Guide to Santa Cruz BOLIVIA

An Independent Travelers Guide

Markets are less tourist and more for purpose shopping in Santa Cruz but a wander round any market is a great insight into culture and customs.

MARKETS

Best to buy: Another Bolivian ´mall´like La Ramada but a little bit more organised. Different halls for different item categories. Locals go to buy cheap clothes imported from Brazil, Argentina and of course China. But you will also find electronics, food, furniture, hardware and everything else you could imagine.

Best to go: This market is only open on Wednesdays and Saturdays 9am til 6pm.

How to get there: By taxi around 7 Bolivianos

La Feria del Barrio Lindo

Hot tip: Watch out for the lemonade and juice sellers wandering around the aisles – after half an hour in those halls a 1B juice will be money well spent.

Best to buy: Absolutely anything  from clothes, electronics (Tv, Dvd’s, Stereos, etc), fresh fruit and vegetables, furniture, hardware, camping goods – both new and second hand and everything else you could imagine. This is the Santa Cruz shopping mall from heaven or hell, depending on how you look at it! Plan to get lost - this place is massive.

Best to go: Any day and any time, this market has no siesta!

How to get there: 45 minutes walk or better, from El Deber take Micro 8, 10 or 11, look for ´Ramada´in the window of the Micro.

Mercado La Ramada

Hot tip: Don't take a backpack or anything valuable - as with all markets you will be a target for kids who have too much time on their hands!

Best to buy: Like La Ramada but a little bit more pricey. You can find anything and it's an interesting market to walk around. Locals go to buy clothes imported from other countries. But you will also find electronics, food, furniture, hardware and everything else you could imagine.

Best to go: Any day any time. At the centre point you will see all the streets and find there is only 6!

How to get there: From Parque Urbano take Micro 10 west-bound. You can also walk there its just 3 blocks from the main square.

Las 7 Calles

Hot tip: Find the Mocachinchi (peach drink) sellers in the central point and watch out for the women selling the cheese and corn –choclo con quesillo–

Best to buy: A similar size to 7 calles but a bit cheaper, the same distance as La Ramada but a bit smaller. What can we say but you will probably find what you are looking for here. Maybe not worth a special trip but if you are in the area or need to kill some time definitely worth a visit.

Best to go: Any day any time.

How to get there: Take a trufi around the 1st anillo from Pollos Kris (number 16 on the map). Jump out in Calle Suarez de Arana and walk across the avenue for around 3 blocks.

Los Pozos

Hot tip: A definite hot spot for kids who like tourists things. Don't take cameras

Best to buy: Fruit and Vegetables – any kind you could imagine. All trucks arrive there and sell fresh fruit to these market sellers first. Abasto means ´copious or abundant!´. You can also find other foods like meats and cheeses, breads etc.

Best to go: In the morning any day of the week, just after the trucks have made there deliveries.

How to get there: In the 3rd ring, Avenida Pirai. Take a trufi from the coco juice stands around the 2nd Anillo until the roundabout with the indian in the middle. Then take Micro 19.

El Abasto

Hot tip: Ask to taste the fruit before buying – ¿puedo probar primero? – and if buying soft items (eg peaches) ask to choose your own.

Best to buy: Here is that spot for those tacky tourist items you wanted to buy. You may be surprised though to actually find some good quality leather and unique wood items. Good for Gifts, Autonomia Tshirts, lots of things with “Santa Cruz, Bolivia” written on them. If what you want is not here, you can complement it with a look around the other Artesania stores around the main square.

Best to go: Open 7 days

How to get there: Walk into the main square then head down Calle Independencia —its opposite the big Banco Union building, and is easy to miss.

Paseo Artesenal

Hot tip: Ask for discounts when buying multiple items. For a good story enquire where the artesania was made and by whom.

Best to buy: Another market with artesania every day of the week—this market is great to find locally made jewelry and items beaded from local nut shells and seeds—and also a great spot to find fabulous quality hammocks at great prices (warning that great quality means a bit heavy though—will be about 2kg to lug home—but well worth it)

Best to go: Open 7 days

How to get there: Walk to the Cementary and you'll see the stalls set up in the park across the road. Another option is to catch a trufi around the 1st ring.

Artesan Market—Cementario

Hot tip: More stalls are set up on weekends and holidays than during the week so wait for then for more variety