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DustingDuvet posted:I paid $650 r/t from Bogota to Buenos Aires last year...and don't forget there is a tourist visa fee now They finally implemented that? I didn't think they were actually going to.
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Mar 3, 2010 03:58
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I entered Argentina twice after the deadline for when that law had passed. The first time was 4 days after it was supposed to go into effect (Lima->BA direct flight december 24thish 2009), the second time was almost a month later (Montevideo->BA direct ferry, not through Colonia Jan 8th 2010). I paid no money either time to enter the country.
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Mar 3, 2010 07:32
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Hadlock posted:I entered Argentina twice after the deadline for when that law had passed. The first time was 4 days after it was supposed to go into effect (Lima->BA direct flight december 24thish 2009), the second time was almost a month later (Montevideo->BA direct ferry, not through Colonia Jan 8th 2010). I paid no money either time to enter the country. It only applies to visitors flying into Argentina and just EZE I think. Not by bus or ferry. It supposedly started in 2010. The fee is good for 10 years and is not dependent on the expiration date of your passport.
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Mar 3, 2010 21:42
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Chile has the fee now too ($131 USD for US Citizen). Just paid it two weeks ago when I got here Not that this is really a great place to go on vacation right now...just FYI. It'll be fine in a couple months though.
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Mar 5, 2010 03:54
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Absolute Zero posted:Chile has the fee now too ($131 USD for US Citizen). Just paid it two weeks ago when I got here I'm planning on flying to South America from New Zealand around the end of April, and I'll have to fly in to Santiago, Chile as my first stop. How much time would you guys recommend allowing for Chile given the recent earthquake? Is it the sort of thing where I'll be best to just move on to the next country ASAP, or is it worth spending a few days - a week (or longer) in Chile. Obviously it's impossible to predict how quickly they'll recover, but a rough idea would be useful. Planning on spending 4-5 months or so going around South America total, so time isn't really a huge issue.. May post asking for advice on different countries as well once I get a better idea of where I'm going! Cheers
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Mar 5, 2010 04:42
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Absolute Zero posted:Chile has the fee now too ($131 USD for US Citizen). Just paid it two weeks ago when I got here It's been like that for years. You also only have to pay if you enter the country by air (ie - if you come to Chile from Mendoza or wherever on a bus you don't have to pay). Too Fresh posted:How much time would you guys recommend allowing for Chile given the recent earthquake? Is it the sort of thing where I'll be best to just move on to the next country ASAP, or is it worth spending a few days - a week (or longer) in Chile. Obviously it's impossible to predict how quickly they'll recover, but a rough idea would be useful. Planning on spending 4-5 months or so going around South America total, so time isn't really a huge issue.. May post asking for advice on different countries as well once I get a better idea of where I'm going! As I understand it, you'll be fine in Chile if you stick to Santiago/the Northern part (obviously you shouldn't go to Concepción) but I could be wrong as I'm not currently there. Total Confusion fucked around with this message at 02:36 on Mar 8, 2010 |
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Mar 5, 2010 16:40
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MC Scrillz posted:As I understand it, you'll be fine in Chile if you stick to Santiago/the Northern part (obviously you shouldn't go to Concepción) but I could be wrong as I'm not currently there. I've been in Argentina for the last month, and all the reports I've heard from people who have been in Chile pretty much agree with that. I think there are still issues in Santiago right now with scarcity of some stuff (food, petrol, etc), but things are pretty much back to normal. Going further North is fine. Going further south isn't. That's all second hand info, although I am fairly close.
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Mar 7, 2010 13:47
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So, I'm going to Argentina (Buenos Aires) in June, I guess it's probably the worst season but it's still loving Argentina am I right? I'll be staying 12 days, so I don't really know what to propose in order to pay back the hospitaly I'm receiving. Buenos Aires is supposed to be dirt cheap, therefore I'd be more inclined to pay a weekend somewhere my hosts haven't been yet (they're foreign students). A boat trip around Montevideo? Or visiting Patagonia in winter, but it's a stupid idea, isn't it? A couple of days in Santiago? Porto Alegre for the sake of seeing some Brazil and getting our passports stamped? I want to be nice 
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Mar 7, 2010 23:42
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Datajack Franit posted:So, I'm going to Argentina (Buenos Aires) in June, I guess it's probably the worst season but it's still loving Argentina am I right? I would personally feel really uncomfortable if my guest wanted to take me on a big vacation like you are suggesting. A nice thing to do would be to take them out to a nice restaurant in Buenos Aires instead. I would personally recommend Cabana Las Lilas which is really nice and about 90 pesos/meal. There are so many great restaurants though. It's going to be freezing in Buenos Aires around that time so bring a winter coat. Really cold. You need a visa for Brazil so throw out that idea.
