In this guide
In San Bernardino, the right pharmacy is the one that has your medicine today and is open when you need it, and that is a different story on a Tuesday in winter than on a Saturday in January. If you are coming for the weekend or the season, bring your daily medicines from home and, as soon as you arrive, save the WhatsApp numbers of two pharmacies near your house or hotel.
Weekend visitor or year-round resident?
San Bernardino sits on Lake Ypacaraí about 50 km from Asunción, and its high season runs from December to mid-February, when many families from Greater Asunción spend the summer there (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)). Since the pandemic more people live there all year, supermarkets and shops no longer depend only on summer, but in high season some products still sell out fast in the supermarkets (Infonegocios, 2025 (opens in a new tab)).
- Passing through: pack a small kit before you leave (painkiller, antihistamine, sunscreen, insect repellent, whatever the kids take) and bring the prescription for anything you use regularly.
- Weekend house: keep the basics at the house and refill at your usual pharmacy at home, not on a Saturday night by the lake.
- Living there: pick one regular pharmacy and ask them to message you when an order arrives.
How to find a pharmacy open now
Searching "pharmacy near me" on a map is a good start, but listed hours are not always current, especially out of season.
- Call or message before you go, even if the map says "open", especially at night, on Sundays and on public holidays.
- Send the exact medicine name, strength and form, and ask them to set it aside.
- Ask about delivery. It is fairly new in San Bernardino: local shops started with their own motorbike riders and delivery apps followed (Infonegocios, 2025 (opens in a new tab)). Share your exact location, since addresses in the weekend-house areas are easy to get wrong.
- Check how to pay: QR is Paraguay's most used electronic payment method, 68.1% of electronic payments in April 2026 according to Bancard (ABC Color (opens in a new tab)), but still ask whether they take QR, cards or cash only.
How long will it take with traffic?
In high season and on long weekends, getting around is slow. Residents have complained about a bottleneck at the main entrance, where Avenida Guillermo Naumann (which becomes Santiago Schaerer there) meets the road to Altos, and expect it to get worse in summer, when thousands of vehicles come in each weekend (ABC Color, 2025 (opens in a new tab)). On the late-September 2026 long weekend there were also long queues at the Ecovía toll (Luque–San Bernardino) and at the km 48 toll on PY02 in Ypacaraí (Hoy (opens in a new tab)).
In practice: if you are missing a medicine, get it in town rather than planning a trip back to Asunción, and if you leave home on a Friday, buy everything before you hit the road.
What to bring if you need a prescription
Antibiotics have been prescription-only in Paraguay since 1 November 2018. The prescription is valid for five days and must show the patient's details and ID (cédula) number, the diagnosis, and the doctor's signature, stamp and professional registration number (La Nación (opens in a new tab)).
- If your doctor is in Asunción, check the prescription has all of that before you drive to the lake.
- For long-term treatment, bring the box or a photo of the label with the active ingredient, so the pharmacy can offer the same drug even without your brand.
- If the medicine must be refrigerated (insulin, some vaccines), bring it in a cool box and ask the pharmacy whether it keeps stock cold.
What to check at the counter
Dinavisa (opens in a new tab), Paraguay's National Health Surveillance Directorate, regulates pharmacies. Its inspections have found products not registered in the country, prices above the set level and missing cold-chain equipment (Última Hora, 2023 (opens in a new tab)). Three quick checks:
- Health registration number (registro sanitario): it must be printed on the box with the laboratory. If it is not there, do not buy it.
- Cold chain: refrigerated items should come out of a fridge, not off a shelf.
- Social media sellers: Dinavisa called the sale of "miracle" products on social media completely illegal; medicines are bought in pharmacies (Última Hora, 2023 (opens in a new tab)).
If something is wrong, you can file a complaint on the Dinavisa (opens in a new tab) website. Keep the receipt and a photo of the box.
What if it is an emergency?
High fever in a child, chest pain, a severe allergic reaction or an accident at the lake: do not waste time looking for a pharmacy, go straight to the nearest emergency service. A pharmacy is for what can be solved at the counter; for anything else, every minute in high-season traffic counts.
FAQ
Is there a pharmacy open late in San Bernardino?
Hours vary by shop and by season, so call before going out at night, on Sundays or on holidays, even if the map says it is open.
Do pharmacies in San Bernardino deliver?
Some local shops deliver with their own riders and delivery apps operate in town. Ask the pharmacy whether it covers your area and share your exact location.
Can I buy antibiotics without a prescription?
No. Since November 2018 antibiotics are prescription-only in Paraguay; the prescription is valid five days and must include your details, ID number, diagnosis and the doctor's signature, stamp and registration.
How do I know a medicine is legal in Paraguay?
The health registration number must be printed on the box with the laboratory. If it is missing, do not buy it and report it to Dinavisa.
