Puerto Iguazu

Introduction

More of a large town, the city of Puerto Iguazu is located in the upper northeast of Argentina at the confluence of the Parana and Iguazu rivers. From several points throughout the city there are magnificent viewpoints towards Brazil and Argentina. It's a far better place to spend your time compared to Foz do Iguacu on the other side of the Iguazu River in Brazil. Although much larger and with a wide range of accommodation, it also has the usual big city problems regarding safety, crowds and polution.

Sights and Activities

Iguazu Falls

One of the most impressive and biggest waterfalls in the world, Iguazu Falls probably has the best subtropical setting you could ever imagine. The Argentinian side of the falls are located in a national park where you can walk for hours: seeing, hearing and feeling the falls up close. There are even some predators like the puma living in this park.

Weather

Winters last from June to August, but temperatures are generally still between 15 °C and 20 °C or even more sometimes. Nights can be rather chilly though and frost is not unheard of though pretty rare. During this time, cloudy and cool days of just over 10 °C make a visit to the Iguazu Falls not a great time. Summers can be extremely hot and humid, with temperatures from November to March frequently hitting 30 °C or (much) more. This is also when most of the heavy rainshowers fall. Spring (late September - early November) and autumn (March to May) are actually quite pleasant times for a visit.

Getting There

By Plane

Cataratas del Iguazu airport (IGR) has flights to and from Buenos Aires multiple times a day.

Foz do Iguaçu International Airport (Brazil) is another way in but from Brazil. Some people travel to Foz do Iguaçu International Airport but stay on Puerto Iguazu (Argentina). Be aware that there is an immigration point between Argentina and Brazil, so keep all the documents they give you at the airport and at immigration. The cost of going by taxi from Foz do Iguaçu International Airport in Brazil to Puerto Iguazu is around USD40. You can ask for a taxi inside the airport and pay cash or on credit card. Taxi drivers know the immigration regulations so they will walk you by the customs to enter Argentina. By taxi the drive is no more than half an hour, but be advised that sometimes they may be lots of people on the immigration point and at peak hour you can expect 45 minutes or an hour waiting lines.

By Car

Good tarmac roads lead south to other places in Argentina and across the bridge that spans the Iguazu River to Foz do Iguacu in Brazil.

By Bus

Frequent bus connections exist to and from Buenos Aires (18 hours), Cordoba (Argentina) (23 hours), Corrientes (9 hours), Posadas (5 hours) and San Ignacio (4 hours). Many more cities are served though, just ask around. Buses also go to Foz do Iguacu in Brazil and Ciudad del Este in Paraguay. For onward connections to other cities in those two countries, it is better to go to these cities first as domestic services are cheaper.

By Boat

You can cross the Parana River to Paraguay by boat. There is a small car ferry that plies the route every half hour or so. Normally, you can only board if you are with local person who takes you on a trip to a few places in Paraguay.

Getting Around

By Public Transport

A bus leaves twice hourly from the terminal to the entrance on the Argentine side of the falls (20 Pesos return). Most hotels have the timetable. Tell the bus driver if you want to stop along the way.

Taxis operate with fixed prices which makes the distance to both parks from your hotel irrelevant. A trip from your hotel in or near Puerto Iguazú to the Argentine park or vice versa costs AR$60. Round trips are advertised as double but most taxi drivers will do the trip for AR$100 if asked. Do not be amazed if the very same driver waits for you for hours. Taxi drivers will store your luggage in their taxi while waiting. A round trip from your hotel to a supermarket in Puerto Iguazú costs AR$10.

By Foot

The town itself is small enough to negotiate on foot.