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Mar 8, 2010 00:02
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Going to another country no matter what season > staying at home and playing xbox for 12 days straight, so you've got a point There's a lot of places in the northern hemisphere that speak spanish and will have days longer than 8hrs. Buenos Aires is like, 65-75 degrees in the summer (with heat waves reaching the 90s), but it's not as tropical as you'd like to think. Think Dallas, Texas type winter weather (30-50 degrees). Bring a coat. I would imagine Patagonia that time of year is like going to Alaska or the Canadian Yukon in January. Colombia on the other hand is on the equator, cheap as hell and it's always summer there 
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Mar 8, 2010 02:29
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Datajack Franit posted:
DustingDuvet posted:A nice thing to do would be to take them out to a nice restaurant in Buenos Aires instead. This. Also, do you realize how much it would cost to go all of these places? If you wanted to take three people on a trip to anywhere you've listed, you might as well just pay for a nice hotel in BsAs and spend less money/not worry about having to be nice. Total Confusion fucked around with this message at 02:38 on Mar 8, 2010 |
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Mar 8, 2010 02:36
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about BsAs and hospitality
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MC Scrillz posted:This. Just to give you a brief idea: Hostel in BA/night, with breakfast: 50 pesos Really nice meal out with wine: 100 pesos/person Return overnight bus/ferry from BA -> Montevideo: 300 pesos/person + whatever you wanted to do there + food + everything else Montevideo was the cheapest thing you suggested. A bus to Patagonia (which will be freezing) will be around 600 pesos return and a 20 hours journey each way (to Bariloche, one of the closest big Patagonian towns). So yeah, with just your return bus to Patagonia, you could spend 12 nights in a hostel. South America is cheaper than home, but BA is the capital of one of the more expensive countries, so it's not dirt cheap. Seconding 'take them out for a meal', or stay in a hostel and don't feel like you're imposing?
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Mar 8, 2010 02:51
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Too Fresh posted:May post asking for advice on different countries as well once I get a better idea of where I'm going! (having a look at things to do in each country/cost of living etc - spending less time in Brazil/Argentina as they are more expensive..) Chile 14 days Bolivia 21 days Brazil 14 days Colombia 30 days Ecuador 30 days Peru 21 days Argentina 14 days And then on the way home... USA 30 days Europe 30 days SE Asia 30 days Any suggestions or changes? By my maths that is about 230 days, or just under 8 months. I have got up to 9 months to spend away, so any recommendations on where to spend that extra month or so! Much appreciated guys.
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Mar 8, 2010 06:53
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Too Fresh posted:Alright, I'm not 100% sure on how much time to spend in each country, but I'm thinking of the following: I agree its good to have a rough idea of what you want to do in each country. But since you do not have to be anywhere (except when you get to the USA?) then move on to a new city/country when you are ready. If you are enjoying a certain place stay longer and if you don't like a place leave. In many countries you can show up at the bus station the exact moment you want to leave and find a bus within an hour. Or you buy a plane ticket a few days in advance. For example, I really disliked Bolivia but others love it. You may love, like, dislike, or hate any country so don't worry about setting a strict itinerary because as soon as you get accustomed to traveling you will find it very easy to know when you are ready to move on.
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Mar 8, 2010 07:04
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Hoping to hang out with some goons in South America this summer as I'm heading to Peru like always. I'll be back in Lima from the 26th to 30th of May and then in the Peruvian Amazon until August 17th. If anyone is going to be in the region, send me a PM and we'll grab some beers.
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Mar 8, 2010 17:20
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DustingDuvet posted:I agree its good to have a rough idea of what you want to do in each country. But since you do not have to be anywhere (except when you get to the USA?) then move on to a new city/country when you are ready. If you are enjoying a certain place stay longer and if you don't like a place leave. In many countries you can show up at the bus station the exact moment you want to leave and find a bus within an hour. Or you buy a plane ticket a few days in advance. Another question (apologies, my first big trip away by myself and just trying to figure everything out!): Sleep sacks/sleeping bag liners/sewn up sheets etc - necessary/useful at Hostels in South America/rest of the world? I've seen conflicting information, some websites swear that every hostel will require you to have your own or they will kick you out and ban you for life, others say that you are a moron if you pay for one as hostels will give you sheets for free. Any thoughts on this topic? Would these potentially be useful while travelling anyway etc? buy them home or while you are away?
