Argentina Travel Blog

Argentina health officials are taking steps to contain a dengue epidemic, with 5000 cases and 4 fatalities to date.  Some unofficial reports state that the number of cases may be as high as 11,000.  

What is dengue fever?

The CDC (Center for Disease Control) states that dengue fever is caused by a virus spread by mosquitoes, and not by human contact.  Dengue symptoms can include fever, headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle and joint pain and rash.  The disease is usually mild but can get more severe and in rare cases develop into dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF), which can be fatal if not treated quickly.  There are currently no vaccines available or a specific cure for the disease.   People who have had dengue fever previously are more susceptible to DHF.  Dengue fever patients are treated with fever reducers, such as acetaminophen, and with oral rehydration or intravenous fluids.  In severe cases, treatment is given to support patient blood pressure. 

Is it safe to travel to Argentina?

At the moment, the CDC does not consider the epidemic as serious enough to issue a precaution or travel warning (i.e. they do not recommend postponing travel).  They do advise that there is an outbreak and offer advice on preventive measures (see below).  Before you plan your travel, get the latest news from the CDC Travel Notices site. 

The disease is currently concentrated in the northern provinces of Chaco, Salta, Catamarca and Jujuy.  There are about cases in Buenos Aires, although it is unclear how many of the patients in question were infected while traveling outside the province and were later diagnosed in Buenos Aires.

Federal and provincial governments are beginning to take the dengue issue more seriously and are embarking on campaigns to reduce the virus bearing mosquito population.   

Prevention Measures for Travelers

The CDC advices the following for maximum safety:

“Travelers can reduce their risk of getting dengue fever by protecting themselves from mosquito bites. The mosquitoes that spread dengue usually bite at dusk and dawn but may bite at any time during the day, especially indoors, in shady areas, or when the weather is cloudy. Unlike malaria, dengue is often spread in cities as well as in rural areas.

Travelers should follow the steps below to protect themselves from mosquito bites:

·             Where possible, stay in hotels or resorts that are well screened or air conditioned and that take measures to reduce the mosquito population. If the hotel is not well screened, sleep under bed nets to prevent mosquito bites.

·             When outdoors or in a building that is not well screened, use insect repellent on uncovered skin. Always apply sunscreen before insect repellent.

Look for a repellent that contains one of the following active ingredients: DEET, picaridin (KBR 3023), Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus/PMD, or IR3535.

Always follow the instructions on the label when you use the repellent. In general, repellents protect longer against mosquito bites when they have a higher concentration (percentage) of any of these active ingredients. However, concentrations above 50% do not offer a marked increase in protection time. Products with less than 10% of an active ingredient may offer only limited protection, often no longer than 1-2 hours.

The American Academy of Pediatrics approves of the use of repellents with up to 30% DEET on children over 2 months old. Protect babies less than 2 months old by using a carrier draped with mosquito netting with an elastic edge for a tight fit.

For more information about the use of repellent on infants and children, please see the “Insect and Other Arthropod Protection” section in Traveling Safely with Infants and Children and the “Children” section of CDC’s Frequently Asked Questions about Repellent Use.

For more information on the use of insect repellents, visit Insect and Arthropod Protection in the CDC Health Information for International Travel 2008.

·             Wear loose, long-sleeved shirts and long pants when outdoors. Clothing may also be sprayed with repellent containing permethrin or another EPA-registered repellent for greater protection. (Remember: don't use permethrin on skin.)”

Although the name of Argentina's capital, Buenos Aires (Good Airs) would imply that it belongs on Travel + Leisure's top 10 list, Patagonia deserves the honor.  Visitors confirm that the air is clear and feels purer as you breathe it in.  And at night the lack of smog and light pollution brings out every little star. 

The Global Traveller has a great summary of airlines going to Argentina and tips for traveling and transportation inside the country.   To find out how to get to other countries, check out the convenient index. 

This volcano is located in Chile, on the border with Argentina in Patagonia (see the map below with volcano, not to scale and enhanced for dramatic effect). The volcano erupted last May and although there was no loss of human life, the town of Chaitén was completely covered in ash and residents were evacuated. 