Eat

• La Rueda, Av. Cordoba. Excellent food, and probably the best restaurant in Puerto Iguazú esthetically. The Pollo al Diablo (Chicken Devil's Style) is delicious. English spoken. Only accept cash or American Express, no Visa or Mastercard.
• La Vitrina, Av. Victoria Auirre 773, ☎ +54 3757-422165, e-mail: [email protected] Go there for the Asado prepared on the big outdoor barbecue. They have good salads, pasta, empanadas, etc. But the bife de chorizo, asado de tira, etc., is what set La Vintrina apart from other places.
• Aqva, Av. Córdoba y Carlos Thays, ☎ +54 03757 422064. Excellent food, many options of dishes with local river fish and Argentinian beef, of course. Extensive wine list. Reservations recommended on weekends. Opens everyday for lunch and dinner. Accepts major credit cards

Drink

• La Barranca, nice place near both rivers and the Three Frontiers Landmark (Marco das três fronteira), nice people and live music at weekends.

At the ´feria´ up from Av. Brasil there are many stalls to have a cheap drink.

Sleep

• Poramba Hostel (El Urú 120, Puerto Iguazú,), ☎ +54 3757 423041, e-mail: [email protected] Small, friendly and relaxed hostel, offering both shared and private rooms. In a very nice, tranquil and green part of town, only 300 metres. from the bus terminal. Good kitchen. Swimming pool.
• Hostel Irupe, Avenida Misiones Nº 80 (100 metres from the bus terminal), ☎ +54 (03757) 423618. Check-out: 10:00. Cheap, but clean hostel, AR$30 per person for double with bathroom; kitchen available, only a few steps away from the main bus terminal. Dorms for AR$30 p.p. One computer with internet but no wifi.
• Hostel Inn Iguazu, Ruta 12 Km 5, Puerto Iguazú., ☎ +54 3757-421823. Dorms US$11 (members). Has a pool and tiki bar, air-conditioned rooms, a young, partying crowd, nightly events, daily sports games, free internet, free breakfast, bar and restaurant. You can get there by taking the bus that goes to the falls (leaving from the terminal).
• Marcopolo Inn Iguazu, Av. Cordoba 158, 3370, Puerto Iguazu, Argentina. 20 metres from the bus terminal and 2 blocks from the Commerce center of Puerto Iguazu. Internet access, kitchen, breakfast included from US$11 (dorms) and $15 (private).
• Residencial Uno, Fray Luis Beltrán 116, Puerto Iguazú, ☎ +54-3757-420529, e-mail: [email protected] Warm and comfortable hostel in the heart of Puerto Iguazú. It offers private rooms, breakfast, free internet access & wi-fi area, swimming pool, air conditioner, BBQ area, Cable TV & DVD lounge, among others services. Two blocks from the bus station and less than 5 minutes from downtown. Dorms from ARS$218. Doubles AR$1000. Minihostels.com members get 10% off.
• Stop Hostel (Stop Hostel Iguazú), Av. Victoria Aguirre 304, Puerto Iguazú, Argentina, ☎ +54 3757-15547709. Stop Hostel is located 15 minutes away from the falls, bar, air conditioning and a pool. from USD10.
• Garden Stone Hostel, Av. Córdoba Nº 441 - Puerto de Iguazú (Three blocks north from the bus terminal along Av. Córdoba), ☎ +54 3757 420425. Check-out: 10:00. Quite nice, peaceful, clean. There is a little garden and a kitchen. Includes WiFi, large lockers in rooms, and breakfast. Dorms from US$9.
• Hostel Bambu Club, Av. Córdoba Nº 445 - Puerto de Iguazú (2 minute walk from the bus terminal along Av. Córdoba). Check-out: 10:00am. This is a party hostel with huge pool and bar area that packs in a crowd, plus very clean and friendly. Includes WiFi, lockers, and breakfast.
• Complejo Americano, ☎ +54 3757 420 190, +54 3757 421 575, +54 3757 422 758. Ruta 12 Km 5, Puerto Iguazú. Used to be called El Viejo Americano. Hotel and camping (AR$26 per tent plus AR$26 per person). There are also bungalows and normal rooms. You can get there by taking the bus that goes to the falls (leaving from the terminal, AR$1.50). There are pools, a restaurant, convenience store and soccer fields, which are all very well maintained. Many fire pits for barbecues and other niceties. Bugs galore so bring plenty of repellent.
• Hostería Los Helechos. Paulino Amarante 76, Puerto Iguazú. 03757-420338. Very centrally located hostel, just two blocks from the bus station. Lots of facilities including swimming pool.
• Hotel Tierra Colorada, El Urú 28, Puerto Iguazú. 03757-420649. Pleasant and friendly small hotel, comfortable rooms.
• Hotel Los Troncos, San Lorenzo 154, Puerto Iguazú, ☎ +55 3757-424337. Very good hotel. Wonderfully located on the edge of the city (about a 15-minute walk from the bus station). Gives you the feeling of staying in the middle of a tropical rain forest. The staff are extremely nice. The hotel is well facilitated: there is a nice pool, continental buffet breakfast and the "cabañas" have air conditioning, digital television and a balcony. Ask the staff for a trip to the Brazilian side of the falls: they have contacts with drivers who take you there, wait for you and bring you back to the hotel again for AR$140 in total (fixed price, no price per person).
• SecretGardenIguazu B&B - A three room affair, conveniently located in the town of Puerto Iguazu. High on concept the secret garden is populated by tree ferns and other shade-loving plants salvaged from the slash and burn rural and logging activities decimating the surrounding rain-forest.

