Travel guide

Yes, with the same precautions you'd take in any Latin American city. The US State Department places it at its lowest risk level, with extra caution advised in a few border departments in the north and east. The most frequent risk is phone and bag snatching: be discreet with your phone on the street and use Bolt, Uber or a taxi at night.

It depends on your nationality. Mercosur and associate countries can enter with a national ID card; the European Union, the UK, Mexico and many others don't need a visa for stays of up to 90 days. The United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand are exempt by law until August 13, 2027. If your country isn't on the official list at migraciones.gov.py, apply for a visa at a Paraguayan consulate before you travel.

Yes, if you're a citizen of Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador or Peru, with a valid ID in good condition. All other travelers need a passport. Even if you enter with an ID card, make sure immigration records your arrival and keep any slip they give you.

Three days is enough for Asunción and the Lake Ypacaraí circuit (Areguá, San Bernardino, Caacupé). With 7 to 10 days you can add Encarnación and the Jesuit Missions, plus Ciudad del Este with Itaipú Dam and the Monday Falls. Two weeks lets you add the Central Chaco or the north, where distances are long.

Asunción's historic center and Costanera riverfront; the Jesuit missions of Trinidad and Jesús (UNESCO World Heritage Sites); the Itaipú Dam; Lake Ypacaraí and the Basilica of Caacupé; Encarnación's beaches in summer; and the Chaco with its Mennonite colonies. And above all, a round of tereré with Paraguayans.

Not much. At large hotels, travel agencies and some restaurants in Asunción you'll find English-speaking staff, but on the street, on buses and in the countryside people speak Spanish and Guaraní. Keep a translation app on your phone (Google Translate includes Guaraní) and learn a few basic Spanish phrases: people are patient and eager to help.

In the cities, yes: hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, malls and gas stations accept Visa and Mastercard. In small towns, markets, food stalls, toll booths, buses and taxis, cash is king. Carry guaraníes in small bills and use bank ATMs inside malls or bank branches.

At licensed exchange houses in Asunción, Encarnación or Ciudad del Este, which offer better rates than hotels and the airport. US dollars, Brazilian reais, Argentine pesos and euros are easy to change. Avoid street money changers, especially at the borders, and count your money before leaving the counter.

In and around Asunción, use Bolt, Uber or MUV (cheap and safe) or take a city bus with a Más or Jaha card. Between cities, take a long-distance bus from the Asunción Bus Station: there are frequent departures to Encarnación, Ciudad del Este, Villarrica, Concepción and the Chaco. For estancias (country ranches) or rural areas, it's best to book a tour or transfer.

By Bolt, Uber or MUV (approx. ₲80,000–150,000) or by airport taxi (approx. ₲100,000–180,000; agree on the fare first). The ride takes 20 to 40 minutes. The budget option is the city bus (line 30 or the new E3 electric bus line, ₲3,400), but you'll need a transit card and it's not comfortable with big luggage.

It's yerba mate steeped in ice-cold water, often with yuyos (medicinal herbs) crushed in a mortar. It's sipped from a guampa (cup) through a bombilla (metal straw) and shared in a round. Its practices and traditional knowledge, together with Pohã Ñana (medicinal herbs), have been UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2020. If someone offers you one, say yes: it's an invitation to chat.

From April to June and August to October the weather is mild and pleasant for sightseeing. Summer (December to February) is very hot but brings river beaches and carnival in Encarnación. Winter is mild with a few cold days. To experience popular faith, head to Caacupé on December 8.

No. It's one of the most affordable countries in the region. A set lunch (almuerzo ejecutivo) costs about US$5–10, a Bolt ride across town a few dollars, and a 5-hour bus trip around US$15–35. Upscale hotels in Asunción charge international prices, but there are good mid-range options.

In Asunción the tap water is treated and many residents drink it, but if you have a sensitive stomach or you're in the countryside or the Chaco, stick to bottled water: it's cheap and sold everywhere. Always carry a bottle, because the heat dehydrates you fast.

There are no mandatory vaccines for most visitors, but the CDC recommends the yellow fever vaccine if you'll be traveling beyond Asunción, given at least 10 days before your trip. Keep hepatitis A and tetanus up to date. Against dengue, your best defense is repellent and long sleeves. See a travel medicine doctor.

220 V and 50 Hz. Outlets take two-round-pin plugs (Type C) and, in many cases, flat-pin plugs (Type A). Phones and laptops are usually dual-voltage; 110 V devices like hair dryers need a transformer. A universal adapter is enough for most travelers.

UTC-3 all year round. Since Law 7354 of October 2024, Paraguay no longer changes its clocks in winter, so it now shares the same time as Buenos Aires and São Paulo (as long as Brazil doesn't bring back daylight saving time). If your phone shows a different time, set it manually.

Buy a prepaid SIM card from Tigo, Personal or Claro at the airport or any shopping mall by showing your passport or ID card; data packages are cheap. Another option is to buy an international eSIM before your trip. Free Wi-Fi is common in hotels, cafés and malls.

During the day, in the shopping district and if you stay alert, yes: millions of people visit it for shopping. Watch your belongings in the crowds, buy from established stores, ask for an official receipt and be wary of prices that seem too good to be true. Avoid street money changers and middlemen. At night downtown empties out: get around by car or app.

Yes. From Ciudad del Este you cross the Friendship Bridge to Foz do Iguaçu (Brazil) or continue on to Puerto Iguazú (Argentina). Check whether your nationality needs a visa for Brazil or Argentina, bring your documents and allow time for the lines on the bridge. Many Paraguayan agencies sell the trip as a day tour.

Chipa (a bread made from cassava starch and cheese), sopa paraguaya (a cornbread, despite the name meaning "Paraguayan soup"), chipa guasu (a corn-kernel version), mbeju (a cassava-starch griddle cake), vori vori (a soup with cornmeal-and-cheese dumplings), pastel mandi'o (a cassava-dough turnover) and a good asado (barbecue). Serve it with boiled cassava. In the heat, drink tereré; in winter, mate cocido (a toasted yerba tea) with milk and chipa.

Call 141 (SEME ambulances), 911 (police) or 132 (fire department); calls are free. In Asunción, private hospitals attend quickly if you have travel insurance; public hospitals treat emergencies free of charge but with delays. Keep your policy and your insurer's assistance number handy.

Yes, as a tourist you can drive with your valid home-country license; many rental agencies also ask for an International Driving Permit, which is best obtained in your home country. Drive on the right, avoid the highways at night, carry cash for tolls, and don't drive if you've been drinking: checkpoints are frequent.

The Central Chaco (Filadelfia, Loma Plata, Neuland), yes: the Transchaco highway is paved and there are daily buses from Asunción. Beyond that, toward the national parks or the Pantanal, it's better to go with a guide and a 4x4: the distances are enormous, there's no cell signal and dirt roads get cut off by rain.

At SENATUR's Turista Róga centers: Palma 468 in downtown Asunción (daily from 07:00 to 19:00, +595 21 494 110) and at Silvio Pettirossi Airport, open 24 hours. There are also offices in Areguá, Encarnación, Ciudad del Este, Villarrica and other towns. The official portal is visitparaguay.travel.