Paraguay Travel Guide for Americans
Everything you need to plan your trip to Paraguay: when to go, how much it costs, and where to fly from.
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About Paraguay
Paraguay is South America's most underrated country—a place where gringos are rare enough that your US dollar stretches further than almost anywhere else on the continent. Wedged between Argentina, Brazil, and Bolivia, this landlocked nation has zero beaches but compensates with Jesuit missions that rival European architecture, dense subtropical forests that dwarf the Amazon in biodiversity per square kilometer, and a culture that genuinely doesn't cater to tourism yet. The official language is Spanish, but roughly half the population speaks Guaraní as a first language—a legacy of the indigenous population that colonizers actually integrated with rather than decimated. Most Americans skip Paraguay entirely, heading straight to Peru or Colombia, which means you'll experience authentic South America without the Instagram crowds or inflated tourist prices. The country is safe for travelers who use basic sense, the food is underrated (chipa bread and fresh river fish), and you can eat three meals a day for under $15 if you avoid tourist traps. Asunción, the capital, sits on the Paraná River and has a scrappy energy—half-built neighborhoods adjacent to restored colonial architecture, street food vendors firing up grills at 6am, and a nightlife scene that local university students actually frequent rather than gringos on pub crawls.
At a Glance
Trip Cost: What to Expect
Getting Around
Asunción has a domestic airport (Silvio Pettirossi) with flights to Ciudad del Este and Encarnación via Paranair—useful for skipping long bus rides. Long-distance buses are the backbone of travel: Nuestra Señora de Asunción and Cita are reliable companies running overnight services to Argentina/Brazil borders. Buses are cheap ($10-25 for 6-8 hour routes) but frequently overcrowded and slow. Car rental is $35-50/day but roads outside Asunción are inconsistently maintained—hire a driver ($15-20/day) instead. Local transport in Asunción is minibuses (colectivos) at 50 cents per ride; get your route figured out before boarding or you'll end up somewhere random. No trains for tourists. Iguazu Falls is accessible from the Argentine side (3-hour bus from Ciudad del Este), not from Paraguay's side which is less spectacular. River boats exist but are tourist infrastructure only—expensive and unreliable.
Practical Tips
Buy a VIVA SIM card at Asunción's airport (kiosk in arrivals) or any VIVA storefront for essentially free. Unlimited local calls and texts are $3/month. Data packages: 2GB for $7, 5GB for $12. Tigo is the alternative but VIVA coverage is more reliable in rural areas. You'll need your passport. Activate immediately—tourist ATMs work fine but having data for maps is critical since Google Maps works inconsistently in rural Paraguay. Credit: reload via mobile app or at any convenience store. Voice quality is fine, LTE coverage reaches most population areas.
Tipping is not culturally embedded in Paraguay like it is in the US. A 5-10% tip at restaurants is appreciated but not expected; locals often don't tip at all. Taxi drivers don't expect tips (but round up to nearest 5,000 Guaraní if they're helpful). Hotel staff appreciate small bills ($1-2) for daily housekeeping. Tour guides expect $10-15/day if they're actually good. Food vendors on the street: zero tips. Tour operators sometimes include tips in the quote—ask before booking. Rounding up is the cultural norm, not percentage-based tipping. Americans over-tip here and it warps local expectations—tip like you would in Mexico, not the US.
Paraguay has a bad international reputation it doesn't entirely deserve for tourists. Asunción is safe in daylight in the main neighborhoods (Barrio Jara, Barrio Obrero, downtown along the river). Don't walk around at night alone; take a taxi ($3-5). Some neighborhoods (Sur de Asunción, Tacumbú) are genuinely dangerous—skip them entirely. Ciudad del Este has a reputation for smuggling and petty crime; keep wits about you but it's not a warzone. The Chocó region and Gran Chaco are legitimate wilderness—hire reputable guides (ask your hotel). Police are mostly not corrupt in tourist areas but avoid anything sketchy. Robbery is rare; pickpocketing happens at busy markets (watch your pockets). Don't display expensive electronics or large cash. Avoid driving at night outside cities. The Mennonite communities in Chocó are isolated but generally welcoming if you're respectful. Overall: Paraguay is actually safer than Brazil or Colombia for tourists but looks more dangerous because fewer tourists means less tourism infrastructure, not actual crime. Use your normal travel common sense and you'll be fine.
Skip organized tours entirely and hire private guides through your hotel—you'll pay 70% less ($15-20/day instead of $50-60) and get better customized experiences. Request someone who speaks English (Spanish-only guides charge less) and meet them beforehand to confirm reliability. Every hotel owner knows 5-10 guides they trust; they won't recommend bad ones because their reputation depends on it. For missions (San Ignacio, Trinidad, Encarnación), hire a guide locally ($10) rather than booking from Asunción—the sites speak for themselves and you need someone who knows the actual history, not tourist-board scripts. Second insider move: eat where construction workers eat, not where the guidebook points. In Asunción, the market at Puerto de la Bahía (6-8am) has fresh chipa, sopa Paraguaya, and empanadas for $1-2 total—genuinely better than any restaurant and you'll be the only tourist. Third: the Paraná River sunset from Asunción's Costanera is free and overlooked while everyone's in overpriced restaurants. Bring a beer from the corner store ($1.50), watch the light, talk to locals. That's Paraguay.
Destinations in Paraguay
Frequently Asked Questions
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