8 Must Read Argentina Travel Tips

Of all the countries we’ve visited in South America, I absolutely love Argentina.  It has been my favorite country for the food, the scenery, activities and vibes of the cities we’ve seen.  Our trip has included Mendoza, Bariloche, Buenos Aires, and (in November) Ushuaia.  Please take a deeper look at each destination in our city guides (coming soon).  As beautiful and enchanting as Argentina is, it can also be a little frustrating, so I’ve put together these 8 Argentina travel tips to help you out.

Argentina Travel Tip 1: Bring Cash (USD or Euro)

As a long term traveler, I long ago spent the majority of my USD and am relying on my Charles Schwab Fee Free Checking Account debit card (they reimburse foreign bank ATM Fees!!!) to get cash needed for every day expenses.  When we arrived at our first destination, Mendoza, Argentina, I quickly grabbed a little cash from the ATM at the airport to pay for our taxi to the hostel and get us through the next day until I could find another ATM. I got 2000 ARS (Argentine Pesos), which was the most the machine would give.  It was late at night and we were in a new country with new conversions, so in my mind, I thought I must have taken quite a bit of money out.  Unfortunately, at this time (October 2018) 2000 ARS is only about $54 and is the most you can pull out of an ATM at a time.  On top of that, the ATM Fees are around 350 ARS, or $10.  So not to make this a math heavy segment, but when I needed $300 for our wine tour, I had to complete 6 ATM transactions and pay $60 in ATM fees (Thank goodness for Schwab!!)

The point of my rant is that in Argentina, cash is king, so you’ll need to get your hands on some.  If you are able to safely bring extra Euro or USD with you, or are traveling from a country like Ecuador or Peru where ATMs give USD, bring it along.

There are also services like Azimo, that will allow those of you from the UK, the Eurozone, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Switzerland and Poland to send money to yourself in countries like Argentina and pick it up as cash for a very small fee.  This is sort of like an updated and cheaper version of Western Union.

Argentina Travel Tip 2: Getting a SIM Card

If you have an unlocked cellphone and want to get some pre-paid data in Argentina, you’ll need to get a SIM card.  Unlike basically every other country in South America, Argentina is very regulated about where and how to get a SIM card.  You may find more “unofficial” retailers in Buenos Aires, but be careful that they register your SIM with your Passport, or you might be getting a counterfeit or stolen card.  After being directed to about 5 different stores by well meaning people who had no idea where a SIM card could be found, we eventually stumbled across an actual Movistar store (one of the cellular providers in S. America).

Step 1: Find an official retailer for Claro, Movistar, etc.  They will provide you with a SIM card and register it to you.  You must bring your Passport with you.  At Movistar, the SIM card was free.

Step 2:  Leave the official retailer (huh??)  Yeah, they can set you up with the SIM card, but you have to go to a kiosk or convenience store to re-load the pre-paid balance of your card.  Some Kiosks will show you the data/voice packages and sell it to you, along with registering it to your number.  Others will only register the amount you request and you are responsible for converting that amount of credit into an actual data plan.  If this happens, don’t worry, the rest can be done.

Example of data option with Movistar

Step 3:  Unless the kiosk has registered you for a specific “bolsa”, or data package, you need to use the credit you have purchased to then select a package.  If you can, download the app for service provider and get registered on it, so you can just use the app to apply your credit.  You might even want to register on the app before leaving the dealership store.  (I was able to register on the WOM app in Chile, but not on the Movistar app in Argentina 🙁

If you aren’t able to register on the app, take a look at the website for the cellular provider you chose, and they will list all of the available packages.  For example, with Movistar, I can buy  2GB for 3 days for $60,00 ARS ($1.63).  I would just go to a kiosk, give them my new number and buy 60,00 ARS, paying probably 65,00.  Then I would text “Mandá D3GB” to the number 2345 and I’d have 2 GB of data for the next 3 days (per the image to the left).

I know it sounds confusing. If you need additional help, go back to the dealer where you got the SIM card and they can help you after you have purchased your credit.

Argentina Travel Tip 3: Take a Break

Take a shot at living like a local and turn off your morning alarm.  The average Argentinian gets going around 9am, has dinner at 9 or 10pm and takes a siesta mid-day.  That also means that many of the restaurants, businesses, banks, etc. will be closed for a siesta from around 1 to 4 in the afternoon.  Don’t save any of your super important, must do business for this afternoon time or you might end up disappointed.  Instead, try laying down, or at least sit down somewhere quiet and grab a good book for a couple of hours.

Argentina Travel Tip 4: Eat Meat

Justin at El Asadito

OK, so this isn’t as much of a tip as a culinary commandment.  I do have to say, they have some amazing asado and you’ll find many hotels or hostels will have a bbq night with shared meals starring delicious red meat.  So if you’re not a vegan or vegetarian, indulge in a traditional Argentine asado meal at least once.  In Mendoza, try El Asadito, in Buenos Aires, Parrilla Don Julio, and in Bariloche we had the most delicious steak at El Boliche de Alberto (a little spendy, but worth it).

Argentina Travel Tip 5: Busses Are Reliable

If you’ve been traveling around South America for a while, you might not be sure if you’re supposed to trust the bus systems or not.  In Argentina, you’re generally in for a pleasant surprise.  The busses should run on time, as scheduled, and the long haul busses tend to have good semi-cama or full cama seats.  Pick up the SUBE card to pay for the public buses and subways in Buenos Aires and it will also generally be accepted in other parts of the country.

Argentina Travel Tip 6: Flying

Until recently, you’ve basically had LATAM and Aerolineas Argentinas to choose from.  LATAM is notoriously expensive unless you catch the on a particularly good day, and AA has critics of its own.  Recently the Argentina government got rid of restrictions setting a floor for flight prices.  This has opened the door for new, lower budget airlines to move into the market.  Currently Fly Bondi has about 9 routes, Norwegian Air is set to begin domestic flights this month (10/2018) and JetSmart, a budget airline from Chile, is also getting in on the business.  We took a Fly Bondi flight from Mendoza to Bariloche, saving several hundreds of dollars from LATAM and had no issue.  Of course, new airlines have problems, and with budget lines, you will need to read all of the fine print regarding baggage size limits, choosing seats, etc.  But if you need a flight and don’t see one in your budget on a site like Google flights, try looking at these airlines directly.

Argentina Travel Tip 7: Get to Patagonia

Get to Patagonia!!  I had heard all about how beautiful it is, but the reality is so much more incredible than I had imagined.  Just do yourself a favor and set some time aside to explore the southern region of Argentina.  Another great tip for Patagonia is to rent a car and explore on your own. As with any foreign country, I don’t feel particularly comfortable driving in the larger cities.  But once you are in the countryside, you’ll find its not a problem at all.  Most other drivers are very considerate.  Road signs are easy to follow and the rental company will give you everything you need.  We were stopped in a police checkpoint and all we had to show was the documentation that came with the car (registration), and passport.  I had my international drivers license and gave it to the police officer also, but I don’t even think he glanced at it.

Whether you’re driving, bussing, or taking a ferry around from Chile, just get down and see the amazing beauty that is Patagonia!

Argentina Travel Tip 8: Drink Wine

Even if you aren’t usually a wine drinker, you’re bound to find some wine in Argentina that speaks to you.  They’re famous for the Malbec grown in the wine regions around Mendoza, as well as many other reds.  The white wine

famous to Argentina is the Torrontés.  Its an aromatic, fruity, grape with limited acidity that is delicious on its own, but also blends incredibly well with a good Chardonay.  If you make it to Mendoza, get out for a tour of some of the local Bodegas.  Valle de Uco is the most picturesque and also the newest wine region in the area. Luján de Cuyo is the older of the high altitude regions (producing very flavorful grapes), and Maipú, slightly lower in altitude, is often the region chosen for impromptu bicycle tours (you still should make reservations at the Bodegas just in case they are full, busy, or closed for siesta).  Check out our guide to Mendoza here.

I hope Argentina treats you as well as she has treated us.  Share with us your favorite spots and memorable experiences!  ¡Buen Viaje!

If you enjoyed our tips on Argentina, check out this post about 7 Things You Must Do In Bolivia, and also my Practical Packing Guide for South America: The Female List (Men,  yours is coming soon!)