Planning a trip to Argentina

Tips for Gay and Lesbian Travelers

Though much has recently changed, Argentina remains a very traditional, Catholic society that is fairly closed-minded about homosexuality. Buenos Aires, however, is a more liberal exception to this rule, where gays and lesbians are part of the fabric of city life. Gay and lesbian travelers will find numerous clubs, restaurants, and even tango salons catering to them. Buenos Aires has become a major gay-tourism mecca since the peso crisis, outshining Rio de Janeiro in popularity for this market. Gay maps are now produced by the Buenos Aires Tourism Office for distribution with standard travel information. Most hotel concierges also easily provide this information, recognizing the importance of the emerging market. The locally produced website www.gayinbuenosaires.com.ar also provides more details on many sites of interest.

In 2003, Buenos Aires enacted a Civil Unions law for gay and lesbian couples -- the first major Latin American city to do so -- and this law may eventually be made national. Still, throughout Argentina, while there are visible venues and efforts, for the most part many gays and lesbians remain fairly closeted. Violence is sometimes aimed at the transgendered, even by police.

Be aware of a few rules of thumb in a country where close contact is perfectly normal. Women walk hand in hand on the street, and it does not necessarily mean they are lesbians. It's simply common among women. Men kiss each other hello in public, and again this does not mean they are gay.

The International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA; tel. 800/448-8550 or 954/776-2626; www.iglta.org) is the trade association for the gay and lesbian travel industry, and offers an online directory of gay- and lesbian-friendly travel businesses.

The Comunidad Homosexual de Argentina (CHA; tel. 11/4361-6382; www.cha.org.ar) is the main gay- and lesbian-rights group in Argentina. They were the main proponents of the Civil Unions law, which they are attempting to expand to the entire country. They also run the annual Gay Pride March, known as Marcha del Orgullo Gay, in November.

Many agencies offer tours and travel itineraries specifically for gay and lesbian travelers. Above and Beyond Tours (tel. 800/397-2681; www.abovebeyondtours.com) is the exclusive gay and lesbian tour operator for United Airlines. Olivia Cruises & Resorts (tel. 800/631-6277; www.olivia.com) charters entire resorts and ships for exclusive lesbian vacations and offers smaller group experiences for both gay and lesbian travelers.

Pride Travel (tel. 11/5218-6556; www.pride-travel.com) is an Argentina-based company specializing in inbound Buenos Aires travel and other trips throughout South America. They also run the local gay guide publication La Ronda and started Argentina's first gay travel magazine, Pride Travel, in 2005. BueGay Travel (tel. 11/4184-8290; www.buegay.com.ar) handles upscale gay tourism within Buenos Aires and other parts of Argentina. Viajeras Travel (tel. 11/4328-1857; www.viajeras.net) is a woman-run travel company, specializing in travel for lesbian visitors to Buenos Aires. The women's scene is harder to tap than the men's scene, so this is a very useful resource.

Since 1992, Gay.com Travel and its predecessor Out and About (tel. 800/929-2268; www.outandabout.com) have provided gay and lesbian travelers with objective, timely, and trustworthy coverage of gay-owned and gay-friendly lodging, dining, sightseeing, nightlife, and shopping establishments in every important destination worldwide. Out Traveler (tel. 800/792-2760; www.outtraveler.com) is a gay travel magazine published by LPI Media, the owners of the U.S. gay newsmagazine the Advocate. Spartacus International Gay Guide (Bruno Gmünder Verlag; www.spartacusworld.com/gayguide) and Odysseus (Odysseus Enterprises Ltd.) are good, annual English-language guidebooks focused on gay men, with some information for lesbians. You can get them from most gay and lesbian bookstores, or order them from Giovanni's Room bookstore, 1145 Pine St., Philadelphia, PA 19107 (tel. 215/923-2960; www.giovannisroom.com). Within Buenos Aires, the gay monthly magazine Imperio is available at central newspaper kiosks.

Tips for Student Travelers

Student discounts are very common in Argentina, but usually only if one has appropriate ID. STA Travel (tel. 800/781-4040 in the U.S., 020/7361-6144 in the U.K., or 1300/360-960 in Australia; www.statravel.com) specializes in affordable airfares, bus and rail passes, accommodations, insurance, tours, and packages for students and young travelers, and issues the International Student Identity Card (ISIC). This is the most widely recognized proof that you really are a student. As well as getting you discounts on a huge range of travel, tours, and attractions, it comes with a 24-hour emergency help line and a global voice/fax/e-mail messaging system with discounted international telephone calls. Available to any full-time student age 13 and over, it costs $22.

Argentina is great for college students on vacation and on a budget. The legal drinking age in Argentina is 18. There are places to drink and socialize all over Argentina. Within Buenos Aires, the bars around Plaza Serrano in Palermo Soho offer inexpensive beers on tap and pitchers of sangria. This is often served up with inexpensive snacks and live music, meaning having fun won't break a student budget. Córdoba is another city notable for its sizeable student population, with a wealth of pubs and clubs. Bariloche in the Lake District attracts thousands of Argentine students in the winter and summer looking for a good time.

Tips for Women Travelers

Despite a female president, Argentina remains at heart a sexist country. There is a glass ceiling for women in many corporations, and female beauty is highly idealized above all other traits. Men are extremely flirtatious, and leering looks are common, owing perhaps to the strong Italian influence in the country. While disconcerting, any looks and calls you might get are rarely more than that. Drunk men in clubs can sometimes be physically harassing, however. If you seek to avoid unwanted attention, don't dress skimpily (as many Porteñas, or Buenos Aires natives, do). Women should be cautious when walking alone at night and should take radio-taxis, known as remises, after dark.

In the rare and unlikely event of an assault or sexual attack, contact the police immediately. More help can also be received from the Centro de Encuentros Cultura y Mujer (CECYM), Guatemala 4294 (tel. 11/4865-9102; www.cecym.org.ar). It combats sexual violence against women, but not all of the staff members speak English.

Check out the award-winning website Journeywoman (www.journeywoman.com), a "real-life" women's travel information network where you can sign up for a free e-mail newsletter and get advice on everything from etiquette and dress to safety; or the travel guide Safety and Security for Women Who Travel, by Sheila Swan and Peter Laufer (Travelers' Tales, Inc.), offering common-sense tips on safe travel.

Money

Cash & Currency

The official Argentine currency is the peso, made up of 100 centavos. Money is denominated in notes of 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 pesos; and coins of 1, 2, and 5 pesos, and 1, 5, 10, 25, and 50 centavos. At the time this book went to press, the exchange rate was 3.45 pesos to the dollar.

Argentina is not the bargain destination it was post-crisis 2001. Twenty percent inflation in 2008 means prices have risen significantly, but it is still relatively cheap regarding dining out and shopping. High-end hotels have returned to their pre-devaluation prices, but you can still get some great rates, especially at the midrange and budget options. A surge in hotel construction and a strengthening dollar should mean prices stabilize and even drop slightly.

Exchanging Money

It's a good idea to exchange at least some money -- just enough to cover airport incidentals and transportation to your hotel -- before you leave home (though don't expect the exchange rate to be ideal), so you can avoid lines at airport ATMs (automated teller machines). You can exchange money at your local American Express or Thomas Cook office or your bank. If you're far away from a bank with currency-exchange services, American Express offers traveler's checks and foreign currency, though with a $15 order fee and additional shipping costs, at www.americanexpress.com or tel. 800/807-6233.

U.S. dollars are not widely accepted in Buenos Aires. However, you can still use them to pay in some business-class hotels, tourist-popular restaurants, and businesses catering to large numbers of tourists. Such places will often post their own daily exchange rate at the counter, which is always significantly lower. For the vast majority of your purchases, however, you will need pesos. You can convert your currency in hotels, casas de cambio (money-exchange houses), some banks, and at the Buenos Aires airport. Exchange American Express traveler's checks for pesos in Buenos Aires at American Express, Arenales 707 (tel. 11/4130-3135). It is sometimes difficult to exchange traveler's checks outside the center of Buenos Aires, so plan ahead to have a sufficient amount of cash in pesos on day trips.

