Hostal Copacabana, La Paz

Advantages: location, tranquility, things to see
Disadvantages: no ATM

...Copacabana is a must for anybody travelling through Bolivia, situated on the beautiful Lake Titicaca it offers a tranquil resting place either en route to or to recover from the pains of the Inca Trail! It is ideally situated between La Paz and Puno in Peru to break up an otherwise 8 hour bus trip. Anyone with experience of Bolivian bus travel will appreciate the desirability of this!! It is a small town but it offers a lovely beach with plenty of accommodation and eateries to warrant a stay of a few days. Bolivia is a relatively harsh environment to travel in and we used Copacabana as a place to recover from the perils of eating Lama steaks!! The blazing sunshine along with the cheap food and drink you come to expect from the continent really adds a touch of relaxation to the trip and the obligatory day trip to the Isla del Sol... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: beautiful
Disadvantages: altitude sickness

...I visited La Paz a few years ago. The city is the highest anywhere - many people suffer altitude sickness for a day or two, although we found that it wasn't too bad when we took it very easy to start with! The city is very beautiful - set in snow - capped mountains. There are many historic areas, as well as many new (half - built) houses. A great place to buy Bolivian goods - fabrics etc. Take warm clothes even in the summer - you can tan and catch cold at the same time. I cannot wait to get back there - a real adventure of a city if you care to look.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: Beautiful scenery, lovely people, charming cities, cheap and safe
Disadvantages: Breathing at altitude!

...is the setting off point for a visit to Isla del Sol on Lake Titicaca. You can walk around the island - a beautiful 10-mile walk - taking in views reminiscent of Greek Islands....but with Inca ruins. But despite the vistas, you are in no danger of forgetting that you are more than 3000m above sea level as even the slighest incline on the path takes your breath away...literally. La Paz is crazy but fascinating...I'm not sure there is many capital cities with extensive witchcraft markets. The views as you wind down the road from El Alto, the city that has sprung up around the basin in which La Paz sits, are amazing. While you are there take a day trip to Tiahuanaco - a collection of impressive temples build by the enduring Tiahuanaco-Huari civilisation many hundreds of years before the Incas stole their thunder...and many of their building techniques... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful