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[QUOTE=Chute]Does anybody know if we can use a US-issued ATM/Debit card in Santa Cruz for cash? After reading Santa Cruz section, I am encouraged to stop by Santa Cruz for my up-coming S. America trip and usually don't bring cash down there.
Thanks,
Chute[/QUOTE]Chute,
Not a problem. All the ATMs will work with US cards.
Enjoy,
TicToc
[blue]Greetings Everyone,
Three friends and I took a break from the chicas in Buenos Aires and spent a weekend in Santa Cruz. The information previously posted in this thread was generally accurate, so all I'm really going to do here is collate the info. I also see that my buddy Tictoc is still alive and kicking, and I can tell you that you can trust the accuracy of his previous reports herein.
[size=+1][b][u]Hotels[/u][/b][/size]
[b][u]Hotel Camino Real[/u][/b]
Equipetrol Norte Y 4to Anillo (4th ring road)
Casilla 2130
Telephone 591 3 3423535
[email]hotel@caminoreal.com.bo[/email]
[url]www.caminoreal.com.bo[/url]
This is the perversly expensive ($95 USD/night) hotel where we stayed. They rated themselves as a 5 star place, but I didn't rate it any more than 4 stars. The hotel was chica-friendly, they had internet connections in the rooms for only $5 USD per night more, and the pool area was nice.
[b][u]Los Tajibos aka "El Conquistador"[/u][/b]
Ave San Martin 455
Telephone (591-3) 3421000/4
[email]santacruz@lostajiboshotel.com[/email]
[url]www.lostajiboshotel.com[/url]
This is the hotel that is essentially across the street from The Montreal Pub (see below) and is apparently the hotel of choice for many visiting sport fuckers. It's approximately the same quality as Camino Real but the room rates were more in the $60-75 USD range or less depending upon the usual factors.
[b][u]Hotel Caparuch[/u][/b]
Av San Martin 1717 (Sirari)
Telephone 591 3 342-3303
[email]caparuch@entelnet.bo[/email]
[url]www.hotelcaparuch.com[/url]
Another place we inspected as a potential future place to stay.
[b][u]Hotel Tropical Inn[/u][/b]
Calle Espana 351/353
Telephone 3346613 / 3145886
[email]hotel_tropicalinn@hotmail.com[/email]
Another place we inspected as a potential future place to stay.
[b][u]Yotau Suites 5 Star Hotel[/u][/b]
Av. San Martin 7
Barrio Equipeteol
Bolivia, South America
Another place we inspected as a potential future place to stay.
[b][u]Royal Hotel[/u][/b]
Ave San Martin 200
Telephone 591-3 3438000
[email]royalhotel@unete.com[/email]
[email]ventas@royallodgehotel.net[/email]
[url]www.royallodgehotel.net[/url]
The Royal Hotel is a new facility that is right down the street from the Camino Real. It appears to have all the right amenities, and the prices were more in the $50USD per night range. My associates and I concluded that this is where we would probably stay during our next visit.
[size=+1][b][u]Restaurants[/u][/b][/size]
Food is very cheap and was of generally good quality in Santa Cruz. Each night my associates and I continued to ask for recommendations to the most expensive places in the city, and on each night we were taken to progressively more upscale places, but even the mid-priced restaurants did a great job, and in our opinion the variety of food was superior to the bland fare we generally get in Buenos Aires.
[b][u]Los Hiorros Steak House and Bar[/u][/b]
Av Monsenor Rivero #300
Telephone 337-1309
A good, mid-upper scale steak house that served steaks that were every bit as good as the steaks in Buenos Aires.
[b][u]Chalet La Suisse[/u][/b]
Calle Los Gomeros No.98 Sirari
Santa Cruz - Bolivia
Telephone (591-3) 3436070
Casilla 2160
[email]santacruz@chaletlasuisse.com[/email]
[url]www.chaletlasuisse.com[/url]
Excellent food, I recommend it.
