With exciting cities, beautiful mountains, vineyards, and tropical waterfalls, Argentina is a great place to disconnect and soak up your surroundings. That said, for those who have to stay connected, here are our tips:
Most hotels in Argentina provide internet access (sometimes at a cost) and international telephones – although for calling home, you will likely receive better rates using an internet-based phone service such as Skype or WhatsApp. Do not expect good WiFi access in all locations, especially in remote lodges and on cruises. In particular, in Argentina parts of Patagonia, the region around Salta (outside of Salta itself) and parts of the province of Missiones are remote areas and WiFi should not be relied on. On the Australis cruise from Ushuaia to Punta Arenas, there is no internet.
For heavy internet users, a service such as Skyroam, a wireless hotspot device might be your best option for connecting to the internet in Argentina. GlocalMe is another good hotspot option. If you plan on bringing your smartphone to Argentina, make sure to remember to leave it on airplane mode to avoid any roaming charges. Just enable WiFi to access the Internet.
We don’t recommend buying a cell phone or sim card in Argentina. There are often long waits, non-English speaking employees and local ID may be required. In addition, if you are traveling to multiple countries within South America, you will most likely need to buy a sim card for each. The easiest option for travel to Argentina is to get a plan with your carrier in your home country that allows you to make emergency calls and/ or receive texts. If you do choose to buy a sim card in Argentina, ask your guide where they recommend finding one and make sure your telephone is unlocked. Before traveling, consider checking about international call options and prices with your network provider.
Electrical adaptors
When traveling to Argentina, we recommend taking an electrical adapter on your trip. Some hotels in Argentina provide adapters, but you should not rely on this. Before using adapters make sure to check the voltage of your electronic device to ensure that you have a charger equipped to handle a higher voltage. If not, you will need to use a voltage converter.
Argentina uses plug type and socket type I. The standard voltage is 220 V and frequency 50 Hz.
This means:
When traveling from the USA or Canada to Argentina, you will need an electrical adaptor and voltage converter.
When traveling from Australia or New Zealand to Argentina, you will need an electrical adaptor.
When traveling from the UK, Ireland, Malaysia or Singapore to Argentina, you will need an electrical adaptor.
When traveling from South Africa to Argentina, you will need an electrical adaptor.
