hundred cigarettes, fifty cigars or half kilo of chopped tobacco. |
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Safety
Safety is fundamental to the success of any trip and staying alert, not taking unnecessary risks, and simply using your head are the best ways to prevent an unwanted situation. That said there are still some things to keep in mind while traveling. Avoid petty theft and pickpockets by not interacting with strangers who seem suspiciously friendly or pushy, as well as anyone trying to get your attention while you are carrying bags or equipment.
The easiest way to avoid any tricks by street moneychangers is to use a bank or casa de cambio. If in direct need of changing money on the street, only change the minimum amount that you will need for immediate use.
In all dealings with the police be formal and polite. Always carry your passport or at least a photocopy when walking around a town or city. In some circumstances, a policeman may suggest (possibly in an intimidating manner) that a situation could be resolved by making a payment. Under these circumstances it is probably best to pretend not to understand and hope the policeman will give up. |
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