[b][u]Candelabro[/u][/b]
Calle 7 Oesta (Cordoba) No 9
Telephone (591-3) 337-7271
[email]restaurantecandelabro@entelnet.bo[/email]
This was unquestionably one of the most expensive restaurants in Santa Cruz. We were seated in the outside patio next to the small pool. Everything we tried was excellent, including the seafood which we simply don't get in Buenos Aires. We did a full course meal, and the bill for all three of us including a generous tip was under 500 Bolivanos (approximately $60 USD for everything)
[size=+1][b][u]Expat Hangouts[/u][/b][/size]
[b][u]The Montreal Pub[/u][/b]
3rd Anillo Externo
Across the street from the [u]Convention Center entrance[/u]
of the Los Tajibos Hotel
The Montreal Pub is certainly a friendly place, and it didn't take long after we entered for locals to just come right up and introduce themselves. We did notice while we were there that there were certainly several attractive women who were somewhat "friendly", but one also got the impression that they expected at least a little seduction effort on your part.
[size=+1][b][u]Clubs[/u][/b][/size]
[b][u]Curry's[/u][/b]
Av. Cristo Redentor
Barrio 12 de Octorbe, calle #2
Telephone 3426116
Curry's is probably the 2nd nicest club in Santa Cruz. Medium sized, with a reasonable show which I never give a fuck about but I know some guys do. 30b for entry includes one drink. $30USD bar fine, plus a universal $50 USD for the chicas. The chicas were 6-8, with an occasional 9 depending upon your rating scale.
[b][u]Caesar's Palace[/u][/b]
Caesar's Palace is easliy the nicest club of it's type in Santa Cruz, although I don't have an address for this club because every time I asked for a card, they couldn't find one. Nevertheless, it's across the street and approximately one block down from Curry's. Obviously, every cab driver will know where it is.
Caesar's Palace is a [u]BIG club[/u] with two runways, lots of space and lots of chicas. Same price structure as Curry's. I would recommend it as a "must visit" place.
[b][u]Cafe Show International[/u][/b] aka "Show Club"
Calle Tarija #399 esq. Republiquetas
This club is not in a good part of town, the 5 star self-anointed rating is a complete joke, and by many respects it's a dive. I liked it! The girls that work there all take turns dancing and stripping nude on the center, floor level stage. The prices for drinks were insignificant, although we continued to get the usual $50 USD per session price quotes from the chicas.
[size=+1][b][u]Casa de Putas[/u][/b][/size]
Although I am sure that the city has it's share of brothels, we only visited "Las Pinas". I think I got the name correct, but I have some doubt because I noted that the street address was Las Pirias 276. Anyway, it was a single-story house in a residential neighborhood. We sat in the living room, drank beers and were introduced to the chicas as they filtered in at their leisure. My associates described it well as having the feeling of a high school house party. None of us saw anything that met our minimum standards so we left after hanging around for about half an hour.
[size=+1][b][u]Street Girls[/u][/b][/size]
As noted in other posts, a primary hangout for street walkers is the plaza in front of the Palace of Justice, which is the local courthouse. My associates and I did some scouting, but they were generally below my minimum.
[size=+1][b][u]Other Notes[/u][/b][/size]
1. The city layout is easy to learn with a traditional "old town" center area, a series of streets radiating therefrom (called "radials", with numbers), and encircled by a series of 4 ring roads (Anillos). The 4th ring road is only partially completed at this time.
2. The currency is the Bolivano, which on this date was worth about 8 per USD. The Bolivano is worthless outside the country, so spend whatever you have while you're there because there's no place to exchange them outside Bolivia.
3. There is obviously a strong combination of oil and cocaine money in the city, with lots of new luxury car dealerships, lots of expensive cars on the roads, and large luxury homes built perodically in the middle of the general squalor.
4. The ATM's worked everywhere we tried them. No problems.
5. Taxis are cheap but they do not have meters and they are [u]not[/u] readly available on the street. The practice is to contract with a taxi driver, typically in front of your hotel, to drive you to and from your destination. The price is cheap at $30 B per hour ($4 USD per hour) so it's easy to get a driver for the entire evening for 20-30 bucks.