ATMs

ATMs are maddening in Argentina, as they allow only ridiculously low withdrawals of $100 -- though you can withdraw several times in 1 day and rack up substantial bank charges. It is best to plan ahead, if you know you need large amounts of cash; or you might test various cash machines, as some will allow $200 and $300 limits. Machines are ubiquitous in Buenos Aires and other urban and touristic areas, but don't depend on finding them off the beaten path. It is a good idea to let your bank know ahead of time that you will be using your ATM card overseas so that they do not block transactions in an effort to prevent fraudulent transactions.

The Cirrus (tel. 800/424-7787; www.mastercard.com) and PLUS (tel. 800/843-7587; www.visa.com) networks span the globe; look at the back of your bank card to see which network you're on, and then call or check online for ATM locations at your destination. Be sure you know your personal identification number (PIN) before you leave home and be sure to find out your daily withdrawal limit before you depart, though this is slightly irrelevant if the Argentine network imposes its own limits. Also keep in mind that many banks impose a fee every time a card is used at a different bank's ATM, and that fee can be higher for international transactions (up to $5 or more) than for domestic ones. On top of this, the bank from which you withdraw cash may charge its own fee. To compare banks' ATM fees within the U.S., use www.bankrate.com. For international withdrawal fees, ask your bank.

Traveler's Checks

Traveler's checks are something of an anachronism from the days before the ATM made cash accessible at any time. Within the Pampas and rural areas of Buenos Aires Province, however, they're still welcomed by many establishments.

You can get traveler's checks at almost any bank. American Express offers denominations of $20, $50, $100, $500, and (for cardholders only) $1,000. You'll pay a service charge ranging from 1% to 4%. You can also get American Express traveler's checks over the phone by calling tel. 800/221-7282; Amex gold and platinum cardholders who use this number are exempt from the 1% fee.

Visa offers traveler's checks at Citibank locations nationwide, as well as at several other banks. The service charge ranges between 1.5% and 2%; checks come in denominations of $20, $50, $100, $500, and $1,000. Call tel. 800/732-1322 for information. AAA members can obtain Visa checks for a $9.95 fee (for checks up to $1,500) at most AAA offices or by calling tel. 866/339-3378. MasterCard also offers traveler's checks. Call tel. 800/223-9920 for a location near you.

Foreign-currency traveler's checks are useful if you're traveling to one country; they're accepted at locations, such as bed-and-breakfasts, where dollar checks may not be, and they minimize the amount of math you have to do at your destination. American Express, Thomas Cook, Visa, and MasterCard offer foreign-currency traveler's checks. You'll pay the rate of exchange at the time of your purchase (so it's a good idea to monitor the rate before you take the plunge), and most companies charge a transaction fee per order (and a shipping fee if you order online).

If you choose to carry traveler's checks, be sure to keep a record of their serial numbers separate from your checks, in the event that they are stolen or lost. You'll get a refund faster if you know the numbers.

Credit Cards

Visa, American Express, MasterCard, and Diners Club are commonly accepted. However some establishments -- especially smaller businesses -- will give you a better price if you pay cash or may refuse credit cards altogether. Credit cards are accepted at most hotels and the more expensive restaurants. But note that you cannot use credit cards in many taxis or at most attractions (museums, trams, and so on). Like ATM cards, many credit card companies are also now applying fees to international transactions, often as high as 3%. If you have more than one credit card and expect to charge a lot, call the credit card companies before you leave on your trip to find out which charges the lowest, if any, fee. Using the wrong card can make a bargain not such a bargain anymore.

You can get cash advances off your credit card at any bank, and you don't even need to go to a teller; you can get a cash advance at the ATM if you know your PIN. If you've forgotten your PIN, or didn't even know you had one, call the phone number on the back of your credit card before your trip and ask the bank to send it to you. It usually takes 5 to 7 business days, although some banks will do it over the phone.

Another hidden expense to contend with: Interest rates for cash advances are often significantly higher than rates for credit card purchases. More importantly, you start paying interest on the advance the moment you receive the cash.

Tips for Senior Travelers

Argentines treat seniors with great respect, making travel for them easy. The Argentine term for a senior or retired person is jubilado or jubilada. There are often discounts at theaters and museums, too, or even free admission. Aerolíneas Argentinas (tel. 800/333-0276 in the U.S.; www.aerolineas.com.ar) offers a 10% discount on fares to Buenos Aires from Miami and New York for passengers 62 and older; companion fares are also discounted.

Members of AARP (formerly known as the American Association of Retired Persons), 601 E St. NW, Washington, DC 20049 (tel. 888/687-2277; www.aarp.org), get discounts on hotels, airfares, and car rentals. AARP offers members a wide range of benefits, including AARP The Magazine and a monthly newsletter. Anyone over 50 can join.

The Alliance for Retired Americans, 8403 Colesville Rd., Ste. 1200, Silver Spring, MD 20910 (tel. 301/578-8422; www.retiredamericans.org), offers a newsletter six times a year and discounts on hotel and auto rentals; annual dues are $10 per person or couple. Note: Members of the former National Council of Senior Citizens receive automatic membership in the Alliance.

Many reliable agencies and organizations target the 50-plus market. Elderhostel (tel. 877/426-8056; www.elderhostel.org) arranges study programs for those ages 55 and over (and a spouse or companion of any age) in the U.S. and in more than 80 countries around the world. Most courses last 5 to 7 days in the U.S. (2-4 weeks abroad), and many include airfare, accommodations in university dormitories or modest inns, meals, and tuition. ElderTreks (tel. 800/741-7956; www.eldertreks.com) offers small-group tours to off-the-beaten-path or adventure-travel locations, restricted to travelers 50 and older. Recommended publications offering travel resources and discounts for seniors include the quarterly magazine Travel 50 & Beyond (www.travel50andbeyond.com); Travel Unlimited: Uncommon Adventures for the Mature Traveler (Avalon); 101 Tips for Mature Travelers, available from Grand Circle Travel (tel. 800/221-2610 or 617/350-7500; www.gct.com); and Unbelievably Good Deals and Great Adventures That You Absolutely Can't Get Unless You're Over 50 (McGraw-Hill), by Joann Rattner Heilman.

Regions in Brief

Argentina is 5,000km (3,107 miles) in length and 1,800km (1,118 miles) wide in parts, making it the world's eighth-largest country with a landmass of almost 3 million sq. km (1.2 million sq. miles). Such vastness means great contrasts regarding geographical features.

The Pampas -- This flat terrain is an agricultural powerhouse and where a third of the population resides. It consists of the central eastern provinces of Buenos Aires and La Pampa and the southern parts of Santa Fe and Córdoba. The climate is humid, with lots of rainfall (900mm a year) and sweltering summers that force much of the population to decamp to the Atlantic coast on its eastern fringe.

Patagonia -- Desolate and romantic, Patagonia is like a country within a country, consisting of four provinces and huge contrasts. The northern alpine Lake District is far away from the arid steppes that host lots of sheep and few humans and the spectacular glaciers farther south. The Andes form a wall of ice, blocking rain from Chilean Patagonia on the other side. Comodoro Rivadavia is an oil town, while Rio Gallegos is sustained by agriculture.

Tierra del Fuego -- The Andes mountains are pulled eastward, forming one large island and a multitude of smaller ones holding famous bays and inlets such as the Beagle Channel and the Magellan Straits. Because of this tectonic shift, Ushuaia is the only Argentine town on the other side of the Andes and is surrounded by icy peaks. The northern half of the island is a desolate plain of brown furze that supports sheep and llama.

Mesopotamia & El Chaco -- The northeastern part of Argentina is hot and humid, with the border province of Misiones resembling a jungle frontier. Here you'll find the famous Iguazú Falls and the triple border shared with Brazil and Paraguay and formed by the Rio Uruguay and Rio Parana. The vast wetlands of Esteros del Ibera lie farther south in Corrientes province. Farther north and east, the land becomes a dry, inhospitable shrub, known as El Chaco, that extends all the way to Bolivia.

The Andes -- The Andes form the backbone of Argentina, stretching the whole way from Bolivia to Tierra del Fuego and rising as high as 6,960m (22,835 ft.) at Mt. Aconcagua in Mendoza province, the highest peak outside the Himalayas. The huge differences in altitude mean the landscape varies dramatically, with the red desert plateaus of Salta province contrasting with the temperate lakes of Tafi del Valle and the humid cane fields of Tucuman. Farther south, the provinces of San Juan and Mendoza consist of vast desert scrub with little rain. Yet together they are one of the most prolific wine regions in the world, thanks to melted snow channeled toward the vineyards through a vast network of canals.

When to Go

The seasons in Argentina are the reverse of those in the Northern Hemisphere. Buenos Aires is ideal in fall (Mar-May) and spring (Sept-Nov), when temperatures are mild. The beaches and resort towns are packed with vacationing Argentines in summer (Dec-Mar), while Buenos Aires becomes somewhat deserted of locals, which is not a bad thing regarding traffic. Plan a trip to Patagonia and the southern Andes in summer, when days are longer and warmer. Winter (June-Aug) is the best time to visit Iguazú and the Northwest, when the rains and heat have subsided; but spring (Aug-Oct) is also pleasant, as temperatures are mild and the crowds have cleared out.

Climate -- Except for a small tropical area in northern Argentina, the country lies in the Temperate Zone, characterized by cool, dry weather in the south and warmer, humid air in the center. Accordingly, January and February are quite hot -- often in the high 90s to more than 100°F (35°C-40°C) -- while winter (approximately July-Oct) can be chilly.

Holidays -- Public holidays are January 1 (New Year's Day), Good Friday, March 24 (Truth and Justice Day) May 1 (Labor Day), May 25 (First Argentine Government), June 10 (National Sovereignty Day), June 20 (Flag Day), July 9 (Independence Day), August 17 (Anniversary of the Death of General San Martín), October 12 (Día de la Raza), December 8 (Immaculate Conception Day), and December 25 (Christmas). Christmas, however, is usually celebrated on December 24, and called Noche Buena. Many stores and other services close this day.

Festivals & Special Events -- Several holidays and festivals are worth planning a trip around; the best place to get information for these events is through your local Argentine tourism office. Carnaval (Mardi Gras), the week before the start of Lent, is celebrated in many towns in Argentina, although to a much lesser extent than in neighboring Brazil. The main area for this is in Gualeguaychú, about 3 hours north of Buenos Aires in Entre Rios Province. In Salta, citizens throw a large parade, including caricatures of public officials and "water bomb" fights. The Gaucho Parade takes place in Salta on June 16, with music by folk artists and gauchos dressed in traditional red ponchos with black stripes, leather chaps, black boots, belts, and knives. For more gaucho madness, visit the city of San Antonio de Areco, about 1 1/2 hours from Buenos Aires. Día de la Tradición is generally celebrated around November 10, when gauchos and the tourists who love them flock to the picturesque town.

Inti Raymi (Festival of the Sun) takes place in towns throughout the Northwest the night before the summer solstice (June 20) to give thanks for the year's harvest. Día de Independencia (Independence Day) is celebrated in Tucumán on July 9. Exodo Jujeño (Jujuy Exodus) takes place August 23 and 24, when locals reenact the exodus of 1812. The Batalla de Tucumán (Battle of Tucumán) celebrates Belgrano's victory over the Spanish on September 24. And the Fiesta Provincial del Turismo (Provincial Tourist Festival) takes place in December in Puerto Iguazú.

The Buenos Aires version of Carnaval, or Mardi Gras, is called Fiesta de las Murgas, and though it's not as colorful as Rio de Janeiro's or even the one in Gualeguaychú, it is celebrated every weekend in February. Various neighborhoods have costumed street-band competitions full of loud music, drums, and dancing. Contact the Buenos Aires tourism office (www.bue.gov.ar) for more information.

The World Tango Festival is celebrated in early to mid-October, with various events, many concentrated in the tango neighborhood of San Telmo. Visit www.worldtangofestival.com.ar for more information and exact dates.

The world's biggest polo event, the Argentine Open Polo Championships, is held in the polo grounds in Palermo, near the Las Cañitas neighborhood, generally in late November, attracting moneyed crowds from around the world who get to mingle with visiting British royalty. Visit their website, www.aapolo.com.

The National Gay Pride parade is held in November, and can switch at the last minute from the first Saturday to the third Saturday of the month, so check Comunidad Homosexual de Argentina's website, at www.cha.org.ar, for updated information.

Some big regional parties include Octoberfest, in Villa Belgrano, Córdoba, every second weekend of October and Mendoza Wine Harvest Festival every first weekend in March.

Though Argentina has little in the way of Christmas ritual, midnight Mass on Christmas Eve (Noche Buena), at the Metropolitan Cathedral, is a beautiful spectacle. It is usually held at 10pm on December 24.

Health & Insurance

Insurance

Check your existing insurance policies and credit card coverage before you buy travel insurance. You may already be covered for lost luggage, canceled tickets, or medical expenses.

The cost of travel insurance varies widely, depending on the cost and length of your trip, your age and health, and the type of trip you're taking, but expect to pay between 5% and 8% of the vacation itself.

Trip-Cancellation Insurance -- Trip-cancellation insurance helps you get your money back if you have to back out of a trip, if you have to go home early, or if your travel supplier goes bankrupt. Allowed reasons for cancellation can range from sickness to natural disasters to the Department of State declaring your destination unsafe for travel. (Insurers usually won't cover vague fears, though, as many travelers discovered who tried to cancel their trips in Oct 2001 because they were wary of flying.) In this unstable world, trip-cancellation insurance is a good buy if you're getting tickets well in advance -- who knows what the state of the world, or of your airline, will be in 9 months? Insurance policy details vary, so read the fine print and make sure that your airline or cruise line is on the list of carriers covered in case of bankruptcy. A good resource is "Travel Guard Alerts," a service that provides a list of companies considered high-risk by Travel Guard International. Protect yourself further by paying for the insurance with a credit card -- by law, consumers can get their money back on goods and services not received, if they report the loss within 60 days after the charge is listed on their credit card statement.

For more information, contact one of the following recommended insurers: Access America (tel. 866/807-3982; www.accessamerica.com); Travel Guard International (tel. 800/826-4919; www.travelguard.com); Travel Insured International (tel. 800/243-3174; www.travelinsured.com); and Travelex Insurance Services (tel. 888/457-4602; www.travelex-insurance.com).

Medical Insurance -- For travel overseas, most health plans (including Medicare and Medicaid) do not provide coverage, and the ones that do often require you to pay for services upfront and reimburse you only after you return home. Even if your plan does cover overseas treatment, most out-of-country hospitals make you pay your bills upfront, and send you a refund only after you've returned home and filed the necessary paperwork with your insurance company. As a safety net, you may want to buy travel medical insurance. If you require additional medical insurance, try MEDEX Assistance (tel. 410/453-6300; www.medexassist.com) or Travel Assistance International (tel. 800/821-2828; www.travelassistance.com; for general information on services, call the company's Worldwide Assistance Services, Inc., at tel. 800/777-8710).

Lost-Luggage Insurance -- On domestic flights, checked baggage is covered up to $2,500 per ticketed passenger. On international flights (including U.S. portions of international trips), baggage coverage is limited to approximately $9.07 per pound, up to approximately $635 per checked bag. If you plan to check items more valuable than the standard liability, see if your valuables are covered by your homeowner's policy, get baggage insurance as part of your comprehensive travel-insurance package, or buy Travel Guard's "BagTrak" product. Don't buy insurance at the airport, as it's usually overpriced. Be sure to take any valuables or irreplaceable items with you in your carry-on luggage, as many valuables (including books, money, and electronics) aren't covered by airline policies.

If your luggage is lost, immediately file a lost-luggage claim at the airport, detailing the luggage contents. For most airlines, you must report delayed, damaged, or lost baggage within 4 hours of arrival. The airlines are required to deliver luggage, once found, directly to your house or destination free of charge.