 

The volcano has once again increased its activity, recently spewing a 6 mile column of ash and causing earthquakes.  The Volcanism Blog is posting ongoing reports and photos.  El Cordillerano, a newspaper based in Bariloche, also has up to date reports (Spanish only).

The town of Chaitén has been evacuated, although there are some inhabitants who are refusing to leave.  Other communities are not in direct danger, although the dust and ash is currently affecting towns 60 miles away.  Governmental organizations are distributing drinking water, eye wash and headscarves to disrupted areas.

The volcano could have more far-reaching effects as continued ash eruption and wind patterns could spread dust all the way to Buenos Aires.  This dust activity was mild in the city last year and did not stick around very long.  The most important consequence for visitors to Argentina is the possible disruption of air traffic for domestic flights if the dust clouds spread and encompass flight paths.  Check progress with your travel agent or airline and have a back up plan (options: bus or car rental) in case your flight is cancelled.  

Photo from El Cordillerano

Reference map

The best way for visitors to get around the city is by taxi.  They are inexpensive, ubiquitous, available at all hours and will get you to your destination quickly.  The taxis are unmistakable in their black-and-yellow.  They are generally safe, but it’s best to stick with taxis that have their company name and phone number printed on them on the passenger door (I've indicated this with a red circle in the photo below).  This indicates that they are properly licensed.

 

Cabbies, like many porteños (inhabitants of Buenos Aires), can be aggressive drivers.  If you feel like your driver is trying out for a spot on the Formula One circuit, say “un poco mas despacio (des-PAH-see-oh), por favor.” - a bit slower, please.  The drivers are usually friendly and often chatty if you engage them in conversation. 

 

Fares are regulated by the municipality, and start at a little over US$1 ($3.80 in pesos).  For most destinations in the center of the city, you would pay less than US$10.  Tip your driver a couple of pesos if he/she is helping you with bags and luggage.  Other than that, just round up the fare to the next peso or two.  Make sure you have change (“cambio”) before you get in the cab, because invariably your cabbie will not have any.

 

Remises – a town car and driver – are also readily available for rides to airports or other situations where you may need more room and/or comfort for passengers and luggage.  My uncle passed along this list of licensed remises and taxis (gracias, Daniel!) and direct links to a few cab companies:

• Radio Taxi Pidalo
• Radio Taxi Tiempo
• Taxi Premium

You also have the option of hiring a cab by the hour, for a minimum of two hours, at a rate of about US$11 ($37 pesos) an hour.  

From Ezeiza

A remis ride from the international airport (Ezeiza) to the center will run about US$40 ($141 in pesos).  You can hire a remis at the airport or make a reservation ahead of time.

A well known transportation company, Manuel Tienda León lets you make reservations on line.  

A cab ride will cost about US$25 ($86 pesos).   Taxi and remis stands are located at various points in Ezeiza (click here). There are also shuttle buses available.  To make sure you don’t get ripped off, NEVER take a ride from a cabbie who approaches you as you leave the customs area.  Go to one of the stands to ensure service from a licensed driver.

Kayak periodically sends me some unbelievable travel deals.  This week, they highlighted an 8 day trip to Rio, Iguazu and Buenos Aires for $1499.   This includes airfare from JFK (other departure cities also available), connections and hotel.  This package is just one of the many offered  by Latin Destinations.  Their web site is very well designed and easy to navigate.  Customizing your trip and viewing alternatives is a cinch - just click on Design Your Own Trip. 

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Hats off to the Today Show team for a wonderful segment on Argentina. Matt Lauer and crew delivered a well-researched, accurate, and entertaining episode.  This was filmed last April - the beginning of fall in Argentina.  I can't think of a better quick course on visiting Argentina.  

 

Matt really seemed to enjoy his time in Patagonia, too.    Nice poncho, Matt!  Did you know that the colors and patterns of the poncho indicate region and history, just like Scottish tartans?  That's a subject for a subsequent post....