6. There apparently are no escort websites in Santa Cruz. If anyone knows of one, please post it here.
7. The hotels generally do not permit their employees to get involved in procuring chicas for guests, so all inquiries are referred to the taxi drivers who are all to happy to show you their photo albums of available chicas. What was funny was that every photo album or stack of photos we reviewed all included the nationality of the chica written on the photo, and not one of them was Bolivian. There were girls from Paraguay, Ecuador and Peru, with a few Brazilians, but no Bolivian chicas. Again the price was stuck at $50 USD per hour.
8. Just like with the taxi driver's photos, the better looking girls in the clubs were not Bolivian. For sure there were Bolivian women working in the clubs, but none of them approached my minimum standards.
9. The "Party Area" is an area called Equipetrol on the NW side of the city. It's essentially a street with a number of clubs, bars and discos. I don't remember the street name, but any taxi driver will know where it is. As will be obvious on any evening, the city residents are apparently fond of parking their SUV's on the side of the street in Equipetrol and partying all night right out of their vehicles.
10. There is a fucking $28 USD exit fee at the airport.
[size=+1][b][u]Final Observations[/u][/b][/size]
We originally targeted Santa Cruz in anticipation that the female descendants of the Europeans that generally settled the eastern half of Bolivia would be of the style that would appeal to my associates and I. Unfortunately, while there were lots of attractive women fitting the basic criteria, they weren't working in the clubs, which were instead filled with girls from other parts of South America. Hell, I can get all the Paraguayans I want in Buenos Aires. In addition, the generally quoted price of $50 USD is also the same as in Buenos Aries, so what's the point of traveling 1,500 miles for the same thing?
For sure, as I said, there were lots of taller, thin, lighter skinned, attractive women in Santa Cruz, but they weren't interested in being picked up by tourists. I watched the two young, Spanish-fluent American turks I was traveling with try for several hours to engage in conversations with these women in the discos, all to no avail.
I think Santa Cruz is possibly a good city to consider living in, with cheap food and housing costs, a warm climate and the potential to meet local women if you lived there, but I can't recommend it as a sport fucking destination.
Thanks,
Jackson[/blue]
Jackson,
Glad that you and Rock were able to make it and have such a good time. Too bad I missed you at the bar or Ivo's, but I am glad that some of the info I was able to provide helped out. As someone living and working here I can say that you are spot on about everything, only it has taken me two months to figure as much out.
I have a couple personal favorite galls I call that I can share next time...
2J
[blue]Too Jaded,
That would be my fault as I didn't decide to go until the day before the flight, and thus I didn't do any real advanced preparation except for reading a printed version of the forum while on the flight.
We'll be sure to contact you before the next trip.
Thanks,
Jackson[/blue]
[QUOTE=Too Jaded]Your best bet for a short term stay in Santa Cruz is to try the extended stay suites (i.e. serviced apartments) at the Camino Real hotel, which most of the expats live at on a month to month basis. It runs about $1100/mo but it is 5-star quality. I imagine that shorter term arrangements can be made.
[/QUOTE]Buganvillas has condo for a long/short term stay in. You may get a deal below $500/mo for a 2BR. The hotel is very nice too, and the cost may be the same as Camino Real.
Try the Cartagena nearby (10min walking). Girls are from the 5 - 8 scale. The place is very safe. It costs $20US or $40+$20(bar fine) for a night. Things start happening around 9pm. Fridays and Saturdays have more variety.
Does anyone have information on activating your GSM cellular for local Cellular Service in Santa Cruz? For example, in Colombia, you can choose from three cellular provider's, COMCEL,Tigo & Movistar. Are similar services available in Santa Cruz.
Thanks,
Miami Bob
[QUOTE=Senor Amable]Does anyone have information on activating your GSM cellular for local Cellular Service in Santa Cruz? For example, in Colombia, you can choose from three cellular provider's, COMCEL,Tigo & Movistar. Are similar services available in Santa Cruz.
Thanks,
Miami Bob[/QUOTE]
Around here there is primarily Cotas and Entel. I would recommend the latter. No need to sign up for anything, just go to Siete Calles or one of the bazaars and for about $50 you'll walk out with a decent Motorola cellphone, an activated SIM, and about 50Bs worth of credit.