Staying Healthy

Argentina requires no vaccinations to enter the country, except for passengers coming from countries where cholera and yellow fever are endemic.

Some people who have allergies can be affected by the pollution in Buenos Aires's crowded MicroCentro, where cars and buses remain mired in traffic jams, belching out pollution. The beautiful spring blossoms also bring with them pollen, and even people not usually affected by plants might be thrown off seasonally and by species of plants different from those in North America and Europe. It's a good idea to pack a decongestant with you, or asthma medicine if you require it. With the new anti-smoking laws, you will not find indoor smoke to be the hazard it once was.

Because motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of injury among travelers, walk and drive defensively. Do not expect buses and taxis to stop for you when crossing the street. Always use a seat belt, which has now become the law in Buenos Aires, even in taxis.

Most visitors find that Argentine food and water are generally easy on the stomach. Water and ice are considered safe to drink in Buenos Aires. You should avoid street food and drinks served out of canisters by roving salespeople at the ubiquitous festivals all over the city. Vegetarians should take note that food that seems vegetarian often is not. With all those cows slaughtered for meat, there's plenty of cow fat finding its way as cooking oil for bread and biscuits. Read ingredients carefully and ask if in doubt.

Buenos Aires's streets and sidewalks can be disgustingly unsanitary. While there is a pooper-scooper law on the books, dog owners seem to take delight in letting their pets relieve themselves in the middle of the sidewalk. The rule of thumb also seems to be the better the neighborhood, the more poop there is, making Recoleta an obstacle course. Watch your step!

Drugs & Prescriptions -- Many drugs requiring a prescription in the United States do not necessarily need one in Argentina. Hence, if you lose or run out of a medicine, it might not be necessary to schedule a doctor's appointment to get your prescription. The same goes if you become ill and are sure you know what you need. Many of the pharmacies in the MicroCentro have staff members who speak English. Not all medicines, however, are a bargain in Argentina.

Austral Sun -- The summer sun is hot and strong in Buenos Aires. It's best to bring sunblock, though it is available in stores and pharmacies throughout the city. There are no beaches within the city proper, but many people go tanning in the Palermo and Recoleta parks or in the Ecological Preserve.

Malaria & Other Tropical Ailments -- Malaria is not an issue in most of Argentina. However, the humid summer months of January and February mean you will sometimes find swarms of mosquitoes wherever you go. Bring repellent to avoid bites. To get shots or advice for various illnesses if you are traveling from Buenos Aires to the jungle for long periods of time, contact Vacunar, a chain of clinics specializing in vaccinations and preventing illness, with locations all over Buenos Aires (www.vacunar.com.ar). Keep in mind that many shots require a period of time before they become effective. They will also explain, country by country, what is required if you are traveling to other parts of South America.

What to Do If You Get Sick away from Home -- Any foreign consulate can provide a list of area doctors who speak English. If you get sick, consider asking your hotel concierge to recommend a local doctor -- even his or her own. You can also try the emergency room at a local hospital. Many hospitals also have walk-in clinics for emergency cases that are not life-threatening; you may not get immediate attention, but you won't pay the high price of an emergency room visit.

If you suffer from a chronic illness, consult your doctor before your departure. For such conditions as epilepsy, diabetes, or heart problems, wear a MedicAlert identification tag (tel. 888/633-4298; www.medicalert.org), which will immediately alert doctors to your condition and give them access to your records through MedicAlert's 24-hour hot line.

The medical facilities and personnel in Buenos Aires and other urban areas in Argentina are very professional. Argentina has a system of socialized medicine, where basic services are free and doctors are well trained, but the facilities are poorly maintained due to lack of funding. There are many private clinics in every city, and they are inexpensive by Western standards. For an English-speaking hospital, call the Hospital Británico (tel. 11/4304-1081), established over 150 years ago during the British Empire's heyday. If you worry about getting sick away from home, you may want to consider medical travel insurance. In most cases, however, your existing health plan will provide all the coverage you need, but call to make sure. Be sure to carry your identification card in your wallet. You should also ask for receipts or notes from the doctors, which you might need for your claim.

Safety

Petty crime has increased significantly in Buenos Aires and other cities as a result of Argentina's economic crisis. Travelers should be especially alert to pickpockets and purse snatchers on the streets and on buses and trains. Tourists should take care not to be overly conspicuous, walking in pairs or groups when possible. Never walk around with your passport, as to lose it is a major headache. In Buenos Aires, do not take taxis off the street. You should call for a radio-taxi instead. Take similar precautions when traveling in Argentina's other big cities.

Entry Requirements & Customs

Entry Requirements

Citizens of the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, and South Africa require a passport to enter the country. No visa is required for citizens of these countries for tourist stays of up to 90 days. For more information concerning longer stays, employment, or other types of visas, contact the embassies or consulates in your home country. Usually, a hop by boat into neighboring Uruguay or crossing into Brazil during an Iguazú Falls excursion will initiate a new 90-day tourist period. With the increasing number of Americans and other foreigners living in Argentina, this has become one of the preferred quick-fix methods of bypassing visa extension bureaucracy. If you are planning to buy property, retire, or establish a business in Argentina, it is highly advisable to take care of the proper paperwork for your stay.

In the U.S. -- Contact the Consular Section of the Argentine Embassy, 1811 Q St. NW, Washington, DC 20009 (tel. 202/238-6400). Consulates are also located in Los Angeles (tel. 323/954-9155 or -9156), Miami (tel. 305/580-0530), Atlanta (tel. 404/880-0805), Chicago (tel. 312/819-2610), New York City (tel. 212/603-0400), and Houston (tel. 713/871-8935). For more information, try www.embassyofargentina.us, with links to various consulates in the U.S.

In Canada -- Contact the Embassy of the Argentine Republic, Ste. 910, Royal Bank Center, 90 Sparks St., Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5B4 (tel. 613/236-2351; fax 613/235-2659; embargentina@argentina-canada.net).

In the U.K. -- Contact the Embassy of the Argentine Republic, 65 Brooke St., London W1Y 4AH (tel. 020/7318-1300; fax 020/7318-1301; www.argentine-embassy-uk.org).

In New Zealand -- Contact the Embassy of the Argentine Republic, Prime Finance Tower, Level 14, 142 Lambton Quay, P.O. Box 5430, Wellington (tel. 04/472-8330; fax 04/472-8331; www.arg.org.nz).

In Australia -- Contact the Embassy of the Argentine Republic, John McEwen House, Level 2, 7 National Circuit, Barton, ACT 2600 (tel. 02/6273 9111; fax 02/6273 0500; www.argentina.org.au).

Customs

What You Can Take into Argentina -- Travelers entering Argentina can bring personal effects -- including clothes, jewelry, and professional equipment such as cameras and computers -- without paying duty. In addition, they can bring in 21 liters of alcohol, 400 cigarettes, and 50 cigars duty-free.

What You Can Take Home from Argentina --
Returning U.S. citizens who have been away for at least 48 hours are allowed to bring back, once every 30 days, $800 worth of merchandise duty-free. You'll be charged a flat rate of duty on the next $1,000 worth of purchases. Any dollar amount beyond that is dutiable at whatever rates apply. On mailed gifts, the duty-free limit is $200. Have your receipts handy to expedite the declaration process. Note: If you owe duty, you are required to pay on your arrival in the United States, either by cash, personal check, government or traveler's check, or money order, and in some locations, a Visa or MasterCard.

In Argentina, this is rarely an issue unless you have a lot of electronics. To avoid having to pay duty on foreign-made personal items you owned before you left on your trip, bring along a bill of sale, insurance policy, jeweler's appraisal, or receipts of purchase. Or you can register items that can be readily identified by a permanently affixed serial number or marking -- think laptop computers, cameras, and CD players -- with Customs before you leave. Take the items to the nearest Customs office or register them with Customs at the airport from which you're departing. You'll receive, at no cost, a Certificate of Registration, which allows duty-free entry for the life of the item.

