Is Paraguay Safe for Tourists to Visit?

Is Paraguay safe for tourists to visit? Yes, this is one of the safest countries in South America and it has a lot less crime than the more dangerous countries on the continent such as Brazil, Colombia and Ecuador.

That does not mean Paraguay is without problems. There are dangerous parts of the country such as Pedro Juan Caballero. And even within the capital Asuncion, there are spots to avoid, most notably the Chacarita, a slum just a short walk from the president’s workplace.

I’m writing this from Asuncion where I’m staying with my Paraguayan girlfriend who knows the country inside out having spent her whole life here. Together we will run through everything you should know about safety in Paraguay and ensure you don’t end up in a sticky situation on your travels. You can avoid many of the dodgy spots by following this week-long Paraguay itinerary.

What are the Main Dangers in Paraguay for Tourists?

Whilst Paraguay is one of Latin America’s safest nations, it does have a few problems you should be aware of. Let’s split them into crime and dangers based on the environment around you. We will take a look at them here:

Crime

Pickpocketing is the biggest issue for tourists in Paraguay, it is the most common crime which may affect you on your travels, and most Paraguayans have a pickpocketing story to share with you. My girlfriend has twice had her phone stolen on the buses in Asuncion, so keep a close eye on your valuables on public transport in particular. Busy markets and bus terminals are also key hotspots for theft.

Violent crime does occur in Paraguay, but it is very rare. Firstly, I would strongly advise against engaging in any sort of conflict with local men such as disputes with taxi drivers and in nightclubs. It can get bad real fast if you aren’t careful. We’ll talk more about dangerous parts of Paraguay later on, but I would also recommend avoiding areas where drug trafficking takes place, such as anywhere along the eastern border with Brazil, especially the notorious city of Pedro Juan Caballero.

Scamming is rife in some areas. People will often sell fake goods at markets and they often overcharge anyone who seems to be a foreigner. Travelling here as a Brit with a local girlfriend has saved me a lot of money. Additionally, don’t book anything with an unofficial company. If you purchase a tour, rental vehicle or other services including rental properties, you may be asked to send money in advance, and could be blocked from contacting the “seller” after the money has been received.

Fraud is also rife with POS machines. If you pay with your card, only do so in trusted places such as major supermarkets, upscale bars and well-established brands including McDonalds or Starbucks. In less reputable places, a common trick is to rig the machine so it clones your card and can be used to steal money. Always carry cash with you to avoid this.

Corruption is widespread unfortunately, and you could have serious issues with the police. You are most likely to come into contact with them if you drive, as traffic stops can be common. They may request a small bribe, and you should always pay it without arguing. They can become violent if you don’t. In the worst cases, they have even been known to slip drugs into people’s bags which leads to serious criminal charges. This is very rare, but it’s important to give them no reason to do this to you.

Environment

Flooding occurs in Paraguay and can cause dangers on the roads. Outside of the capital in particular, the roads can be bad. Floods can cause vehicles to come off the road and put people in danger. The best time for visiting Paraguay is the spring just before the summer season (December-February) kicks in, which is when floods are must common.

Infrastructure is an issue here. There have been deaths from people coming into contact with bare electric cables. You will see these occasionally hanging down in the streets, so do be wary of them. Holes in the ground also provide a threat, partly as a trip hazard and partly because floods can hide them and people can fall down if the holes are large enough. Stay indoors when flooding and thunderstorms occur where possible.

Traffic is a problem for tourists in many countries. I’ve seen crashes whilst backpacking in India, and my taxi was hit by a car on the way to the airport whilst leaving Mongolia. Paraguay also has issues. Reckless driving is common here and drivers often don’t stop at red lights or use indicators, making the roads a real hazard at times.

Wildlife can cause problems if you aren’t careful. The biggest menace by a long way is mosquitos. You can’t avoid these horrible things, which are responsible for some nasty diseases including dengue fever, yellow fever and chikungunya. DEET spray and long sleeves will increase your chances of staying safe, but there’s a high chance you’ll be bitten eventually regardless. Elsewhere, rats can be a problem in untidy areas, whilst dangerous snakes exist in more rural areas. Under a week before writing this, I saw a deadly coral snake in rural Paraguay.

