Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Money
Travelers beware: the ATMs in town often don't work. Av 6 de Agosto is the Wall Street
of Copacabana and nearly every shop will exchange foreign currency (dollars are pre-
ferred over euros and must be clean - not ripped - bills. The
Banco Bisa ATM
(6 de
Agosto & Pando)
works on most international systems, if it works at all. You can buy Per-
uvian
soles
at most
artesanías
(stores selling handcrafted items)
,
but you'll normally find
better rates in Kasani at the Bolivian border, or Yuguyo, just beyond the Peruvian border.
Post
Post office
(
8:30am-noon & 2:30am-4pm Tue-Sun)
On the north side of Plaza 2 de
Febrero, but often closed or unattended.
Telephone
Entel, Cotel, Tigo and Viva
puntos
(privately run phone offices) are dotted along Av 6 de
Agosto and around town.
Tourist Information
9am-1pm & 2-6pm Wed-Sun;
) There is a helpful English-speaking attendant, al-
though only rudimentary information is available.
Copacabana community tourism site
(
www.copacabana-bolivia.com
)
Has a good
events calendar and updated info on community tourism projects. Run by tourism operator
Turisbus.
Getting There & Away
Bus
Most buses leave from near Plazas 2 de Febrero or Sucre. The more comfortable nonstop
tour buses from La Paz to Copacabana - including Milton Tours and Combi Tours - cost
from about B$25 to B$30 and are well worth the investment as night-time hijackings are
not uncommon on this route. They depart from La Paz at about 8am and leave Co-
pacabana at 1:30pm (3½ hours). Tickets can be purchased from tour agencies. You will
need to exit the bus at the Estrecho de Tiquina (Tiquina Straits), to cross via
ferry
(per
person B$1.50 per car B$35-40, 5am-9pm) between the towns of San Pedro de Tiquina
(should you need it, there's a tourist office on the main plaza) to San Pablo de Tiquina.