You cannot bring fresh fruits and vegetables into the United States, with some exceptions. For specifics on what you can bring back, download the invaluable free pamphlet, Know Before You Go, online at www.cbp.gov. (Click on "Travel," and then on "Know Before You Go! Online Brochure.") Or contact the U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP), 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20229 (tel. 877/287-8667), and request the pamphlet.

For Canadian rules, write for the booklet I Declare, issued by the Canada Border Services Agency (tel. 800/461-9999 in Canada or 204/983-3500; www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca). Canada allows its citizens a C$750 exemption, and you're allowed to bring back duty-free one carton of cigarettes, one can of tobacco, 40 imperial ounces of liquor, and 50 cigars. In addition, you're allowed to mail gifts to Canada valued at less than C$60 a day, provided they're unsolicited and don't contain alcohol or tobacco (write on the package "Unsolicited gift, under $60 value"). Declare all valuables on the Y-38 form before departure from Canada, including serial numbers of valuables you already own, such as expensive foreign cameras. Note: The C$750 exemption can only be used once a year and only after an absence of 7 days.

Citizens of the U.K. who are returning from a non-E.U. country have a Customs allowance of 200 cigarettes; 50 cigars; 250 grams of smoking tobacco; 2 liters of still table wine; 1 liter of spirits or strong liqueurs (over 22% volume); 2 liters of fortified wine, sparkling wine, or other liqueurs; 60 cubic centimeters (mL) of perfume; 250 cubic centimeters (mL) of toilet water; and £145 worth of all other goods, including gifts and souvenirs. People 16 and under cannot have the tobacco or alcohol allowance. For more information, contact HM Customs & Excise at tel. 0845/010-9000 (from outside the U.K., 020/8929-0152), or consult their website at www.hmce.gov.uk.

The duty-free allowance in Australia is A$400 or, for those 17 and under, A$200. Citizens can bring in 250 cigarettes or 250 grams of loose tobacco, and 1,125 milliliters of alcohol. If you're returning with valuables you already own, such as foreign-made cameras, you should file form B263. A helpful brochure available from Australian consulates or Customs offices is Know Before You Go. For more information, call the Australian Customs Service (tel. 1300/363-263; www.customs.gov.au).

The duty-free allowance for New Zealand is NZ$700. Citizens 18 and over can bring in 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars, or 250 grams of tobacco (or a mixture of all three if their combined weight doesn't exceed 250g); plus 4.5 liters of wine and beer, or 1.125 liters of liquor. New Zealand currency does not carry import or export restrictions. Fill out a certificate of export, listing the valuables you are taking out of the country; that way, you can bring them back without paying duty. Most questions are answered in a free pamphlet available at New Zealand consulates and Customs offices: New Zealand Customs Guide for Travellers, Notice no. 4. For more information, contact New Zealand Customs, The Customhouse, 17-21 Whitmore St., Box 2218, Wellington (tel. 04/473-6099 or 0800/428-786; www.customs.govt.nz).

Tips for Travelers with Disabilities

Buenos Aires is not a very accessible destination for travelers with disabilities. Four- and five-star hotels in Buenos Aires often have a few rooms designed for travelers with disabilities -- check with the hotel in advance, and ask specific questions. Some hotels claim to be equipped for those with disabilities but still have one or two stairs leading to their elevator bays, making wheelchair access impossible. American-owned chains tend to be better at accessibility. Hotels with recent renovations sometimes will also have a room with limited capabilities and pull bars in the bathrooms. The tiny crowded streets of the MicroCentro can often barely accommodate two people walking together, let alone a wheelchair, and sidewalk cutouts do not exist in all areas. Fortunately, there are several organizations that can help.

Many travel agencies offer customized tours and itineraries for travelers with disabilities. Flying Wheels Travel (tel. 507/451-5005; www.flyingwheelstravel.com) offers escorted tours and cruises that emphasize sports and private tours in minivans with lifts. Access-Able Travel Source (tel. 303/232-2979; www.access-able.com) offers extensive access information and advice for traveling around the world with disabilities. Accessible Journeys (tel. 800/846-4537 or 610/521-0339; www.disabilitytravel.com) caters specifically to slow walkers and wheelchair travelers and their families and friends.

Organizations that offer assistance to travelers with disabilities include MossRehab (www.mossresourcenet.org), which provides a library of accessible-travel resources online; SATH (Society for Accessible Travel & Hospitality; tel. 212/447-7284; www.sath.org; annual membership fees: $45 adults, $30 seniors and students), which offers a wealth of travel resources for all types of disabilities and informed recommendations on destinations, access guides, travel agents, tour operators, vehicle rentals, and companion services; and the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB; tel. 800/232-5463; www.afb.org), a referral resource for the blind or visually impaired that includes information on traveling with Seeing Eye dogs.

For more information specifically targeted to travelers with disabilities, check out the quarterly magazine Emerging Horizons ($16.95 per year, $21.95/£15 outside the U.S.; www.emerginghorizons.com).

Escorted & Package Tours

These days, so many people plan their trips via websites and e-mail that it's easy to forget that a computer can never replace the knowledge of a good travel agent.

Recommended U.S.-Based Operators -- The following U.S.-based tour companies offer solid, well-organized tours in various price categories, and they are backed by years of experience. All can arrange tours of Buenos Aires, the surroundings, and other parts of Argentina and South America.

• Borello Travel & Tours, 7 Park Ave., Ste. 21, New York, NY 10016 (tel. 800/405-3072 or 212/695-3200; www.borellotravel.com), is a New York-based travel firm specializing in upscale travel to South America. The owner, Sandra Borello, has run her company for nearly 20 years and is a native of Buenos Aires. Prices can vary, depending on the season, options, and hotel, but a 1-week package to Buenos Aires can cost about $3,000 per person. They maintain an additional office in Buenos Aires, which can be reached at tel. 11/5031-1988.

Recommended Buenos Aires-Based Operators -- Even if you have arranged things at home, once you're in Buenos Aires, there are always last-minute changes or new things you would like to see. The following companies are all excellent and have English-speaking staff members. All can also provide trips to other cities in Argentina outside of Buenos Aires, as well as South America.

• Say Hueque Tourism, Viamonte 749, Office 601, 1053 Buenos Aires (tel. 11/5199-2517; www.sayhueque.com), is a highly recommended small company with knowledgeable, friendly service and attention to personalized client care. The company began by catering to the young and adventurous on a budget, but has begun to deal with a more upscale yet independent-thinking clientele. Various tour themes include Literary Buenos Aires, Biking Buenos Aires, and Tango Buenos Aires, among many others. They also offer adventure tours within the vicinity of Buenos Aires such as to the Tigre Delta. Outside of Buenos Aires, they specialize in Patagonia and Iguazú, finding special out-of-the-way places for their clients. Based on their very personal service, this is among my favorite of the operators within Buenos Aires.

Organized Adventure Trips -- The advantages of traveling with an organized group are plentiful, especially for travelers who have limited time and resources. Tour operators take the headache out of planning a trip, and they iron out the wrinkles that invariably pop up along the way. Many tours are organized to include guides, transportation, accommodations, meals, and gear (some outfits will even carry gear for you, for example, on trekking adventures).

• Abercrombie & Kent, 1520 Kensington Rd., Oak Brook, IL 60521 (tel. 800/323-7308; www.abercrombiekent.com), is a luxury tour operator that offers "Patagonia: A Luxury Adventure," a 16-day trip that heads from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia for a 3-day cruise around Tierra del Fuego, followed by visits to Torres del Paine park, Puerto Varas, and Bariloche. Cost is $12,695 per person, double occupancy.

Private Tour Guides -- It's easy to hire guides through your hotel or any travel agency in Buenos Aires. You may also want to contact AGUITBA (Asociación de Guías de Turismo de Buenos Aires), Carlos Pellegrini 833, Sixth Floor C, Buenos Aires (tel. 11/4322-2557; www.aguitba.org.ar), a professional society of tour guides that has tried to promote licensing and other credentials legislation to ensure the quality of guides. Its offices are open Monday to Friday from 1 to 6pm.