Weather tends to be warmer than you will be used to if from Europe or North America. Heatwaves can occur in the summer months from December-February, with temperatures going as high as 47°C (117°F) in summer 2024. Dehydration is a risk if you go hiking in more wild regions such as the vast Chaco, so come prepared with a lot of water.

The Capital of Paraguay: is Asuncion Safe for Tourists?

If flying into Paraguay, or taking a brutal 25-hour bus journey down from Bolivia (bad idea: I speak from experience), then your first stop in the country will probably be the capital city, Asuncion.

As long as you follow basic travel safety advice, you should be fine here.

Dress modestly without flashy brands, don’t flash cash, and avoid using your phone in the streets as I did when I was almost mugged in Ecuador. Follow these rules and you won’t have any issues in Asuncion, a city with a lot to do.

The capital does have some very safe areas. Villa Morra is very upscale and even has security looking out for potential issues. It’s also near many of Asuncion’s best restaurants. Downtown Asuncion is safe in the day, but you should be wary going there at night. Likewise the popular Carmelitas neighbourhood (Las Lomas) is very safe.

On the flipside, avoid going in the Chacarita, a slum officially called Dr. Ricardo Brugada. When I first walked past in 2022, locals warned me it was very dangerous before residents hissed at me and followed with suspicion. I got away from there ASAP. In 2024 it is no safer than it was before.

Elsewhere, Calle Ultima is a major bus stop which is also a pickpocketing hotspot, whilst Mercado 4 is a place to keep your phone in your pocket. Again, there’s a large theft risk here. I visited both without issues, and you can do the same, just make sure you have your guard up. Calle Ultima is somewhere you will need to go to take a bus to San Bernardino if that’s on your itinerary for Paraguay.

Elsewhere, the main bus terminal, Terminal de Omnibus de Asuncion also attracts its fair share of shady characters looking to grab your valuables. Having said that, I was completely unaware of the dangers of this place when first arriving in 2022 and had no issues. You will be fine with common sense precautions.

Lastly, you should avoid slums in general, and as a general rule of thumb you should stay well clear of the outskirts of Asuncion, which have little of interest for tourists anyway, but also bring a raised risk of crime.

Where Else in Paraguay is Safe to Visit?

There are several parts of Paraguay which are very safe to visit. These include the holiday resort of San Bernardino which draws many to its beaches during the summer.

Another of my favourite spots in Paraguay which is super safe is the small city of Aregua on the opposite side of Lake Ypacarai to San Bernardino. It’s a place known for strawberries and ceramics rather than crime.

The above are both places worth visiting in Paraguay.

Most remote villages across the country are safe. They will give you an insight into local life. Villages generally consist of families building several houses within short distances of each other, where they keep a lot of livestock. Older village locals will speak the traditional language of Guarani rather than Spanish and have rarely, if ever, seen the bigger cities. Travelling to villages is a great cultural experience, although you may struggle to reach one without any local contacts.

There are a couple of other cities which are safe, although require slightly more precaution than the places mentioned just above. One is Encarnacion on the Argentina border, best known for its location near Paraguay’s only UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Jesuit Ruins of La Santisima Trinidad de Parana and Jesus de Tavarangue.

The other is Ciudad del Este, a border city on the edge of the Triple Frontier border between Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil. It’s a place which won’t be winning any beauty awards, but it’s relatively safe. Although I’d advise against getting your phone out in the many cheap electronics markets which the city is best known for.

Most borders away from Brazil are safe if you take the right precautions. I’ve travelled in and out of Paraguay several times overland. Past journeys include many at Ciudad del Este, one coming into Paraguay from Bolivia, and a bus trip from Salta to Asuncion which ended with a crossing at the Clorinda/Jose Falcon border.

Which Places in Paraguay are Dangerous to Visit?

