Traveling to Argentina: What to Know Before You Go
When traveling abroad it is always important to check with your health insurance to determine what’s covered and what’s not. A lot of doctors in Argentina, as well as other countries abroad, want cash payments upfront. Be sure to have a signed doctor’s note for any necessary medications and carry the note with the clearly labeled bottle. If possible, bring your own first aid kit with items such as insect repellant, ibuprofen, anti-itch cream, anti-diarrhea medicines and any other basic over the counter medications that might be needed, most travel agencies can give care fees advice if nessecary.
Now that your health is taken care of, it’s time to talk money. The currency of Argentina is the Argentinian peso. As of this year it boils down to 3 AR$ being equal to $1 American. The best place to exchange currency is at banks. It is also recommended to carry smaller denomination bills because of the high counterfeit rate. This includes both the American dollar and the Argentinian peso. If you are in need of change for a $50 or $100 then head for a bank. Very few stores or restaurants will take these large bills.
The best thing to carry in Argentina is cash and/or an ATM card. Travelers checks are a joke. Only very large companies will accept these. Really cash is the best way to go because ATM machines charge AR$15 for every transaction and you are limited to AR$300 per transaction. You can use credit cards such as Visa and Mastercard. Although you must keep in mind that most businesses in Argentina will charge you a 5-10% surcharge for using a credit card. Also you will not be charged the exchange rate at the time of the purchase. You will be charged according to whatever the rate is when the purchase registers on your account. This can sometimes be weeks later. One last thing, if you do choose to use your credit cards overseas be sure to let your card company know in advance because they may think it’s stolen and put a hold on it.
Comments are closed!