Bolivia as a couple: road blocks, taxis and express kidnapping in La Paz and Santa Cruz

Bolivia fascinates with its landscape and culture, but it is a country where you should travel with up-to-date information. This guide summarises the UK Foreign Office (FCDO) safety advice for La Paz, Santa Cruz and other areas and turns it into practical decisions for a couple. Advisories change: always confirm the situation on departure day and check your own government's advice too.

Road blocks: the factor that changes everything

According to the FCDO, protests and road blocks can arise without notice and disrupt public transport, including routes to airports. They have caused fuel and fresh-food shortages in some areas. The advisory includes a declared state of emergency to restrict protests and blockades. Practical advice that follows:

• Do not try to cross a block by car or motorbike.
• Check road status on the Bolivian road authority's site (in Spanish).
• Book with flexible cancellation and leave at least one spare day before an international flight.
• Carry cash, water and medication in case you are held up.

Crime in La Paz and Santa Cruz

The FCDO links the economic crisis and dollar shortage with rising crime. Theft is common in central La Paz, in other tourist destinations, on buses and in crowded areas. What to do:

• Never leave bags or belongings unattended.
• On night buses, keep documents and cards in a belt under your clothes.
• Take extra care around the Cementerio General and Sopocachi areas of La Paz, where incidents have been recorded.
• Carry a printed passport copy and leave the original in the safe.

Taxis: order them by phone

Robberies of taxi passengers have increased in Santa Cruz, La Paz and Rurrenabaque. The FCDO advises:

• Use established companies and order by phone ("radio taxis").
• Check the taxi has a badge on the windscreen or windows.
• Do not board if other passengers are already in the vehicle.
• Ignore people who offer help at stops and terminals, because thieves work in teams to distract.

A couple has an advantage: one watches the luggage while the other arranges transport. Even so, do not separate in terminals.

Express kidnapping

The FCDO warns that tourists, especially solo travellers, risk brief, opportunistic kidnappings to extract money; victims can be held for up to several days while their cards are used. Risk is higher at overland crossings with Peru, Chile and Argentina. On the Copacabana–La Paz route a direct bus is preferable. Kidnappers sometimes pose as police, and police cannot detain or search you on the street without a written order from a prosecutor. If you are a victim, follow the kidnapper's instructions.

Useful measures: limit the cards you carry, turn on transaction alerts on your partner's phone and share your location with someone you trust.

Health and altitude

The FCDO says altitude sickness is a risk in parts of Bolivia, including La Paz and the Uyuni salt flats, and asks you to check vaccine advice at least eight weeks ahead. See a travel doctor, acclimatise slowly and take insurance with care and evacuation.

Nightlife, scene and consent

We found no official sources documenting swinger venues in La Paz or Santa Cruz that we could verify, so we publish none. Invitations to private parties from strangers fit the scam and kidnapping patterns in the advisories: do not accept them. Always go out together at night and agree beforehand how you will get back.

Santa Cruz de la Sierra

Santa Cruz is a large, hot city where advisories note taxi robberies. Order transport by phone or through your lodging, avoid displaying valuables and follow the same money and document rules as in La Paz.

Quick checklist

• Accommodation booked and airport transport ordered by phone.
• Cash, documents in an inner belt and a passport copy.
• Road status checked and a plan B route.
• Travel insurance with evacuation and vaccines discussed.

FAQ

Can I travel by road? With caution and checking road status; never cross a block.

Which taxis are safest? Established firms ordered by phone, with a visible badge.

Can police search me on the street? Not without a written order from a prosecutor; fake police are a risk.

Are there verified swinger venues? No.

How to react if something goes wrong

If you are robbed, prioritise physical safety: hand over what is asked, do not chase anyone and head for a safe, busy place. Block your cards from your partner's phone or from your lodging, note the time and place and file a report for your insurer. Tell your consulate and, if you need new documents, request an appointment as soon as possible. Before the trip, keep the numbers of your consulate, insurer and banks on paper, because without a phone you will need them.