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Mar 9, 2010 04:58
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Too Fresh posted:Alright, I'm not 100% sure on how much time to spend in each country, but I'm thinking of the following: I'd probably do this totally reverse, spending 20-30 days in places like Argentina and Brazil (was going to say Chile, but unless you want to do Arica to Punta Arenas, two weeks should be enough), but I suppose it depends on what you want to see and you're right, they're going to be more expensive than Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru. Then again I haven't gone to Colombia/Ecuador/Northern Peru, but they're supposed to be nice as well, so it might just be a personal taste thing. DD's advice is pretty good on how to figure it out. Too Fresh posted:Another question (apologies, my first big trip away by myself and just trying to figure everything out!): Sleep sacks/sleeping bag liners/sewn up sheets etc - necessary/useful at Hostels in South America/rest of the world? I've seen conflicting information, some websites swear that every hostel will require you to have your own or they will kick you out and ban you for life, others say that you are a moron if you pay for one as hostels will give you sheets for free. Any thoughts on this topic? Would these potentially be useful while travelling anyway etc? buy them home or while you are away? In all my travels in South America and Europe, I've never once stayed at a hostel that didn't provide me with sheets. Usually, at the very worst, they charge you a nominal fee ($1-4 to rent sheets and/or a towel). I guess I've either been lucky or just haven't ever stayed at a really cheap hostel. I would say don't worry about them, they'll just take up space in your pack and if you ever find a hostel that makes you have your own, I'd imagine there is another hostel/hotel (in S. America you can get a hotel in some places for about the same price as a hostel, though go the hostel route if you're traveling solo if only to meet people) a block or two away that has them for free. Total Confusion fucked around with this message at 06:08 on Mar 9, 2010 |
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Mar 9, 2010 06:00
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My sleep sack wasted a huge chunk of my pack space. I plan on leaving mine at home next time. Better use of that space: 4 spare pair of underwear, 8 pair socks, 20 cigars, or a bottle of rum... options are limitless. I'm sure sleep sacks met a market need 10 years ago, but nowadays they just exist to ease the minds of new travelers. I paid for sheets in Florinopolis, Brazil, and Rosario, Argentina; each time I paid about 1USD for the sheets.
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Mar 9, 2010 08:41
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Alright, no sleep sack then Thanks! I feel kinda bad about cluttering up this thread with questions, but oh well, helps keep it active. Is it worth getting a guidebook, and if so, what would you recommend? I'm thinking that it would be helpful to have one, yes I know you can probably get more up to date information on the internet, but that is slightly less practical than a physical book, plus given that it is my first big solo adventure it is probably more useful, especially considering my level of Spanish.. I'm tossing up between Lonely Planet South America on a Shoestring (coming out ~12 Mar 2010) and Footprint South American Handbook. Any thoughts?
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Mar 9, 2010 09:46
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Guidebooks are great IMO, I did Colombia-Peru-Argentina-Brazil-Uruguay using the S.America Shoestring book (2007 edition?). I did use the internet quite a bit for booking hostels while on the road, but when you arrive late at night in a new town, it's great to just circle a hostel in your book and ask the driver to take you there. Having a list of all the major things to do in a town makes it easy to plan your day, and it's the same info you'd find on the internet after waiting 10 minutes for your turn on the computer at the hostel. My Shoestring guide was printed in 2007, but all the tourist attractions were still there, and all the hostels listed were still in the same location  My experience was that 99% of everybody's information comes out of their guidebook while on the road, and internet access is going to be spotty to find for the first few days in a new town. Guidebooks are also great for on the fly itinerary changes. I was going to go to ilha grande in Brazil, but the morning I was going to leave for there they had a mudslide that took out basically the entire island's economy and ended up going to Florinopolis instead based on my guidebook's recommendation. I left my guidebook on a ticket counter in Uruguay and was heartbroken to lose it. I had a bunch of notes, people's email addresses I'd picked up along the way and it was probably my most cherished memento after three weeks on the road. Hadlock fucked around with this message at 16:58 on Mar 9, 2010 |
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Mar 9, 2010 16:53
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If you are pushed for weight then a good tip for guidebooks is to hack out the parts you don't need (i.e. not travelling to Venezuela? Cut it out) and then tear out places after you've been through and no longer need the info. I usually carry a tiny craft knife to make this easier. If you think about it you're probably not going to use the guidebook again, and if you were going to go back to South America then you'd probably want the new edition. (Note: I went to Central America in Feb 2009 with a new Footprint that had been released in...Feb 2009 and the info was already out of date, particularly hotel prices). This way you are not lugging about a brick of a book with a load of useless information. Also, never buy your guidebooks in a bookshop, Amazon usually has them for around half the RRP price. Too Fresh - I think 30 days in Ecuador might be a little too long. I think you might struggle to fill that time, unless you're planning on going to the Galapagos and hanging around in an attempt to get on a last minute cruise. If you're looking for ideas of things to see in Ecuador/Peru then give me a shout.