Private guides I recommend include Buenos Aires-based Marta Pasquali (tel. 11/15-4421-2486 [cell]; marpas@uolsinectis.com.ar) and Monica Varela (tel. 11/15-4407-0268 [cell]; monyliv@hotmail.com). Both have conducted tours for several years in Buenos Aires. They offer high-quality specialized tours on various themes, and often work with corporations. I highly recommend them for their specialized knowledge of the city, which goes far beyond what many other tour guides know.

Visitor Information

In the U.S. -- The Argentina Government Tourist Office has offices at 12 W. 56th St., New York, NY 10019 (tel. 212/603-0425; fax 212/315-5545), and 2655 Le Jeune Rd., Penthouse Ste. F, Coral Gables, FL 33134 (tel. 305/442-1366; fax 305/441-7029). For more details, consult Argentina's Ministry of Tourism website.

In Canada -- Basic tourist information can be obtained by the Consulate General of Argentina, 2000 Peel St., Ste. 600, Montreal, Quebec H3A 2W5 (tel. 514/842-6582; fax 514/842-5797; www.consargenmtl.com); for more details, consult Argentina's Ministry of Tourism website.

In the U.K. -- For visitor information, contact the Embassy of Argentina in London or consult Argentina's Ministry of Tourism website.

In Buenos Aires -- The central office of the City Tourism Secretariat, Calle Balcarce 360, in Monserrat (tel. 11/4313-0187; www.turismo.gov.ar), is responsible for all visitor information on Buenos Aires but is not open to the general public. Instead, the city uses several kiosks spread throughout various neighborhoods, which have maps and hotel, restaurant, and attraction information. Tourist Information Office, Av. Santa Fe 883 (tel. 11/4312-2232), is one of the best located as is the office located at the entrance to Retiro Terminal.

The Buenos Aires City Tourism Office runs an information hot line (tel. 11/4313-0187) from 7:30am to 6pm Monday to Saturday, and Sunday 11am to 6pm.

Websites of Note

• www.embassyofargentina.us: Up-to-date travel information from the Argentine embassy in Washington, D.C.
• www.turismo.gov.ar: This Ministry of Tourism site has travel information for all of Argentina, including a virtual tour of the country's tourist regions, shopping tips, links to city tourist sites, and general travel facts.
• www.mercotour.com: A travel site focused on adventure and ecological excursions, with information on outdoor activities in both Argentina and Chile.
• www.allaboutar.com: This well-written site is packed with practical information about the country, including skiing, golfing, and estancia (ranch) stays.
• www.welcomepatagonia.com: This fantastic website has extensive information about this region of Argentina, including hotels, itineraries, and other details.
• www.welcomeargentina.com: Great information about Argentina, and extensive details on things to do in Buenos Aires. Includes self-guided tour ideas, lists of hotels, and up-to-date information on restaurants and other trends.
• www.bue.gov.ar: A comprehensive tourism website set up by the city of Buenos Aires, with details on neighborhoods and a calendar of events in English and other languages. The website has lots of extremely detailed and useful information, but it can be cumbersome to work through its windows and pop-ups. Be patient with it.
• www.wine-republic.com: This is a lively, irreverent Mendoza-based website explaining Argentine culture and the best destinations, with the focus on good food and wine.
• www.palermoviejo.com: Find out what is going on in Buenos Aires's trendiest neighborhood, full of the newest restaurants, shops, and boutique hotels.
• www.google.com.ar: If you're good at Spanish, use this Argentina-based division of the popular Google search engine. Clicking on "Páginas de Argentina" will give you the most up-to-date, locally produced information.
• www.subte.com.ar: This website explains in detail the workings of the Buenos Aires subway system and allows you to locate hotels and other sites of interest in relation to subway stops. It also includes downloadable maps and an interactive feature that helps you to calculate travel times between destinations.

Tips for Families

Argentines love and pamper their children in every way possible. Argentine kids are also trained from an early age to stay up late like their parents. Don't be surprised to find yourself passing a playground full of kids and their parents on the swing sets at 2am, when you're trying to find your way back to your hotel.

Many hotels have programs for children, especially around the holidays. Most will also provide babysitting, as long as it is requested in advance.

Fast Facts

American Express -- Offices are located in Buenos Aires, Bariloche, Salta, San Martín, and Ushuaia. In Buenos Aires, the Amex office is at Arenales 707 (tel. 11/4310-3000).

Business Hours -- Banks are open weekdays from 10am to 3pm. Shopping hours are weekdays from 9am to 8pm and Saturday from 9am to 1pm. Shopping centers are open daily from 10am to 8pm. Some stores close for lunch.

Driving Rules -- In cities, Argentines drive exceedingly fast and do not always obey traffic lights or lanes. Seat belts are mandatory, although few Argentines actually wear them. When driving outside the city, remember that autopista means motorway or highway, and paso means mountain pass. Don't drive in rural areas at night, as cattle sometimes overtake the road to keep warm and are nearly impossible to see.

Drugstores -- Ask your hotel where the nearest pharmacy (farmacia) is; they are generally ubiquitous in city centers, and there is always at least one open 24 hours. In Buenos Aires, the chain Farmacity is open 24 hours, with locations at Lavalle 919 (tel. 11/4821-3000), and Av. Santa Fe 2830 (tel. 11/4821-0235). Farmacity will also deliver to your hotel.

Electricity -- If you plan to bring any small appliance with you, pack a transformer and a European-style adapter because electricity in Argentina runs on 220 volts. Note that most laptops operate on both 110 and 220 volts. Luxury hotels usually have transformers and adapters available.

Embassies -- All in Buenos Aires: U.S. Embassy, Av. Colombia 4300 (tel. 11/4774-5333); Australian Embassy, Villanueva 1400 (tel. 11/4777-6580); Canadian Embassy, Tagle 2828 (tel. 11/4805-3032); New Zealand Embassy, Carlos Pellegrini 1427, 5th Floor (tel. 11/4328-0747); United Kingdom Embassy, Luis Agote 2412 (tel. 11/4803-6021).

Emergencies -- The following emergency numbers are valid throughout Argentina. For an ambulance, call tel. 107; in case of fire, call tel. 100; for police assistance, call tel. 101.

Internet Access -- Cybercafes called locuturios are found on every corner in Buenos Aires and in other cities and towns as well, so it won't be hard to stay connected while in Argentina. Access is reasonably priced (usually averaging just under $1 per hour) and connections are reliably good.

Mail -- Airmail postage for a standard letter from Argentina to North America and Europe is about $3. Mail takes, on average, between 7 and 10 days to get to the U.S. and Europe.

Maps -- Reliable maps can be purchased at the offices of the Automóvil Club Argentino, Av. del Libertador 1850, in Buenos Aires (tel. 11/4802-6061 or 11/4802-7071).

Smoking -- People who hate smoke can rejoice. Antismoking laws have finally been passed in Buenos Aires, as well as a few other Argentine cities. These are among the few laws actually paid attention to in Argentina.

Taxes -- Argentina's value added tax (VAT) is 21%. You can recover this 21% at the airport if you have purchased certain local products totaling more than 70 pesos (per invoice) from stores participating in tax-free shopping. Forms are available at the airport and participating stores, but beware that you may be asked to display your purchases when leaving.

Telephone -- The country code for Argentina is 54. When making domestic long-distance calls in Argentina, place a 0 before the area code. For international calls, add 00 before the country code. Direct dialing to North America and Europe is available from most phones. International, as well as domestic, calls are expensive in Argentina, especially from hotels (rates fall 10pm-8am). Holders of AT&T credit cards can reach the money-saving USA Direct from Argentina by calling toll-free tel. 0800/555-4288 from the north of Argentina or 0800/222-1288 from the south. Similar services are offered by MCI (tel. 0800/555-1002) and Sprint (tel. 0800/555-1003 from the north of Argentina, or 0800/222-1003 from the south).

Public phones take either phone cards (sold at kiosks on the street) or coins (less common). Local calls cost 20 centavos to start and charge more the longer you talk. Telecentro offices -- found everywhere in city centers -- offer private phone booths where calls are paid when completed. Most hotels offer fax services, as do all Telecentro offices. Dial tel. 110 for directory assistance (most operators speak English) and tel. 000 to reach an international operator.

