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Voykit pocket guide · Bolivia
San Rafael de Velasco
Half a day is enough: see the UNESCO Jesuit mission church and bell tower, then move on to San Ignacio or San José.
San Rafael de Velasco is a small town in Bolivia's Santa Cruz department, best known for its Jesuit mission church, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The town is tiny — walkable in 20 minutes — and most visitors come on a day trip from San Ignacio de Velasco or as a stop on the mission circuit. Half a day covers the church, bell tower and main square.
- Country
- Bolivia
- Best months
- Apr–Oct (dry season)
- Avoid
- Dec–Mar (rainy season, roads may be bad)
- Stay
- 0 nights
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 150–250 (day trip from San Ignacio) · Mid Bs 250–400 (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.
Get in
By air
- VVI · Viru Viru International Airport (Santa Cruz)
- About 5–6 h by bus or car to San Rafael
Typical fares
- Taxi San Ignacio → San Rafael
- about Bs 150–250, about 1 h (check)
- Bus San Ignacio → San Rafael
- about Bs 20–40, about 1 h (check)
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 town is small enough to walk everywhere. The church and main square are the only sights.
See and do
Known for
- Jesuit mission church (UNESCO World Heritage)
- Bell tower at the main square
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| San Ignacio de Velasco | Taxi or bus, about 1 h | 1 h |
| San José de Chiquitos | Bus from San Ignacio passing through San Rafael, about 2 h | 2–2.5 h |
| Santa Ana de Velasco | Taxi, about 30–40 min | 40 min |
| Concepción | Bus via San Ignacio, about 3–4 h | 3.5–4.5 h |
Sleep
- San Rafael town centre
- Very limited options; most visitors sleep in San Ignacio de Velasco (about 1 h away) and day-trip.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | HolaOH-lah |
| Thank you | GraciasGRAH-see-ahs |
| How much? | ¿Cuánto cuesta?KWAN-toh KWES-tah |
| Where is the church? | ¿Dónde está la iglesia?DON-deh es-TAH lah ee-GLEH-see-ah |
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
- Bus service is limited: one or two buses daily from San Ignacio to San José pass through San Rafael.
- No ATM in town; bring cash from San Ignacio or Santa Cruz.
- Accommodation is very limited; plan to stay in San Ignacio unless you have booked ahead.
San Rafael is safe for tourists. Standard precautions apply: don't walk alone at night, keep valuables out of sight. The main risk is road conditions in the rainy season.
One and two days
No timed day plan for San Rafael de Velasco yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Jesuit mission church (UNESCO World Heritage)
- Bell tower at the main square
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: San Rafael de Velasco, revision 5043142 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5043142
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/san-rafael-de-velasco). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.