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Mar 9, 2010 21:42
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Hadlock posted:
Heh, I read this post and had to go find my old lonely planet and found so many scribbles, pictures, notes, old tickets etc in there that brought back so many good memories. I'd recommend the South America on a Shoestring one as opposed to the rough guide or whatever the other company is, it's really good, the only downside is that they're loving massive. Like, actually colossal. If you're taking a backpack instead of a bigger hiking pack or whatever it'll end up being the biggest thing in your luggage which can be pretty lovely, me and my friend took turns carrying the thing. The prices in there are usually a pretty close estimate but not exact, it's also a good idea to cross-check their recommended places to stay on hostelworld as well if you have the time, I ended up stayed in a few pretty lovely/downright weird guesthouses that my book said were 'vibrant' and had a 'great party atmosphere' etc
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Mar 9, 2010 22:40
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Sweet, gonna order that lonely planet guidebook from amazon (it is a lot cheaper than buying it retail/direct from LP) and pray that it gets here before I leave. I've booked some tickets! Yay. Although these aren't final, but they do set up a pretty good structure for my trip. Apparently it is going to be way too difficult to get into/out of SE Asia around the Jan-Feb time of year on the cheap RTW rates, so I'll just give it a miss (doesn't really appeall that much anyway!) So I've got Auckland to Santiago, Chile on the 26th April Then, I've booked New York to London for November 29 And then I have London to Singapore to Sydney to Auckland on January 10. My plan is to get a ticket from (somewhere in South America) to Los Angeles for about the end of October, giving me a month in the States. You guys are so right, I probably won't book anything in advance for South America, and just buy local flights/buses to get between the countries depending on how my mood goes! Only issue will be dealing with the onward travel out of the country issue, but I'm sure I can figure it out (with the fake itinery or travelling by land etc :/) The only thing I was thinking about was booking a tour around Peru for near the start of my trip that takes in Machu Piccu etc (yes it will be more expensive) but it might be a good introduction and makes sure I don't miss out on this :/
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Mar 10, 2010 02:17
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Costa Rica. We want to do some eco stuff and do a fair bit of traveling about the country for 10 days. My wife will bring 30 pounds of shoes in a single luggage, several appliances, enough clothes for three months, and 20 pounds of makeup/hair/bath products. I will bring a single backpack. Do the buses travel well? Will we have a hard time with five pieces of luggage? standardtoaster fucked around with this message at 17:36 on Mar 10, 2010 |
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Mar 10, 2010 17:34
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Has anyone ever done the Choquequirao trek? Since Machu Picchu is out of commission I think I'm going to do that instead while I'm in Peru next week.
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Mar 11, 2010 00:11
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heyniceperro posted:Has anyone ever done the Choquequirao trek? Since Machu Picchu is out of commission I think I'm going to do that instead while I'm in Peru next week. I have not but this link gives some pretty good information about what you will want to know. http://wikitravel.org/en/Choquequirao
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Mar 12, 2010 00:12
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standardtoaster posted:Costa Rica. My girlfriend isn't nearly as bad as your wife -- she's limiting herself to a carry-on -- but she's still bringing a rolling suitcase instead of a backpack. I've tried to warn her but I guess she'll learn her lesson when she tries to wheel her way through the muddy wet season down there.
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Mar 12, 2010 01:27
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Too Fresh posted:<- That username @hotmail.com
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Mar 13, 2010 12:18
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10-8 posted:Have you started planning your itinerary yet? I'm also doing 10-11 days in CR in May/June and am trying to figure out everything that's worth doing in the time I have. Go here: http://www.pacuarelodge.com/ It's not particularly cheap but 100% worth a few days.
