Things to do in Cotoca
The tropical town of Cotoca is a great option for a short trip in the surroundings of Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia. Cotoca is a small town located only 20 kilometers to the east of the city of Santa Cruz.
The picturesque town with its colonial-style church, vibrant plaza and food market offers attractions and experiences, making it well worth a visit:
1.- Enjoy a wide range of culinary specialties from tropical Bolivia. Have a breakfast or lunch with all kind of East Bolivian specialties in the market. Try the arepas, empanadas, cuñapé, masaco, sonso, patasca soup and majadito! Are you a sweet tooth? Then you have to try the well-known ¨jalea¨ (sugarcane molasses), which is sold in small ceramic pots (small souvenir, check!). On a warm day (majority of days in Santa Cruz) you can refresh yourself with a delicious somó, chicha or tamarindo and achachairú juices.
2.- Looking for an original souvenir to bring home? Visit one of the many pottery stores with all kind of hand-made ornaments of painted clay.
3.- Relax at the central plaza in the shade of the big trees. The plaza is great place to chill out and spot the cute sloths in the trees.
5.- Stop by and grab a bite on your first or last day of your Jesuit missions circuit. Cotoca it’s the entryway to the Chiquitania region and so it’s our first stop during a trip to the Jesuit Missions.
6.- Live the fiesta de Cotoca in December. Cotoca is the sanctuary of cruceños (the people of Santa Cruz). Each year, on December 8th, during the Fiesta de Cotoca, thousands of Catholics walk the 20 kilometers from Santa Cruz to Cotoca to ask the Virgin Mary of Cotoca for blessings and favors.
7.- You can also easily combine Cotoca with a visit to the Jardín Botánico SCZ (Botanical Garden).
Looking for more things to do in Santa Cruz de la Sierra and surroundings? Then check our 30+ things to do in Santa Cruz.
