Dwarfed by its huge neighbours, Paraguay is off the radar for many people visiting South America as it doesn’t have any of the obvious attractions of the continent. However, it is something of a ‘cult’ destination; part of its attraction is the very fact that it is so little visited.
BEST TIME TO VISIT
Travel to Paraguay is possible year round, but there are only two main seasons: hot, and extremely hot. December to February experiences peak heat. Then, during the rest of the year, Paraguay sees consistently warm weather with temperatures of 23 C to 29 C (73 F to 84 F) daily. There’s no rainy season to speak of, apart from sporadic cooling showers between March and November. Since the country’s travel industry is embryonic, there are few particularly busy periods, though Easter sees the cities become busier. Paraguayans travel internationally during longer public holidays, so the country is generally calmer on these dates.
What to Pack
Things to do and see
Food and drink
n terms of its cuisine, Paraguay has much in common with its carnivorous neighbour Argentina: beef, chicken, pork, lamb, and fish are the most popular ingredients in a Paraguayan asado or barbecue outdoors. Spicy sausages, Sopa Paraguaya (a cornbread pie with cheese and onion), in addition to mandioca (manioc or yucca root) and the ever present mixed salads are the usual dishes accompanying any asado (barbecue).
Other traditional delicacies are soyo, a meat and vegetable soup; bori bori, a soup containing little balls of cornbread and cheese; chipa, bread made from corn flour and Paraguayan cheese; and empanadas, fried or baked pasties filled with all kinds of delicious things.
How to Get Around
Whilst Paraguay is relatively little visited in comparison to its larger neighbours, our specialists have the same love and intimate knowledge of the country as anywhere else in South America.
Visiting Paraguay is generally done in combination with a trip to Brazil, entering the country close to the immense Iguazú Falls, or with Argentina, crossing from the state of Misiones with its vast wetlands.
Alternatively, there are direct flights to Asunción from São Paulo and Buenos Aires. Paraguay is rarely a destination visited in its own right, although there is enough for the intrepid traveller to fill a week or even two.
VISA
UK passport holders require a Cuban Tourist card to visit Cuba: we can arrange this on your behalf. As well as being a fantastic country to visit in its own right Cuba can very easily be combined with Costa Rica or Mexico.
Language
94% of the population speak Guaraní, while about 75% of all Paraguayans can speak Spanish. Both are official languages, making Paraguay the only country in Latin America whose indigenous language is thus recognised.
English is not widely understood, but is spoken by many in the tourist industry.
money and expense
The currency is the Guaraní. ATMs are reasonably easy to find, especially in the cities and most machines will take major credit cards, as well as Cirrus and Plus cards. Visa and Mastercard are generally accepted, as are bank debit cards.
If you plan on taking travellers’ cheques, they should be in US dollars, and not sterling.
Tipping
Not compulsory to tip
Social etiquette
Please ask permission before taking photographs.
Adaptor
WIFI
Ruth’s Lonely Planet 