Time -- Argentina is 1 hour ahead of Eastern Standard Time in the United States in northern summer. In 2007, the country introduced daylight saving time in the east of the country with Buenos Aires and the coast moving forward 1 hour from December 30 to March 16. This means the capital will be 3 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time in northern winter, while the Andean provinces will be 2 hours ahead.

Tipping -- A 10% tip is expected at cafes and restaurants. Give at least $1 to bellboys and porters, 5% to hairdressers, and leftover change to taxi drivers.

Water -- In Buenos Aires, the water is perfectly safe to drink. But if you are traveling to more remote regions of Argentina, it's best to stick with bottled water for drinking.

Getting There

By Plane

Argentina's main international airport is Ezeiza Ministro Pistarini (EZE; tel. 11/4480-9538), located 42km (26 miles) to the west of Buenos Aires. Allot at least 45 minutes to an hour for travel between the airport and the city, more in rush hour. You will be assessed a departure tax of approximately $24 upon leaving the country, payable in pesos, dollars, or by Visa credit card. For flights from Buenos Aires to Montevideo (in Uruguay), the departure tax is $5. Passengers in transit and children 1 and under are exempt from this tax. However, visitors are advised to verify the departure tax with their airline or travel agent, as the exact amount changes frequently.

Below are the major airlines that fly into Argentina from North America, Europe, and Australia. Argentina's national airline is Aerolíneas Argentinas (tel. 800/333-0276 in the U.S., 0810/222-86527 in Buenos Aires, or 1800/22-22-15 in Australia; www.aerolineas.com.ar). The airline flies a few times a week from New York and daily from Miami. Aerolíneas Argentinas is an interesting introduction to the excitement of Argentina and its culture. The female flight attendants tend to be particularly glamorous, and the staff, mostly natives of Argentina, can offer excellent advice for you to use once you are on the ground. Argentine wine is free and liberally served in coach and all classes. Renationalized in 2008, it is uncertain if the company will retain its reputation for strikes, delays and general inefficiency, especially on domestic flights.

Other operators include American Airlines (tel. 800/433-7300 in the U.S., or 11/4318-1111 in Buenos Aires; www.aa.com); United Airlines (tel. 800/241-6522 in the U.S., or 0810/777-8648 in Buenos Aires; www.united.com); Air Canada (tel. 888/247-2262 in Canada, or 11/4327-3640 in Buenos Aires; www.aircanada.com); British Airways (tel. 0845/773-3377 in the U.K., or 11/4320-6600 in Buenos Aires; www.britishairways.com); and Iberia (tel. 0845/601-2854 in the U.K., or 11/4131-1000 in Buenos Aires; www.iberia.com). LAN (tel. 866/435-9526 in the U.S. and Canada, or 11/4378-2222 in Buenos Aires; http://plane.lan.com) also provides connections from Miami and New York, both direct and through Santiago to Buenos Aires. Qantas Airlines, of Australia (tel. 13-13-13 in Australia, or 11/4514-4730 in Buenos Aires; www.qantas.com.au), now has service from Sydney to Santiago, with shared service continuing to Buenos Aires on LAN.

Domestic airlines and flights to Uruguay use Jorge Newbery Airport (tel. 11/4514-1515), located only 15 minutes to the north, along the river from downtown.

The easiest way to travel Argentina's vast distances is by air, though flights are expensive and foreigners are charged substantially more than locals. Aerolíneas Argentinas connects most cities and tourist destinations in Argentina, including Córdoba, Jujuy, Iguazú, Salta, and the beach resorts. LAN (tel. 866/435-9526 in the U.S. and Canada, or 11/4378-2222 in Buenos Aires; http://plane.lan.com) flies to Córdoba, Mendoza, and Iguazú.

By Bus

The Estación Terminal de Omnibus, Av. Ramos Mejía 1680 (tel. 11/4310-0700), located near Retiro Station, serves all long-distance buses. You would use this station when connecting to other parts of Argentina, or by long-distance coach from other countries. Due to the high cost of air transport for most South Americans, the continent is served by numerous companies offering comfortable, and at times luxurious, bus services to other capitals, often overnight. This is ideal for student and budget travelers.

Among the major bus companies that operate out of Buenos Aires are La Veloz del Norte (tel. 11/4315-2482), serving destinations in the Northwest, including Salta and Jujuy; Singer (tel. 11/4315-2653), serving Puerto Iguazú as well as Brazilian destinations; and T.A. Chevallier (tel. 11/4313-3297), serving points throughout the country.

The Estación Terminal de Omnibus, sometimes referred to as the Retiro Bus Station, is sprawling, enormous, and confusing. Just walking from one end to another takes about 15 minutes, given the ramps, crowds, and stairs you have to maneuver through. Routes and platform locations rarely make it to the overhead boards also, so don't rely on them. Still, in spite of the chaos, there is an overarching order. A color-coded system used at the ticket counters explains in general which destinations of the country are served by which bus lines. Red, for instance, indicates the center of the country, including the province of Buenos Aires; dark blue, the south; orange, the north; green, the northeast; light blue, the central Atlantic coast; and gray, the international destinations. However, at their sales counters, many bus companies indicate names of cities on their destination lists that they no longer serve, so you may have to stand in a line to ask. Many companies also have more than one name, adding to the visual clutter at the ticket counters. To help you make sense of it all, use www.tebasa.com.ar, the terminal's website, while planning your trip. Click on the province where you are traveling, and a list of bus companies and phone numbers will come up. Bus tickets can also be purchased at most travel agencies. This can cost slightly more but can save a lot of confusion if you're short on time.

By Car

In Buenos Aires, travel by subte (subway) or remises (radio-dispatched taxis, as opposed to street taxis) is easier and safer than driving yourself. Rush-hour traffic is chaotic, and parking is difficult. If you have rented a car for whatever reason, park it at your hotel or a nearby garage and leave it there. Most daily parking charges do not exceed $4 or $5 (£2.75-£3.40). Many recently built hotels have parking on the premises; others use nearby garages.

If you're traveling outside of Buenos Aires, it's another story when it comes to having a car. Argentine roads and highways are generally in good condition, with the exception of some rural areas. Most highways have been privatized and charge nominal tolls. In Buenos Aires, drivers are aggressive and don't always obey traffic lanes or lights. Wear your seat belt, as required by Argentine law. U.S. driver's licenses are valid in greater Buenos Aires, but you need an Argentine or international license to drive in most other parts of the country. Fuel (known as NAFTA) is expensive, at about $1 (70p) per liter (or $4/£2.80 per gallon).

The Automóvil Club Argentino (ACA), Av. del Libertador 1850 (tel. 11/4802-6061), has working arrangements with international automobile clubs. The ACA offers numerous services, including roadside assistance, road maps, hotel and camping information, and discounts for various tourist activities.

Car Rentals -- Many international car-rental companies operate in Argentina, with offices at airports and in city centers. The main offices in Buenos Aires for the following agencies are Hertz, Paraguay 1122 (tel. 800/654-3131 in the U.S., or 11/4816-8001 in Buenos Aires); Avis, Cerrito 1527 (tel. 800/230-4898 in the U.S., or 11/4300-8201 in Buenos Aires); Dollar, Marcelo T. de Alvear 523 (tel. 800/800-6000 in the U.S., or 11/4315-8800 in Buenos Aires); and Thrifty, Av. Leandro N. Alem 699 (tel. 800/847-4389 in the U.S., or 11/4315-0777 in Buenos Aires). Car rental is expensive in Argentina, with standard rates beginning at about $50 to $60 (£34-£41) per day for a subcompact with unlimited mileage (ask for any special promotions, especially on weekly rates). Check to see if your existing automobile insurance policy (or a credit card) covers insurance for car rentals.

