Paraguay
Republic of Paraguay
South America · PRY
Editorial Snapshot
Why Go To Paraguay
Paraguay is best for travelers who want a quieter South America trip with strong river culture, Jesuit history, and a less obvious urban center in Asuncion. It works well as a compact city-and-heritage trip, or as a side route paired with the Chaco or the river borderlands.
Popular For
Things To See
- Asuncion
- Encarnacion
- Jesuit Missions of La Santisima Trinidad de Parana and Jesus de Tavarangue
- Chaco
- Itaipu Dam
- Aregua
Best Months
Best Months For Winter Travel
Know Before You Go
- The country is easier to enjoy if you keep the route compact.
- Jesuit sites and river cities are the most distinctive first-trip anchors.
- Summer heat can be intense, so shoulder season is often more comfortable.
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Flights
Hotels & Accommodations
Compare stays across major booking options
Open hotel and accommodation options for Paraguay.
Guidebooks
📚Browse Paraguay Guidebooks on AmazonTours & Activities
Country Data
Stats At A Glance
Practical travel, safety, climate, and quality-of-life stats for Paraguay.
Quick Facts
- Capital
- Asunción
- Population
- 6,109,644
- Area
- 406,752 km²
- Region
- South America
Languages
- Guaraní
- Spanish
Currency
Paraguayan guaraní (₲)
PYG
Exchange rate unavailable for USD.
Cost of Living (World Bank)
34.6
Price level index (US = 100)
- Groceries
- 27.9
- Restaurants
- 26.4
- Rent
- 10.2
Safety & Peace
higher score = safer everyday environment · derived from World Bank homicide data
lower score = more peaceful · 1.0–3.5 scale
Monthly Climate Averages
These weather averages are based on data for Asunción (25.28°S, 57.57°W).
LGBTQ+ Friendly
28/100
Traveler LGBTQ score
- Legal protections
- 20/100
- Lived safety
- 43/100
This score blends legal protections with lived-safety context so strong laws alone do not automatically push a country to the top of the ranking.
- Homosexuality legal✅
- Relationship recognitionNone
- Adoption recognition❌
- Anti-discrimination laws❌
- Employment protections❌
- Legal gender recognition❌
- Conversion therapy ban❌
Human Development Index (UNDP)
0.756
High human development
- 5-year change
- +0.012
- 10-year change
- +0.026
- Trend
- improving
- Data year
- 2023
- Gender Dev. Index (GDI)
- 0.988
- Gender Inequality Index (GII)
- 0.412
- Planetary-adjusted HDI (PHDI)
- 0.689
UNESCO World Heritage Sites (1)
- 🏛️
Jesuit Missions of La Santísima Trinidad de Paraná and Jesús de Tavarangue
Inscribed 1993
Natural Beauty (World Bank)
- Protected land area
- 14.9%
- Forest cover
- 38.5%
Source: World Bank.
Wildlife & Birdwatching
- Threatened mammal species (IUCN)
- 11
- Threatened bird species (IUCN)
- 28
Source: World Bank / IUCN Red List. Higher counts indicate richer biodiversity, typically in tropical rainforest, island, and savannah ecosystems.
Food & Cuisine
37/100
Food and dining score
Built from two layers: dining-scene breadth and open prestige signals. We combine restaurant density, cuisine diversity, distinguished restaurants, and gastronomy-city recognitions from open data sources.
Luxury Infrastructure
73/100
Luxury & premium accommodation score
Based on OpenStreetMap luxury hotel density and World Bank international tourism receipts.
US Travel Advisory
Reissued after periodic review with minor edits. Exercise normal precautions in Paraguay. Some areas have increased crime risk. Read the entire Travel Advisory. Exercise increased caution due to crime in these departments: Alto Paraná Amambay Canindeyu Concepcion San Pedro Read the country information page for additional information on travel to Paraguay. If you decide to travel to Paraguay: Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive messages and Alerts from the U.S. Embassy and make it easier to locate you in an emergency. Follow the Department of State on Facebook and X. Review the Country Security Report for Paraguay. Prepare a plan for emergency situations. Review the Traveler’s Checklist. Visit the CDC page for the latest Travel Health Information related to your travel. We highly recommend that you buy insurance before you travel. Check with your travel insurance provider about evacuation assistance, medical insurance, and trip cancellation coverage. Departments of Alto Paraná, Amambay, Canindeyu, Concepcion, and San Pedro – Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution Criminal groups are active in these areas, smuggling weapons, drugs, and other goods along the northeastern border of Paraguay with Brazil. The police presence in these areas is weak. Due to the risks, U.S. government employees working in Paraguay must obtain special authorization to travel to Alto Paraná, Amambay, Canindeyu, Concepcion, and San Pedro.
Read full advisory →Data current as of May 2026 and subject to change. Travel advisory information is sourced from the U.S. State Department and reflects conditions at the time of data collection, not real-time conditions. Do not rely solely on this information for travel decisions. Always check current government advisories for your nationality. Terms of Use · About our data