La Paz Packages/Deals & Travel Agents Near Me

Stunningly situated in a high mountain valley 13,000 ft/3,962 m above sea level, Bolivia's de facto capital and largest city is home to about 1.5 million Pacenos, as its residents are called. If you are flying in, we suggest spending a day adjusting to the altitude. Actually, you may need some time to recover from the flight itself: The approach to the airport is one of the scariest in the world because of a narrow mountain pass.

The city resembles a large stadium, with the main avenue (El Prado) and wealthy homes located on the "playing field" and the less-well-off citizens residing high up on the surrounding bowl of "bleachers." The area around La Paz is surprisingly arid, with deserts and cacti, but snowcapped Mount Illimani offers an impressive backdrop to the city's skyscrapers on a clear day. (One of the best ways to get a good view of the city is from the rooftop bars at high-rise hotels.)

The city's main boulevard is known as El Prado, though the street itself actually changes names several times (and none of the official names is El Prado). Luxury hotels, shops, banks and Internet cafes frame the boulevard as it passes through downtown La Paz, giving the city a modern feel. With a wide, tree-filled pedestrian walkway dividing traffic, El Prado is a pleasant place to stroll or rest on a bench.

La Paz, the capital of the state of Baja California Sur, lies near the southeastern tip of the peninsula, approximately 725 mi/1,165 km south of San Diego, California and north of the popular resort areas of Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo.

Although La Paz is a port city with only adequate beaches, it does have great diving and snorkeling and some of the best sportfishing on the peninsula. It's also a good jumping-off point for excursions to see gray whales, which pass by in the winter months.

La Paz also hosts a lively (and popular) Carnival celebration each year just before Ash Wednesday (reserve a hotel far in advance if you plan to see it). While in town, visit the cathedral, the Museum of Anthropology and the malecon, a waterfront sidewalk bordering playgrounds and restaurants on the sand.

La Paz is also the terminus of two ferries, from Mazatlan and Topolobambo, and the departure point for trips to Espiritu Santo Island. Go there to explore the wilderness and the many caves along the beaches that were once used by the native Indians. The island is also a great place for snorkeling, kayaking and camping.

At the sea pinnacles, called El Bajo, you can scuba dive with hundreds of seemingly docile hammerhead sharks. (This is not a recommendation—only experienced divers should attempt it, and then at their own risk.)

Back on the Baja Peninsula, some of the finest less-developed beaches in Mexico lie to the northeast of La Paz, around Pichilingue—Balandra, Tecolote and Coyote. You need a car to get to them, and only Tecolote has watersports-equipment rentals.

This area has seen a new influx of expatriates in recent years as several golf course communities (fed by desalinized water) have opened in the region, including Paraiso del Mar, Costa Baja and Bahia de los Suenos.