There are a few major cities and other areas in the country which should be avoided. The big one is Pedro Juan Caballero which borders Brazil. It is a major hub for drug trafficking and gang violence with several shootings in recent years. This is the one place in Paraguay you should avoid at all costs. There’s nothing of interest there for tourists.

Elsewhere, be wary getting too close to anywhere bordering Brazil. Whilst Pedro Juan Caballero is the epicentre, many other border areas are used to smuggle drugs. The exception is the border between Ciudad del Este in Paraguay and Foz do Iguazu in Brazil. This area is safe and many tourists cross to visit Iguazu Falls in Argentina or Brazil.

Avoid slums. Just like the Chacarita in Asuncion, slums are home to a lot of poverty which in turn attracts crime. Slums are generally identifiable by several small poorly-structured shacks being clustered together, often with a lot of rubbish outside. If in doubt, ask a local, although with English rarely spoken in Paraguay, you will need to brush up on your español.

The city of Concepcion is the other place which requires extra care. It is a city on the Paraguay River which is also a key artery on the way to Pedro Juan Caballero. As a result, it attracts its fair share of rogues who engage in violent crime, and you should be very careful if you want to come here.

Is Public Transport Safe in Paraguay?

There are three methods of public transportation in Paraguay: buses, street taxis and online taxis.

Buses are risky to use, although I have been on several and had no issues. Just keep your phone in your pocket and stay alert. My girlfriend has twice had her phone stolen on buses over the years. Her friend has a more extreme story of being robbed at knifepoint. Bus transport in Asuncion does require extra care. Whilst long-distance buses are generally safer. Another thing to note is that drivers are reckless and often move whilst you are still leaving the bus. Injuries do occur if you aren’t quick. I have a visible scar on my hand from where this happened in Colombia, where the bus safety is similar to Paraguay

Street taxis are not safe. This does not mean all of them are a disaster waiting to happen, but drivers will often charge you extra, take longer routes and try all sorts of dirty tricks to ensure you pay far more than you should. At the extreme end of the scale, drivers have been known to rob passengers, so do be careful here.

Online taxis are safe. These are taxis booked through the likes of Uber and Bolt. They are by far the best way to get around in cities. Payment is controlled by the apps which track routes and ensure their drivers don’t try to pull off an dirty tricks. Online taxis are the safest method of public transport in Paraguay. They are also very cheap with an average journey costing £1-5 (US$1.25-6.25).

Is Paraguay Safe for Female Travellers?

Overall, Paraguay is safe for female tourists. But my Paraguayan girlfriend has some advice to share on issues that only apply to women here.

A lot of problems revolve around dating and partying round here. Don’t accept any drink from a stranger, and only go to bars with people you know and trust. Avoid drinking too much alcohol and making yourself an easy target for anyone with sinister intentions.

Be very careful using dating apps here, as there have been cases of men drugging victims who they meet on these.

Don’t act too friendly around Paraguayan men. They could interpret this as flirting, and local men here are known for taking rejection badly. They could respond by becoming pushy or acting aggressive. In some cases, particularly where alcohol is involved, they may even be prepared to use violence. Be careful.

Catcalling is common and can be irritating. But as alluded to earlier, men can become violent, therefore you should just ignore them and avoid confrontation.

Modest clothing isn’t necessary in Paraguay. After all, this isn’t like Saudi Arabia where you should dress conservatively. However, revealing clothing can attract the wrong sort of attention, particularly in more dangerous parts of the country. It’s unfortunate, but you may need to dress down to minimise the chances of attracting the wrong sort of attention.

If something does go wrong, you should call the police on 911, and also the Paraguayan Ministry of Women who are best equipped to offer support in the case of any attacks on women.

What do Travel Advisories Say About Visiting Paraguay?

Regular readers will know I’m no fan of government travel advisories. They are often overly cautious and will offer information which isn’t necessarily relevant.

It’s understandable. It would be a PR disaster if something bad happened to a country’s citizen because the government had played down the risks of a certain place.

But for tourists, it can mean being dissuaded from visiting some real gems by reading scary stories online. Your primary resource for safety information when travelling should be locals, and recent tourists to a country.

