Stranded on the bumpy road between Rurrenabaque and Trinidad, the charming Amazon village of San Ignacio de Moxos is worth a thousand and one hellish bus rides.

Once you've made it here, you'll definitely want to stick around for a few lazy days, devouring mangoes straight off the tree, swinging in your hotel hammock, chatting with locals on a park bench in the leafy main plaza, cooling off in the inviting waters of Laguna Isirere or browsing the intriguing frescoes and Jesuit religious artifacts in the spacious church.

Tupiza is gaining popularity among travellers as an alternative launch-pad for visiting the surreal salt flats of the Salar de Uyuni. 

The town itself is a laid-back agricultural and mining centre, set in a valley surrounded by multi-coloured eroded mountainscapes and giant cacti.

The stunning surrounds lend itself to horseback trips to nearby canyons, day treks along old Inca trade routes and biking in the hills. Local tour companies can also arrange rural homestays with campesino families. 

Known as 'the Andalucia of Bolivia', Tarija is a tranquil little city near the Argentinian border that is well-known for its fruit and wine industry.

The city has some exquisite colonial buildings, an archaeology museum with displays of local prehistoric critters (a giant sloth and a saber-tooth tiger being two of the offerings) and wine buffs can sample the best Bolivia has to offer at a some excellent nearby vineyards.

Or cool off with the locals in the gigantic reservoir that lies a few kilometres outside Tarija. You can also rent canoes and cabins here.