Iguazú Falls

Currency

Argentina has had multiple exchange rates and long stretches where cash dollars beat cards substantially. Check what the current situation is before travelling, because it changes with the government. The Brazilian side is priced in reais and is a separate country for money purposes.

ATMs & cards

Banco Nación and Santander in Puerto Iguazú. Argentine machines cap withdrawals low and charge a large fixed fee, so cash brought in has often been better value. Take reais if you plan to cross to the Brazilian side.

Argentina has had multiple exchange rates and long stretches where cash beat cards substantially. Check the current situation before travelling, and take reais if you plan to cross to the Brazilian side.

Wherever you are: if the machine offers to charge you in your home currency, decline. That is dynamic currency conversion and the rate is set by the ATM's operator, not your bank.

Safety

The town and both parks are safe and well organised. The genuine risks are the sun, which is fierce on the exposed walkways, and the coatis, which look tame, are not, and will bite for a sandwich — do not feed them and keep food in your bag. Do not swim anywhere near the falls.

Our own assessment, not a sourced index.

Entry & visa

Health & emergencies

Required to enter

No vaccinations are required for entry from Europe or North America.

Worth having

• Hepatitis A
• Typhoid
• Tetanus up to date

Getting treated

Public hospitals treat everyone free of charge, foreigners included, and the standard in Buenos Aires is decent. Private clinics are fast and inexpensive by European standards. Pharmacies are well stocked and pharmacists give real advice.

Orientation, not medical advice. Entry rules change and what you need depends on your own history and where you have been — check with a travel clinic or your national health service four to six weeks before you go.

Food tip

Argentine beef and empanadas in Puerto Iguazú, at a fraction of Buenos Aires prices. Inside the park you are limited to a few overpriced cafés, so take water and something to eat.

Getting around

• Bus from Puerto Iguazú — frequent, cheap, 30 min to the Argentine park gate
• Park train — narrow-gauge from the entrance to the Devil’s Throat walkway
• Cross-border bus — to Foz do Iguaçu for the Brazilian side; you need the right visa for both
• Taxi or remis — worth it if you want both sides in one day, which is tight but possible
• Airport: Cataratas del Iguazú (IGR) is 20 min from the park

Must-see

Things to do

• Walk to the Devil’s Throat first thing, before the crowds and the heat
• Do the lower circuit for the closest views
• Cross to Brazil for the wide panorama, which is the better photograph
• Take the boat under the falls and accept that you will be soaked
• Walk the Macuco trail for wildlife away from the walkways

Nearby day trips

Say a few words

Spanish (Latin American)

• HelloHolaOH-la
• PleasePor favorpor fa-VOR
• Thank youGraciasGRA-syas
• Yes / NoSí / Nosee / no
• Excuse meDisculpedees-KOOL-peh
• How much is it?¿Cuánto cuesta?KWAN-to KWES-ta
• The bill, pleaseLa cuenta, por favorla KWEN-ta
• Cheers!¡Salud!sa-LOOD

The c and z are said as an s here, not the Spanish "th" — gracias is GRA-syas.

Religion

Catholic

Catholic by tradition and increasingly secular in practice. Pope Francis was Argentine, which is still a source of national pride.

Do's and don'ts

Do

• Greet with a single kiss on the right cheek, including between men
• Eat dinner at 21:30 or later; anything earlier marks you out
• Accept mate if it is passed to you, and pass it back without saying gracias unless you have finished
• Expect to be interrupted in conversation; it signals engagement rather than rudeness

Don't

• Do not stir the mate straw or wipe it — both are minor insults to the person who prepared it
• Do not bring up the Falklands, or use that name for them
• Do not confuse Argentine Spanish with the Spanish of Spain; the pronoun and pronunciation differ
• Do not ask for your steak well done without accepting the disappointment you will cause