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Voykit pocket guide · Paraguay
Concepción
Give Concepción one full day and one night: river port, three small museums and the riverside walk, then move on by bus or boat.
Concepción is a river port 460 km north of Asunción, known as La Perla del Norte for its early-20th-century mansions and public buildings. It is a transport hub for the northern river communities and the departure point for the weekly Aquidabán cargo ferry. The centre is a compact, walkable grid; most travellers use it as a one-night stop between Asunción, Pedro Juan Caballero and the Chaco.
- Country
- Paraguay
- Best months
- Apr–Sep (check; cooler and drier months)
- Avoid
- Dec–Feb (hot and humid; highs around 33–34 °C (91–93 °F))Dec–Feb (hot and humid; highs around 91–93 °F (33–34 °C))
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- PYG
- Money
- Currency is the Paraguayan guaraní (PYG, ₲). About ₲7,000–8,000 per US dollar in 2026 — check. Cash dominates outside hotels, malls and larger restaurants in Asunción.
- Daily spend
- Budget ₲150,000–250,000 excl. bed · Mid ₲250,000–450,000 excl. bed · High ₲450,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Tigo, Personal and Claro; prepaid SIMs with a passport at shops and malls, or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police 911 · Ambulance (Asunción) 141 · Fire 132
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 220 V · 50 Hz · European two-pin plugs fit most sockets.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: About 10% if not included.; Taxi / app: Round up.; Guide: US$5–10 a day.
- Water
- Tap water is treated in Asunción but many drink bottled; bottled outside the city.
- Toilets
- Use malls, restaurants and bus terminals; carry tissues.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee or tereré in the centre | ₲5,000–15,000 |
| Simple lunch (milanesa, empanada, chipa) | ₲20,000–45,000 |
| Beer: bottle in a bar / can at a shop | ₲15,000–25,000 / ₲8,000–12,000 |
| Taxi within the centre | ₲15,000–25,000 |
| Bus terminal → centre taxi | ₲20,000–30,000 |
| Museum entry | ₲10,000–30,000 (check) |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | ₲50,000–100,000 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- CIO · Mariscal Francisco Solano López Airport
- South of town on the road to the Nanawa bridge; once-a-week Setam flight to Asunción with stops at Vallemí, Fuerte Olimpo and Bahía Negra.
Typical fares
- Bus Asunción → Concepción
- GS.120,000, about 6 h via the Transchaco
- Bus Concepción → Pedro Juan Caballero
- GS.60,000, 4–5 h
- Taxi terminal → centre
- GS.20,000–30,000
- Aquidabán ferry to Bahía Negra
- about once a week; confirm day and fare at the port
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The centre is a compact grid and walking is the default. Avenida Agustín Fernando de Pinedo runs north–south; Presidente Franco runs east–west to the port. Bicycle rental for trips out to Belén and the surrounding area: check locally. Taxis cover the terminal, port and airport; agree the fare before you get in.
See and do
Known for
- Paraguay river port and Aquidabán cargo ferry
- Early-20th-century mansions and public buildings
- Museo Municipal del Cuartel de la Villa Real
- Museo de Arte Contemporáneo in the Mansión Otaño
- Monumento al Indio and the María Auxiliadora statue
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Belén | Bus or rented bicycle west of the centre (check locally) | Check locally |
| Cerro Corá National Park | Bus toward Pedro Juan Caballero, about 2–3 h | 3–4 h |
| Vallemí | Bus, 2–4 h depending on season and stops | 2–4 h |
| Pedro Juan Caballero | Bus, 4–5 h, GS.60,000 | 4–5 h |
| Yby Yaú | Bus on Route 5 toward Pedro Juan Caballero | About 1.5–2 h |
Sleep
- Centro (around Plaza Libertad)
- Walkable to the cathedral, museums, Municipalidad and Presidente Franco shops; best for one night without a car. Rates: check.
- Port area (west end of Presidente Franco)
- Closest to the old port and the Aquidabán departure point; quieter at night. Rates: check.
- Bus terminal area (Avenida Pinedo, north)
- Convenient for early departures; about 8 blocks north of Presidente Franco, a 15–20 min walk to the centre. Rates: check.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | HolaOH-lah |
| Thank you | GraciasGRAH-syahs |
| How much is it? | ¿Cuánto cuesta?KWAN-toh KWES-tah |
| Where is the port? | ¿Dónde está el puerto?DON-deh es-TAH el PWER-toh |
| One ticket, please | Un boleto, por favoroon boh-LEH-toh por fah-VOR |
| Can I pay by card? | ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?PWEH-doh pah-GAR kon tar-HEH-tah |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake, or a cheek kiss among women and friends; avoid: Skipping 'buenos días'
- Tereré circle: Say thank you when you want to stop; avoid: Wiping the straw
- Language: Try a Guaraní word (aguyje = thanks); avoid: Calling Guaraní a dialect
- Time: Expect relaxed punctuality (hora paraguaya); avoid: Getting visibly impatient
Scams and watch-outs
- Summer heat and humidity Dec–Feb: plan museum and indoor stops for midday.
- Cash is king outside Asunción; carry guaraníes for buses, taxis and small museums.
- Taxis from the bus terminal to the centre are quoted at GS.20,000–30,000, high for the distance — you can walk or get off at Avenida Pinedo instead.
- The Aquidabán ferry runs about once a week and fills up: confirm the day and buy ahead at the port.
- Little English is spoken; a few Spanish phrases go a long way.
Concepción is a small city and most visits pass without incident; the real risks are summer heat, cash-only small businesses and unlit streets near the port at night. Use normal city caution and keep valuables out of sight.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Concepción yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Paraguay river port and Aquidabán cargo ferry
- Early-20th-century mansions and public buildings
- Museo Municipal del Cuartel de la Villa Real
- Museo de Arte Contemporáneo in the Mansión Otaño
- Monumento al Indio and the María Auxiliadora statue
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Municipalidad de Concepción: www.municipalidadconcepcion.gov.py/
- Wikivoyage: Concepción (Paraguay), revision 5246496 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5246496
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Concepción
A esta dirección, por favor
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Concepción; most countries have embassies in Asunción.
Tourist enquiries: Secretaría de Turismo, Calle Brasil and General José Eduvigis Díaz, two blocks north of Plaza Libertad.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/concepcion-paraguay). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.