F.A.Q./Visitors
• What’s Argentina like ?
Believe it or not we get this question a lot – often preceded by the statement, “Argentina! I love tango!” In truth, it’s difficult to describe in a few words what it’s like in the eighth largest country in the world, a huge swath of land with diverse geography and culture throughout.
One thing that needs to be said: it ain’t only about the tango. Sure tango has its rightful place in the culture but so does downright messy politics, rock national (rock and roll in Spanish) the gaucho lifestyle of the Pampas, soccer, the wine industry, mate, literature, film, and speaking of dancing — how about folk dancing from the northern regions?
Argentina is…a beautiful, passionate country, describing it succinctly is a difficult task (it’s also very subjective) but the beauty of that is, you’ll just have to come and check it out for yourself.
• Do I need a visa?
As of the end of 2009, Argentina is charging a ‘retribution’ or ‘reciprocity’ fee for a 90-day entrance stamp for American, Canadian and Australian citizens (US-$131, $70, $100 respectively, with Canadians given just a single entry). This cost is the same charged to Argentines for a visa to those countries. The fee can be paid with cash or credit card at the airport, and is only charged to those arriving at the international airport. If you want to avoid the entrance fee, the only way to do so is travel old-school and come in via land or boat.
Those from Europe, New Zealand or South Africa are not required to pay the entrance fee. Those from other countries can check on the immigrations website to see if you need a visa.
If you want to extend your tourist visa after your three months are up, you can go to the migrations office and get a one-time 90-day extension for $300 pesos. Another, slightly less expensive and more pleasurable option, is to hop over to Uruguay for a day and get a new stamp for another 90-day visa.
• How do I get to downtown from the airport?
This depends on your budget. If you have plenty of time but little baggage (and money) you can take the number 86 bus right to downtown. Just walk out of the airport and 200 yards down the road leading out of the airport and you will see the bus stop. If not, just ask someone. Make sure you have three pesos in coins because buses don’t accept bills. This option isn’t recommended if you have much more than a backpack. The second most economical option is to take Manual Tienda León, which can drop you off at their office in Retiro or take you door to door for a minimum of $AR45 (US$12). You can call ahead or just go to their stand which is right outside the exit area of the airport.
A third option is a taxi or a private car service known as a ‘remis’. You can prepay for one inside the airport, although the price may be higher than one that is privately pre-arranged. Don’t bother to book one through the above-mentioned Manual Tienda León, they charge twice the normal cost. Standard taxis that wait outside the airport have an overblown reputation for ripping off customers or being involved in crime schemes but you can usually find a better deal haggling and most of the time you will be fine (at least, we haven’t heard of any reports of problems lately). A cab to downtown should cost somewhere around AR$85. Just make sure you chose a black and yellow taxi that has a sticker on the front windshield and two back doors — this means it’s legit, and you should try to do this throughout your stay.
Manuel Tienda León
Tel: (54-11) 4315-5515
0-810-888-5366
• Can I rent a car?
-Yes you can rent a car in Argentina with any foreign driver’s license and your passport. International companies like Avis or Hertz tend to be a little more expensive but they may have English-speaking staff and standard procedures in place that will be familiar. Some local companies are cheaper but be careful to be very clear about the terms of the agreement and check over the car for even minor damage before you drive off, just in case someone tries to figure out a way to keep some of your deposit.
A word to the wise: avoid booking rentals through the international websites — we just did some investigation and found that the prices quoted online were higher than the prices quoted through the local office, although your, uh, mileage may vary. Renting at airports could be considerably more expensive as well, so if you are on a budget it pays to shop around.
• Do I need to speak Spanish?
- This tends to be subjective, but it’s safe to say that if you speak a little Spanish you will probably enjoy your stay in Argentina more and even save money. Overall, not that many Argentines as you may think speak conversational English, so if you don’t speak Spanish you may only befriend locals of a certain sector of society or other foreigners. Also rental and tour agencies that have English-speaking staff tend to charge more, in fact sometimes it seems there is a whole other economy for English-only tourists. Vendors tend to be patient and appreciative of those who make an effort to speak Spanish — if you can haggle in Spanish you will definitely save money, because it’s well-known that foreigners often get overcharged for goods, especially in tourist areas.
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