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Mar 13, 2010 16:25
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10-8 posted:Have you started planning your itinerary yet? I'm also doing 10-11 days in CR in May/June and am trying to figure out everything that's worth doing in the time I have. We'll be staying around the Arenal volcano area for the first half of the trip, then spend the second half around the beach, haven't decided what beach yet. Pretty much every tourist hotel anywhere you go offers packages so we're prioritizing what we want to do: Jungle hike/canopy tour Horseback riding Hot springs Waterfall rappelling Beach Get the Frommer's guide, it's really helpful. We're starting our first few nights at this B&B. Then, we're moving into a more resorty area. standardtoaster fucked around with this message at 17:21 on Mar 18, 2010 |
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Mar 18, 2010 17:17
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Planning 10 days in Peru in May, 5 days in Lima, 5 days in Iquitos. Plans so far as follows: Lima: Plaza de Armas for general touristy stuff + some of the museums Islas Palomino to see the sea lions + maybe some time near the beaches Rent a bike/motorcycle for a day or two to do a bit more exploring (mainly south of the city, I hear the scenery is beautiful I'll probably go out in Barranco/Miraflores for some nightlife and such at least a few nights Iquitos: I'd like to do a 2-3 day adventure in the amazon, either on a boat or boat + hike, but I can't find much info online (except for overpriced tours aimed at old Europeans that look mind-numbingly boring). The floating market sounds pretty cool too, so I'll probably stop there at some point. Maybe renting a bike here, but everything I've seen says to go into the wild on the river, which seems logical to me. I hear the nightlife is pretty good here too, so I may go out some. I'm planning on staying in hostels/cheapish hotels, but I can spend a decent amount on things that look interesting. Any recommendations/things I have to do?
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Mar 20, 2010 09:38
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KaiserBen posted:5 days in Lima 5 days is a lot of time for Lima. You should be ok if you're planning things to do around the city though.
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Mar 20, 2010 10:19
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Got back from Peru yesterday. Choquequirao was really tough, but worth it. I'm still hurting from all the walking.
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Mar 21, 2010 16:33
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My boyfriend and I are planning on taking a trip to central/south America next year once our lease is up. We want to stay at least six months, perhaps even a year. How safe/practical would it be to drive our own car the whole way? We live in BC so we'd drive down the west coast. We'll likely spend a lot of time in Honduras because my boyfriend has lots of family there. We're not sure what the rest of the itinerary will be, but we want to visit Buenos Aires and Santiago so we'll be going pretty far south. Is it possible to make the entire journey on road with relative ease? We drive a new Hyundai Elantra, not exactly a Land Rover or anything, and we want to avoid windy mountain death roads if at all possible. And should I fear our car getting stolen or broken into? I just want to get a general feel for whether or not this would be a good idea.
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Mar 23, 2010 04:25
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Ana Lucia Cortez posted:My boyfriend and I are planning on taking a trip to central/south America next year once our lease is up. We want to stay at least six months, perhaps even a year. How safe/practical would it be to drive our own car the whole way? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dari%C3%A9n_Gap Also, I'm terrified enough being in a car or bus driven by someone who knows what they're doing in South America, no way in hell would I want to drive there myself.
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Mar 23, 2010 05:42
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kalicki posted:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dari%C3%A9n_Gap Well drat, that's incredibly inconvenient. I read a blog about a guy driving through South America with a Land Rover. I guess I understand his choice of vehicle now.
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Mar 23, 2010 06:43
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Apparently there's a ferry between Panama and Colombia. The last time I researched it they recommended flying from Panama City to the city the ferry was in. That post was dated 2007 or so. No guarantees if the ferry is still in service.
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Mar 23, 2010 07:26
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I met a Polish guy in Baranquilla at Carnival who had driven from Mexico and was shipping his car from Panama to Colombia, it cost about $1000 and took 3 days. He was just driving some Chevy sedan You can't drive. Part of me thinks you'd be better off buying a cheap car in Mexico with non USA plates but maybe you don't need to do that. Adnar fucked around with this message at 20:22 on Mar 27, 2010 |
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Mar 27, 2010 20:18
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~bump from March, what's up SA SA crew?~ Flying to Santiago next week, getting pretty excited Quick question: What's the deal with power sockets? I've had a look at wikipedia/other internet sites and it seems to suggest that there are about 3/4 different types used around South America in different countries and each country has multiple types etc. wHat's the best way to handle recharging my digital camera and ipod? Should I purchase some power adapters in NZ? Will it be better to buy them when I get to SA? At the moment I just have a USB cable for my ipod, should I get a separate power charger so that I can recharge it off power points? Thanks guys!
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Apr 19, 2010 02:44
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buy one of those international units if it's a big worry which is universal to universal they're only about $40, otherwise just buy a new adaptor in each country off the street for $2. Just moved to Uruguay for the next month. Montevideo is cold a quiet, perfect for studying.
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Apr 19, 2010 02:52
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