Locals generally have more in-depth information for you, whereas tourists can tell you exactly how safe a place is or isn’t for a foreigner just like yourself.

Let’s see what the travel advisories say about Paraguay here.

United Kingdom

The UK covers a lot of what I’ve already mentioned, such as pickpocketing being common on public transport. It expands on that slightly and says that “muggers are occasionally violent and can be armed”. They are right to use the word “occasionally” as it is a very rare (but not non-existent) occurrence.

They also talk about the risks in the border regions which I’ve already covered.

An additional point to note is that many rivers in Paraguay are polluted, and swimming in them can be bad for your health. They specifically mention the Paraguay River and Lake Ypacarai. Having been to the latter on several occasions, I would agree with the UK on this point.

Driving in Paraguay is possible with a foreign license or international driving permit, but licenses can be taken for drink driving, with anything above zero alcohol deemed to be over the limit.

They also mention the fact that many taxis and most buses will not have seatbelts, or at least working seatbelts. I can confirm this is the case in Paraguay. I would say around 40% of vehicles I’ve been in here have fully functioning belts to keep you safe.

USA

In all fairness, the USA ranks Paraguay as a “level 1: exercise normal precautions” country on its 4-level safety scale.

I would say this is fair and accurate.

The US mention once again how Pedro Juan Caballero and surrounding border regions are the danger spots in Paraguay.

They also talk of the traffic dangers here, with chaotic driving practices and many drivers not having insurance.

Traffic is one of the biggest dangers in Paraguay.

Of all the travel advisories I read, the US seems to have the most up-to-date and accurate information on Paraguay.

Australia

Australia takes a slightly more cautious stance on Paraguay, it ranks the country at level 2/4 on its US-style travel advisory system.

They don’t really have any Paraguay travel advice beyond what we already know.

Although they do say it’s wise to stay clear of large gatherings and protests. Paraguay doesn’t quite have the problems that other Latin American countries such as Chile have with large demonstrations, but there is still a risk of violence and they should be avoided.

Canada

One point which Canada makes is that there have been robberies where victims have been followed after withdrawing money from ATMs.

It’s a reasonable point to bring up. One of my top Latin America safety tips is to only withdraw from ATMs inside banks, and other safe buildings if possible. Street ATMs are not advisable to use and should be a last resort if all else fails. Even then, look closely at the card slot in the machine and the keypad. Card skimmers and fake keypads are not unheard of.

An important issue that Canada mentions is the existence of Ejercito del Pueblo Paraguayo (the Paraguayan People’s Army, or EPP). They are a far-left terrorist group which operates in the San Pedro, Concepcion, Canindeyu and Amambay departments. These four departments are clustered together and are where Pedro Juan Caballero and Concepcion city are based, towards the eastern border with Brazil.

The EPP have been known to carry out kidnappings and extortion, particularly on rich landowners. In practice, tourists are highly unlikely to be targeted by the EPP who carry out most attacks on locals. But just be aware of their presence.

So is Paraguay Safe for Tourists to Visit?

Paraguay is very safe to visit for tourists as long as you are cautious. If you take care to not flash your valuables, remain low key and stay away from the few danger spots mentioned in this article, you will have no problems in Paraguay.

Paraguay tourism is steadily increasing as the country attracts more and more westerners with its favourable tax and residency laws. Although this is a country that still lags behind other South American countries when it comes to true bucket list destinations.

I’ve always felt very safe in Paraguay, with the exception of my walk just outside the Chacarita area, where you can certainly feel the vibe change.

It’s important to state that things can go wrong in any country. Even some of the world’s safest nations such as Japan and Iceland suffer greatly from environmental issues such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Ultra-safe Singapore, which is not just one of Southeast Asia’s safest cities, but the world’s safest does have crime too.

Therefore I would say you shouldn’t be dissuaded from visiting Paraguay based on anything in this article or others you may find online.

Stay away from the few danger spots, and your time in Paraguay will be a safe and enjoyable one.

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