Staying Connected

Calling Home

Every street corner in Argentina has a locutorio, a small store with phone booths and often Internet desks. As you enter, say "Una cabina, por favor," and the clerk will direct you to a booth. There, a small monitor will display how much your call costs, and you pay the clerk as you leave. International calls can be pricey, so it is best to use a telephone card such as Teletele or Hablemas. These are available in most corner stores and come in denominations of 5 pesos and 10 pesos. Increasingly popular and much cheaper are computer-based calling systems such as Skype. Most Internet cafes are now fitted with headphones and webcams, and you just need to open a Skype account to call anywhere in the world. When entering an Internet cafe, say "Una maquina, por favor," and the clerk will direct you to a computer. Some Internet cafes use precharged cards that you purchase at the counter before logging on.

Internet Access Abroad

Travelers have any number of ways to check their e-mail and access the Internet on the road. Of course, using your own laptop -- or even a PDA (personal digital assistant) or electronic organizer with a modem -- gives you the most flexibility, and Wi-Fi is getting more ubiquitous. But even if you don't have a computer, you can still access your e-mail and even your office computer from cybercafes.

Without Your Own Computer -- It's hard nowadays to find a city that doesn't have a few cybercafes. Although there's no definitive directory for cybercafes -- these are independent businesses, after all -- two places to start looking are at www.cybercaptive.com and www.cybercafe.com.

Aside from formal cybercafes, most youth hostels and hotels nowadays have at least one computer you can get to the Internet on. And most public libraries across the world offer Internet access free or for a small charge. Avoid hotel business centers unless you're willing to pay exorbitant rates.

Most major airports now have Internet kiosks scattered throughout their gates. These kiosks, which you'll also see in shopping malls, hotel lobbies, and tourist information offices around the world, give you basic Web access for a per-minute fee that's usually higher than cybercafe prices. The kiosks' clunkiness and high prices mean they should be avoided whenever possible.

To retrieve your e-mail, ask your Internet Service Provider (ISP) if it has a Web-based interface tied to your existing e-mail account. If your ISP doesn't have such an interface, you can use the free mail2web service (www.mail2web.com) to view and reply to your home e-mail. For more flexibility, you may want to open a free Web-based e-mail account with Yahoo! Mail (http://mail.yahoo.com). (Microsoft's Hotmail is another popular option, but Hotmail has severe spam problems.) Your home ISP may be able to forward your e-mail to the Web-based account automatically.

If you need to access files on your office computer, look into a service called GoToMyPC (www.gotomypc.com). The service provides a Web-based interface for you to access and manipulate a distant PC from anywhere -- even a cybercafe -- provided your "target" PC is on and has an always-on connection to the Internet (such as with Road Runner cable). The service offers top-quality security, but if you're worried about hackers, use your own laptop rather than a cybercafe computer to access the GoToMyPC system.

With Your Own Computer -- Wi-Fi (wireless fidelity) is the buzzword in computer access, and more and more hotels, cafes, and retailers are signing on as wireless "hotspots" from where you can get high-speed connection without cable wires, networking hardware, or a phone line . You can get Wi-Fi connection one of several ways. Most laptops sold nowadays have built-in Wi-Fi capability (an 802.11b wireless Ethernet connection). Mac owners have their own networking technology, Apple AirPort. Those with older computers can plug an 802.11b/Wi-Fi card (around $50) into their laptops. You sign up for wireless access service much as you do cellphone service, through a plan offered by one of several commercial companies that have made wireless service available in airports, hotel lobbies, and coffee shops, primarily in the U.S. (followed by the U.K. and Japan). T-Mobile Hotspot (www.t-mobile.com/hotspot) serves up wireless connections at more than 1,000 Starbucks coffee shops nationwide. Boingo (www.boingo.com) and Wayport (www.wayport.com) have set up networks in airports and high-class hotel lobbies. iPass providers also give you access to a few hundred wireless hotel-lobby setups. Best of all, you don't need to be staying at the Four Seasons to use the hotel's network; just set yourself up on a nice couch in the lobby. The companies' pricing policies can be Byzantine, with a variety of monthly, per-connection, and per-minute plans, but in general you pay around $30 a month for limited access -- and as more and more companies jump on the wireless bandwagon, prices are likely to get even more competitive.

There are also places that provide free wireless networks in cities around the world. To locate these free hotspots, go to www.personaltelco.net/index.cgi/WirelessCommunities.

If Wi-Fi is not available at your destination, most business-class hotels throughout the world offer dataports for laptop modems, and a few thousand hotels in the U.S. and Europe now offer free high-speed Internet access using an Ethernet network cable. You can bring your own cables, but most hotels rent them for around $10. Call your hotel in advance to see what your options are.

In addition, major ISPs have local access numbers around the world, allowing you to go online by simply placing a local call. Check your ISP's website or call its toll-free number and ask how you can use your current account away from home, and how much it will cost.

If you're traveling outside the reach of your ISP, the iPass network has dial-up numbers in most of the world's countries. You'll have to sign up with an iPass provider, who will then tell you how to set up your computer for your destination(s). For a list of iPass providers, go to www.ipass.com and click on "Individuals Buy Now." One solid provider is i2roam (tel. 866/811-6209 or 920/235-0475; www.i2roam.com).

Wherever you go, bring a connection kit of the right power and phone adapters, a spare phone cord, and a spare Ethernet network cable -- or find out whether your hotel supplies them to guests.

Using a Cellphone Abroad

The three letters that define much of the world's wireless capabilities are GSM (Global System for Mobiles) -- a big, seamless network that makes for easy cross-border cellphone use throughout Europe and dozens of other countries worldwide. In the U.S., T-Mobile, AT&T Wireless, and Cingular use this quasi-universal system; in Canada, Microcell and some Rogers customers are GSM; and all Europeans and most Australians use GSM.

If your cellphone is on a GSM system and you have a world-capable multiband phone, such as many Sony Ericsson, Motorola, or Samsung models, you can make and receive calls across civilized areas on much of the globe, from Andorra to Uganda. Just call your wireless operator and ask for "international roaming" to be activated on your account. Unfortunately, per-minute charges can be high -- usually $1 to $1.50 in western Europe, and up to $5 in places such as Russia and Indonesia.

That's why it's important to buy an "unlocked" world phone from the get-go. Many cellphone operators sell "locked" phones that restrict you from using any other removable computer memory phone chip (called a SIM card) other than the ones they supply. Having an unlocked phone allows you to install a cheap, prepaid SIM card (found at a local retailer) in your destination country. (Show your phone to the salesperson; not all phones work on all networks.) You'll get a local phone number -- and much, much lower calling rates. Getting an already locked phone unlocked can be a complicated process, but it can be done; just call your cellular operator and say you'll be going abroad for several months and want to use the phone with a local provider.

For many, renting a phone is a good idea. (Even world-phone owners will have to rent new phones if they're traveling to non-GSM regions, such as Japan or Korea.) While you can rent a phone from any number of overseas sites, including kiosks at airports and at car-rental agencies, I suggest renting the phone before you leave home. That way you can give loved ones and business associates your new number, make sure the phone works, and take the phone wherever you go -- especially helpful for overseas trips through several countries, where local phone-rental agencies often bill in local currency and may not let you take the phone to another country.

Phone rental isn't cheap. You'll usually pay $40 to $50 per week, plus airtime fees of at least a dollar a minute. If you're traveling to Europe, though, local rental companies often offer free incoming calls within their home country, which can save you big bucks. The bottom line: Shop around.

Two good wireless rental companies are InTouch USA (tel. 800/872-7626; www.intouchglobal.com) and RoadPost (tel. 888/290-1606 or 905/272-5665; www.roadpost.com). Give them your itinerary and they'll tell you what wireless products you need. InTouch will also, for free, advise you on whether your existing phone will work overseas; simply call tel. 703/222-7161 between 9am and 4pm EST, or go to http://intouchglobal.com/travel.htm. For trips of more than a few weeks spent in one country, buying a phone becomes economically attractive, as many nations have cheap, no-questions-asked prepaid phone systems. Once you arrive at your destination, stop by a local cellphone shop and get the cheapest package; you'll probably pay less than $100 for a phone and a starter calling card. Local calls may be as low as 10¢ per minute, and in many countries incoming calls are free.