Too Jaded,thanks for the Cellular Info. I've been doing Medellin for the last six years about ten trips a year. I need a change and have been thinking about Santa Cruz. Have you been to Medellin and if so, how would you compare Santa Cruz to Medellin,Colombia?
Again, Thanks for the Cellular info.
MiamiBob
Does anyone know what a roundtrip ticket from Buenos Aires should cost on Aerolineas Argentina?
Please advise.
Hlover-
When I was back in Santa Cruz de la Sierra in May 2007, I took the flight from Buenos Aires and it only set me back about $240 USD all in. However, I have seen the flight for around $315 USD also, so anywhere from the $250-$350 USD range is the norm. This is for flights ORIGINATING in Buenos Aires; if you originate in SC de la Sierra, the flight is at least $100 USD more. I know this because I flew a Crucena into Buenos Aires to visit me just about two weeks ago.
Suerte,
Rock Harders
[QUOTE=Senor Amable]Too Jaded,thanks for the Cellular Info. I've been doing Medellin for the last six years about ten trips a year. I need a change and have been thinking about Santa Cruz. Have you been to Medellin and if so, how would you compare Santa Cruz to Medellin,Colombia?
Again, Thanks for the Cellular info.
MiamiBob[/QUOTE]
I haven't been to Medellin, but many of my friends have, and if Bogota is any indication then you'll have more fun in your old stomping grounds.
Now that I have been here for a few months I thought I would share my own thoughts as someone actually living in the city. Jackson has already summed things up nicely but I figure I'll give my resident's view. It should be taken with a grain of salt since I just moved here after a trek through BKK and the Phils, which will make anyone 'too jaded' for a fair comparison.
Santa Cruz is the largest city in Bolivia, and IMO has the prettiest women in the country. Good thing, because I do not think that I would have the stamina to screw in La Paz at its unbelievable altitude of 12,000 feet MSL. While it is the business center of Bolivia, little English is spoken, and the local language is Camba Spanish, which takes some getting used to. They drop the s here so [i]"dos paquetes de marlboros blancos"[/i] becomes [i]"do paquete de marlboro blanco"[/i], and [i]"estoy yesca"[/i] becomes [i]"e'toy ye'ca"[/i]. This and some odd vernacular will make things a little challenging. Do not be shocked if you speak decent Spanish but they do not understand you in some places.
The girls here are approachable, although they are more timid than the Colombians. Also the hot-to-not ratio is not quite as good as elsewhere. That said, that are some cuties to be had and even the younger girls (18 and up) are pretty progressive sexually. Unlike the Colombianas these girls will never call you first or make the first (or even second) move, so you need to be a little aggressive (with manners).
All in all Santa Cruz is safe for the smart-minded traveler. While pickpocketing and some late night muggings do happen outside the main avenue, those of us who are used to overseas travel will find it rather secure. However there are many demonstrations downtown as the political situation has been tense since Evo Morales took power; avoid these at all costs as they can get a little violent and even xenophobic.
$1USD ~= 8 Bolivianos, just remember 80Bs is ten bucks and do the math. Cabs are unmetered but minimum fair is 10Bs, a ride across town within ring 4 is typically 15-20Bs and an hour of random travel is 30Bs. There are small surcharges if you go outside ring 4, such as to Viru Viru airport (typically 50Bs total one way). Don't even ask, just calculate in your head and act like you know what you're doing and you won't get ripped off, or if you have to ask they'll try and overcharge 25% so try and talk them down. Also, they will [b]never have change[/b] so carry small bills with you.
Regarding P4P, there are a number of outlets. The best IMO are El Deber, Caesar's Palace, and your hotel's doorman.
El Deber is the local newspaper, and it has a rather good classified section which offers a wide variety, and often the best selection if you know how to play the listings. This can be a bit of a gamble of course, but for the most part the slightly more expensive independents are ok. This also works best if you stay at a ritzier complex with a doorman that controls the traffic going in and out. My friend got a number out of El Deber which he later gave me for what must have been one of the sexiest fucks I've had in a long time with a nice 21 y/o student and semi-pro with the nicest rack in recent memory.
