East to Brazil

Puerto Suárez, on the shore of Laguna Cáceres, a large backwater of the Río Paraguay, was an important commercial port at the beginning of the 20th century, until a dam built by Brazil upriver reduced the water level of the lake and put an end to shipping and the town's prosperity. Today, it's a friendly and quiet little town with a shady main plaza. There is a good view of the lake from the park at the north end of Avenida Bolívar. The area around the train station is known as Paradero, the market area is reported unsafe and unpleasant.

Unfortunately, the planned construction of a large steel mill at nearby Cerro Mutún threatens to bring both ecological damage and rapid social change . As they grow, Puerto Suárez, Quijarro and Arroyo Concepcíon (the border post with Brazil) are gradually merging with each other.

The eastern terminus of the railway from Santa Cruz is at Quijarro (official name Puerto Quijarro), passenger trains do not cross the border to Brazil. Once one of the least appealing spots in Bolivia, the town has grown in recent years and services are improved. It is still hot, dusty (or muddy) and by no means attractive, but there are a few decent places to stay and a modern train station was opened in 2005. Quijarro is reasonably safe during the day but caution is advised at night. Prices are much lower than in neighbouring Brazil. For those wishing to stay a few days to wait for onward transport or explore the Bolivian Pantanal, nearby Puerto Suárez has a more congenial atmosphere.