You can use the form below to search for availability (Travellerspoint receives a commission for bookings made through the form)

Keep Connected

Internet

Internet cafes are still widely available in most places, even in smaller towns, though many people are connected through the internet at home or by mobile device. Many cafes and restaurants offer free WiFi with an advertisement in their windows. All you need to do is buy something and ask for the password. Apart from specific places, including soms airports and major stations, quite a few cities are offering free wifi, including Buenos Aires, Mendoza and Iguazu Falls.

Phone

See also: International Telephone Calls

The country calling code to Argentina is 54. To make an international call from Argentina, dial 00 followed by the country code and the rest of the telephone number. All 0800 numbers are toll-free numbers, except if you call from a mobile phone. Emergency numbers are available for Police (101), Ambulance (107) and Fire (100). Emergency dispatcher for Buenos Aires (city), Santa Fe (city), Rosario (city), Salta (province), Corrientes (province), and Buenos Aires (province) 911. In a mobile phone 112 forwards to 911.

You can get a prepaid Movistar / Claro / Personal SIM card for a few pesos / free at phone shops, all you pay is about 20 Pesos for your initial credits. Inserting the SIM card into your unlocked American or European mobile phone should work, although to register the SIM you have to enter your passport (or any 9 digit) number - you then have your personal Argentinean phone numbers. Calls cost around 1 Peso per minute. Receiving calls is usually free, except for international calls, and some cross network / inter-city calls - hence buying a SIM card purely to keep in touch with people overseas may not be worth it.

Without a cellphone, there are similar cards with credits for international calls. You get them at so called locutorios, where you can also use the phone booths. You dial a free number to connect to the service, then your secret number for the credits, and then the international phone number you want to call. Using these cards, a one-hour call to Europe will cost about 10 Pesos. Don't call without such cards or even from your hotel - it will be way more expensive.

Post

Correos de Argentina is the national postal service of Argentina. There are also two private carriers operating nationwide (OCA and Andreani) and a number of regional ones though Correos de Argentina will be the one most likely to be used by travellers. Post offices are mostly open between 8:00am and 8:00pm Monday to Friday and 9:00am to 1:00pm on Saturday, though there are regional variantions with longer hours in central post offices in big cities and shorter ones in small towns. Services are pretty reliable but slow, mostly taking about two weeks to deliver a postcard or letter to the USA or Europe, but usually within a few days sending it domestically. There is also a more expensive express options. You can track a package online at the Correos de Argentino website. Parcels take at least 3-5 days domestically and weeks internationally. Otherwise try international companies like FedEx, TNT, DHL or UPS to send parcels. It is probably more reliable as well as faster.

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