Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
COCHABAMBA
4 / POP 517,000 / ELEV 2553M
Busy, buzzy Cochabamba is one of Bolivia's boom cities and has a distinct, almost Medi-
terranean, vitality that perhaps owes something to its clement climate. While much of the
city's population is typically poor, parts of town have a notably prosperous feel. The spa-
cious new-town avenues have a wide choice of restaurants, eagerly grazed by the food-
crazy
cochabambinos
, and the bar scene is lively, driven by students and young profession-
als. Despite this, Cochabamba remains a very affordable city, with prices far below those in
Sucre or La Paz. You could easily find yourself staying a lot longer than you planned.
The city's name is derived from the Quechua
khocha pampa,
meaning 'swampy plain'.
Cochabamba lies in a fertile green bowl, 25km long by 10km wide, set in a landscape of
fields and low hills. To the northwest rises Cerro Tunari (5035m), the highest peak in cent-
ral Bolivia. Cochabamba is famous for its
chicha,
a fermented corn drink that is the locals'
favorite tipple.