Caesar's Palace is a large strip club that is fairly upscale. There are PLENTY of women to choose from that can be barfined or taken to any of the available rooms, typically costing around $75 for the latter. I tried to negotiate without success and my local buddies told me that I have to pay the 'Gringo Tax' until my face becomes that of a regular. I passed and instead got phone numbers for after-hours action which typically ran me $50 for a good two hour session back at the casa. Some girls are known to offer BBFS at these places and there is a rumor of some HIV going on, so play smart. If you simply must have BBFS then establish a steady rapport with a higher end semi-pro which will reduce the risk to some degree. [i]Hepatitis is also a major problem here, be careful![/i]
Across the street from Caesar's is a place with 'Cafe' in the name that I forget, but it is not nearly as nice as Caesar's although it has a better atmosphere. Prices are cheaper reportedly, although the hot-to-not ratio goes down as well. But it is a fun place to drink, which is all I did there.
Taxi drivers and hotel doormen are your friends. It will cost you more since they get a built-in cut of the action but they'll either send the prime beef right to your room or show you a portfolio of various gals and their availability. Do not hesitate to turn down anything that does not meet your specifications. After awhile you will build your own network of numbers to call.
There are also some other places you can try, such as '33' over by Aeropuerto Trompillo, which is a massage parlor offering full service. There are some skeezy motels on the southwest side of 4th ring (you can't miss them), which cater to the cheap short time enthusiasts, but there are many trannies too there. I stay away from those places. Another tact is to hop in a taxi and tell him you're looking for a companion, and you'll find the streetwalkers, some of whom are actually quite hot. I only wanted to see what the opportunities are and always declined, but it is an option for those who like to be adventurous.
For those going out towards Cochabamba there are brothels on the main road that goes north and then west out of Santa Cruz, which can be best seen on Thursday nights exhibiting a red lantern or a red bucket. I have never tried these, I only know what my cholo friends have told me.
If you are on a P4P vacation, I recommend Colombia, Argentina, Brazil or Peru over Bolivia. But of you are a jaded traveler looking to try something new and challenging, Santa Cruz is a decent city to try out.
2J
[QUOTE=Too Jaded]Now that I have been here for a few months I thought I would share my own thoughts as someone actually living in the city. Jackson has already summed things up nicely but I figure I'll give my resident's view. It should be taken with a grain of salt since I just moved here after a trek through BKK and the Phils, which will make anyone 'too jaded' for a fair comparison.
Santa Cruz is the largest city in Bolivia, and IMO has the prettiest women in the country. Good thing, because I do not think that I would have the stamina to screw in La Paz at its unbelievable altitude of 12,000 feet MSL. While it is the business center of Bolivia, little English is spoken, and the local language is Camba Spanish, which takes some getting used to. They drop the s here so [i]"dos paquetes de marlboros blancos"[/i] becomes [i]"do paquete de marlboro blanco"[/i], and [i]"estoy yesca"[/i] becomes [i]"e'toy ye'ca"[/i]. This and some odd vernacular will make things a little challenging. Do not be shocked if you speak decent Spanish but they do not understand you in some places.
The girls here are approachable, although they are more timid than the Colombians. Also the hot-to-not ratio is not quite as good as elsewhere. That said, that are some cuties to be had and even the younger girls (18 and up) are pretty progressive sexually. Unlike the Colombianas these girls will never call you first or make the first (or even second) move, so you need to be a little aggressive (with manners).
All in all Santa Cruz is safe for the smart-minded traveler. While pickpocketing and some late night muggings do happen outside the main avenue, those of us who are used to overseas travel will find it rather secure. However there are many demonstrations downtown as the political situation has been tense since Evo Morales took power; avoid these at all costs as they can get a little violent and even xenophobic.
$1USD ~= 8 Bolivianos, just remember 80Bs is ten bucks and do the math. Cabs are unmetered but minimum fair is 10Bs, a ride across town within ring 4 is typically 15-20Bs and an hour of random travel is 30Bs. There are small surcharges if you go outside ring 4, such as to Viru Viru airport (typically 50Bs total one way). Don't even ask, just calculate in your head and act like you know what you're doing and you won't get ripped off, or if you have to ask they'll try and overcharge 25% so try and talk them down. Also, they will [b]never have change[/b] so carry small bills with you.
