In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · Bolivia
Riberalta
Spend 2 days: day 1 for town sights and market; day 2 for a nearby Inca‑ruin or lake trip; longer only for multiple day tours.
Riberalta is a low‑land Amazonian city in Beni with pink‑dust streets, a river confluence, modest hotels and easy motorbike‑taxi transport. Its main attractions are the plaza, cathedral, pink‑dust scenery, and short trips to Las Piedras Inca ruins (≈5 km) or Tumichucua lake (≈25 km). A single night covers the town; a second day adds a day‑trip.
- Country
- Bolivia
- Best months
- May–Oct (dry season, roads passable)
- Avoid
- Nov–Apr (wet season, some roads flooded)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- BOB
- Money
- Currency is the boliviano (BOB, Bs). Cash rules outside larger hotels and restaurants in La Paz and Santa Cruz.
- Daily spend
- Budget Bs 120–180 excl. bed · Mid Bs 250–350 excl. bed · High Bs 450–600 excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Entel, Tigo and Viva sell SIMs with passport registration in their own shops.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Ambulance 118 · Fire 119
- Plugs
- Types A, C · 230 V · 50 Hz · Some La Paz buildings have 115 V — check.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: Round up; about 10% in tourist restaurants.; Uyuni driver and cook: Bs 50–100 per traveller for 3 days, shared.; Guides: Bs 30–70 a day.
- Water
- Not safe from the tap; bottled or filtered.
- Toilets
- Pay a boliviano or two; bring paper.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee at a café | Bs 5–8 |
| Salad (main plaza stall) | Bs 10–15 |
| Motorbike taxi town ride | Bs 4–5 |
| Boat rental on Tumichucua lake | Bs 20 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- RIB · Riberalta Airport
- Domestic flights by Amaszonas and EcoJet; small regional airport near the main plaza
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
Motorbike taxis charge Bs 4‑5 for any town ride; flag any bike. Motorcycle rental US$6 / day. For trips outside town hire a shared taxi (≈Bs 35‑40) or arrange through a local agency.
See and do
Known for
- Pink‑dust cityscape
- Madre de Dios / Beni river confluence
- Las Piedras Inca ruins
- Tumichucua lake
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Las Piedras Inca ruins | Motorbike or moto‑taxi 5 km (3.1 mi) east; Bs 10 ride, then walk to ruinsMotorbike or moto‑taxi 3.1 mi (5 km) east; Bs 10 ride, then walk to ruins | ≈30 min total |
| Tumichucua lake | Shared taxi or private moto‑taxi 25 km (16 mi) north; negotiate ~Bs 40Shared taxi or private moto‑taxi 16 mi (25 km) north; negotiate ~Bs 40 | ≈1 h each way |
| Guayaramerín (border town) | Shared taxi from Riberalta via San Joaquín; Bs 180, ~3‑4 h | ≈4 h |
Sleep
- Hotel Colonial
- Near main plaza; most up‑market; beds from Bs 200
- Hotel Campus
- Various room types; pool; beds from Bs 30
- Casco Viejo
- Private bathroom; beds from Bs 80
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | Disculpedisˈkulpɛ |
| Thank you | Graciasˈɡɾasjas |
| How much is it? | ¿Cuánto cuesta?ˈkwanto ˈkwesta |
| Can I pay by card? | ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?pweˈðo paˈɣar kon taˈɾxeta |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'buenos días'; avoid: Rushing into business
- Photos: Ask, and accept a no; avoid: Photographing rituals uninvited
- Sea question: Listen; avoid: Joking about Bolivia's lost coast
- Queues and blockades: Patience; avoid: Arguing with protesters
Scams and watch-outs
- Police may stop you at the waterfront; have passport/driver’s licence ready.
- Roads to remote sites can be very potholed; travel slowly.
- River ferry crossing at Mamoré (to Guayaramerín) may be delayed in wet season.
Riberalta is generally safe for day visitors; keep passport handy at the riverfront and watch for potholes on rural roads.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Riberalta yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Pink‑dust cityscape
- Madre de Dios / Beni river confluence
- Las Piedras Inca ruins
- Tumichucua lake
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Riberalta, revision 5242120 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5242120
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/riberalta). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.