Is Bolivia safe for tourists?

Question

We hear a lot about violent demo and street clashes. Is it anything for tourists to worry about?

Answer 1

I travel to Bolivia about 3 times a year and it is a lot safer than Mexico or Brazil for example.  If you take the precautions described above, you should be fine.

The problem with demonstrations is less the violence than the fact that they can lead to road blocks.  If you are on a tight schedule and are travelling by land these "bloqueos" can lead to 1-3 days delay.  That  can be a problem.  Things are a little tense right now because of the row over the new constitution,  

I would be aware of the situation in Cochabama and Santa Cruz if you are going to either of these locations because these are the places where protests could end in violence--the rest of the country should be fine.   The major tourist sites (madidi, Tihuanaco, potosi and the salares de uyni) should be all right.   Bolivia now requires a visa from American citizens that complicates entry and that will cost you about $100.

Answer 2

Having been to Bolivia, I can honestly say... I wouldn't advise tourists to go. It's a beautiful country, but it's also a very depressed one. In the end, it's your decision.

Answer 3

Well, it doesn't statistically rank as the safest country in Latin America but then again, its homicides aren't nearly as high as some other Latin American countries (58 per 100,000 in El Salvador, the highest homicide rate in Latin America). However, common sense will get you a long way. Never go out alone at night, try to have someone with you, or if you travel alone tryto keep a schedule for day-related trips. Never wear or flash anything you think you would steal if you needed money and would steal (watch, cell phone, mp3 player, ect).

Overall, taking these precautions will help you in not being a target for pickpocketers, because, in reality, kidnapping, murder, or other serious crime of that sort is very rare in Bolivia, even more so towards tourists. I have only been to Bolivia twice but can tell you the people are as friendly as the ones in my country, Nicaragua. Violent demonstrations only occur on occasions, and even then, "violent" is an exaggeration... such as the U.S. would say about the pro-immigration rallied that have occurred in Los Angeles over the past 2 years. People seem to think that ALL countries with a high poverty rate are criminal hotspots, which is false. In example, look at Asian countries, high poverty but no serious crime. Just like in my country, Nicaragua has a high poverty rate but we are rated the safest country in Central America, other estimates put us as the safest in all of the American continent (after Canada). Something people who have never stepped foot on my country deny because they only the negative images the U.S. uses to portray us, and not only my country but ALL of Latin America.