Regarding P4P, there are a number of outlets. The best IMO are El Deber, Caesar's Palace, and your hotel's doorman.
El Deber is the local newspaper, and it has a rather good classified section which offers a wide variety, and often the best selection if you know how to play the listings. This can be a bit of a gamble of course, but for the most part the slightly more expensive independents are ok. This also works best if you stay at a ritzier complex with a doorman that controls the traffic going in and out. My friend got a number out of El Deber which he later gave me for what must have been one of the sexiest fucks I've had in a long time with a nice 21 y/o student and semi-pro with the nicest rack in recent memory.
Caesar's Palace is a large strip club that is fairly upscale. There are PLENTY of women to choose from that can be barfined or taken to any of the available rooms, typically costing around $75 for the latter. I tried to negotiate without success and my local buddies told me that I have to pay the 'Gringo Tax' until my face becomes that of a regular. I passed and instead got phone numbers for after-hours action which typically ran me $50 for a good two hour session back at the casa. Some girls are known to offer BBFS at these places and there is a rumor of some HIV going on, so play smart. If you simply must have BBFS then establish a steady rapport with a higher end semi-pro which will reduce the risk to some degree. [i]Hepatitis is also a major problem here, be careful![/i]
Across the street from Caesar's is a place with 'Cafe' in the name that I forget, but it is not nearly as nice as Caesar's although it has a better atmosphere. Prices are cheaper reportedly, although the hot-to-not ratio goes down as well. But it is a fun place to drink, which is all I did there.
Taxi drivers and hotel doormen are your friends. It will cost you more since they get a built-in cut of the action but they'll either send the prime beef right to your room or show you a portfolio of various gals and their availability. Do not hesitate to turn down anything that does not meet your specifications. After awhile you will build your own network of numbers to call.
There are also some other places you can try, such as '33' over by Aeropuerto Trompillo, which is a massage parlor offering full service. There are some skeezy motels on the southwest side of 4th ring (you can't miss them), which cater to the cheap short time enthusiasts, but there are many trannies too there. I stay away from those places. Another tact is to hop in a taxi and tell him you're looking for a companion, and you'll find the streetwalkers, some of whom are actually quite hot. I only wanted to see what the opportunities are and always declined, but it is an option for those who like to be adventurous.
For those going out towards Cochabamba there are brothels on the main road that goes north and then west out of Santa Cruz, which can be best seen on Thursday nights exhibiting a red lantern or a red bucket. I have never tried these, I only know what my cholo friends have told me.
If you are on a P4P vacation, I recommend Colombia, Argentina, Brazil or Peru over Bolivia. But of you are a jaded traveler looking to try something new and challenging, Santa Cruz is a decent city to try out.
2J[/QUOTE]
Thanks for the informative report. DO you know what would be the most common or easiest way to get there from the states? I would imagine that Miami International Airport would be a common departure site to head over to Bolivia, not sure?
[QUOTE=Mangera]Thanks for the informative report. DO you know what would be the most common or easiest way to get there from the states? I would imagine that Miami International Airport would be a common departure site to head over to Bolivia, not sure?[/QUOTE]
Por nada, amigo. The best way that I know is to come through on American via Miami (MIA) direct to Viru Viru (VVI). Viru Viru is the newish airport about ten minutes to the north. It is a midnight flight that will have you here early morning. The business class upgrade is pretty cheap, too. There is also Santa Cruz (SRZ) airport but that doesn't handle many flights anymore and is mostly civil and military.
Btw, I called my regular last night with the great tits. It was awesome. She typically stays with me for three or four hours and is a refreshing and natural GFE, so I typically pay her about $100USD as she is more upscale and provides a more personal service. She is not one of the models you can get though, which I need to try one of these nights, there are some hotties I see in the hotels that I hear run $100-$200 for a ST appointment. I'll have to do some investigating for your gentlemen.
2J
I too enjoyed your report. I've been looking into bolivia for future trips. I have two questions.
1. Are there low end casas/brothels with dark indian women ?
2. Is there any good transportion between santa cruz and asuncion paraguay and would getting through the border by ground be difficult ?
Thanks