A panoramic view of the village of Coroico

Just three hours down the hill from big, bad, freezing La Paz, lies steaming-hot, laid-back Coroico.

Set on a hilltop in the subtropical Yungas region, most travellers come here for some serious R&R.

From the village itself, the view to coca fields, coffee plantations, deep-forested canyons and sky-puncturing mountains is simply breathtaking - unless, that is, you come here in October and November, when the smoke from seasonal burning unfortunately obscures most of the scenery. 

Many visitors arrive here by bicycle down the infamous 'Death Road' - a narrow, gravel highway linking Coroico with La Paz. Sporting hairpin curves and chasm-like cliffdrops,  according to the Inter-American Development Bank report, it is officially the 'The World's Most Dangerous Road'. Vertigo sufferers will be happy to know that the new highway between La Paz and Coroico is now well and truly open and plied by all public buses. While the new highway certainly has its fair share of curves, drops and gravel, it is significantly less terrifying than its predecessor.

Once in Coroico, the pleasant climate will make you want to plunge straight into your hotel swimming pool. For something more natural, you could cool off in El Vagante - natural swimming holes set within a ferocious river about 30 minutes by taxi or three hours' on foot from the village. Colourful flowers flank the riverbank while morpho butterflies flutter above the spray.  The journey to the river winds past coffee plantations and historic colonial houses. 

You could easily stay in Coroico for a week without running out of things to do. The surrounding countryside offers a wealth of distractions for the outdoor type. In just three hours, it's possible to climb to the summit of Uchumachi Mountain, taking in the changes in vegetation as you ascend. The views from the top peers straight into the valley below as well as out to snow-capped mountains.

For a cultural outing, try the 16 kilometre hike to the Afro-Bolivian community of Tocaña. The people who live in this picturesque village practise their own unique dances and mystic-religious traditions and sport distinctive white clothes with intricate, colourful details.   

A few kilometres down the road from Tocaña lies the tiny village of Charobamba - a former Jewish colony that lies within the Parque Nacional Cotapata. The community was settled in the 1940s by Jews fleeing Nazi Germany. While most of the Jewish residents left after World War II, a lot of their old houses are still standing.

Horseback riding and mountain biking are other popular local pursuits and a couple of businesses in town can hook you up with your transport of choice. The official tourist office on the main plaza is a good source of information (but only if you speak Spanish) and a meeting point for knowledgeable local tour guides.   

Coroico village also boasts an excellent selection of restaurants - chose from a delectable smorgasbord of French, Mexican, German, Italian and vegetarian fare.