Buena Vista

Perched on a small hill overlooking the magnificent Parque Nacional Amboró, the village of Buena Vista is surrounded by natural beauty and has an unrivalled laid-back vibe. This is the perfect place to come and explore the national park and surrounding countryside, or spend a few days relaxing in the subtropical climate – the average temperature here is 25°C. It’s also very easy to get to – less than two hours ride from Santa Cruz.

Buena Vista was founded in 1694 under the name Misión Jesuítica de los Santos Desposorios de José y María. It was one of the first Jesuit Misiones to be founded in the country and it is believed that the Jesuits of Buena Vista were responsible for introducing coffee to Bolivia (others argue that it was introduced to the Yungas region first). Although not one of the main Bolivian Jesuit Misiones, Buena Vista has its own Baroque choir and orchestra.

The village’s unique location is one of its biggest assets, and it’s extremely easy to arrange trips to camps inside Parque Nacial Amboró, which are run by local communities. You can also do a tour of the local coffee farms, which form an important part of community life, visit the Río Surutú, or go bird watching at the Curichi Marsh. The main plaza is more like a leafy park, with a landscaped walkway on one side. There are a number of cafes and restaurants here, plus the church. A few hotels can be found here too, but the majority of accommodation is situated outside of the center.

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Other places nearby Buena Vista: Concepción, San Miguel de Velasco, Santa Cruz, Parque Nacional Kaa-lya del Gran Chaco, Vallegrande, Samaipata, San Javier, Yacuiba, Villamontes and San José de Chiquitos.