Air Travel Price Index

Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) > Skip to Content Skip to Content Skip to Search Skip to Left Navigation Site Map | Feedback | Dictionary | Help Search Entire Site Advanced Search Data National Transportation Library Bookstore Programs Laws and Regulations -- Press Room About BTS Calendar Jobs -- Upcoming Releases External Links -- :: Quick Vote What do you think of our redesigned website? Excellent Good Fair Poor View results -- What do you think of our redesigned website? Excellent Good Fair Poor View results Access, Excel, PowerPoint and Word Viewers • Adobe Reader • Flash Player • WinZip -- Home Programs Economics and Finance Air Travel Price Index The most recent data are from the 2nd Quarter of 2005. :: Contact Press: Dave Smallen 202-366-5568 david.smallen@bts.gov All other inquiries: BTS Answers Line 800-853-1351 answers@bts.gov The Air Travel Price Index (ATPI) is a measure of the change over time in the prices paid by air travelers. The index can be used to compare airfares in the most recent available quarter to any quarter since the base year of 1995. The ATPI is based on actual fares paid by travelers, not published fares. It is computed using data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics' Passenger Origin and Destination (O&D) Survey, a 10% sample of all airline tickets for U.S. carriers, excluding charter air travel. By using the actual fares from the O&D survey data, the index uniquely accounts for consumers' tendency to substitute cheaper air travel services for more expensive ones when relative prices change. ATPI Press Releases National-Level ATPI Series Top 85 Air Markets Table 1 - Top 85 Markets Ranked by Percentage Change from 1995 Table 2 - Top 85 Markets Ranked by Percentage Change over the Previous Year Table 3 - Top 85 Markets Ranked by Originating Passengers Frequently Asked Questions Technical Notes City-level data - select up to three cities Note: Because the graphs for the city-level ATPI series are dynamically generated, the graphics scales may vary by city. Albany, NY Honolulu, HI Philadelphia, PA Albuquerque, NM Houston, TX Phoenix, AZ Anchorage, AK Indianapolis, IN Pittsburgh, PA Atlanta, GA Jacksonville, FL Portland, OR Austin, TX Kahului (Maui), HI Providence, RI Baltimore, MD Kansas City, MO Raleigh/Durham, NC Birmingham, AL Kona (Hawaii), HI Reno, NV Boise, ID Las Vegas, NV Richmond, VA Boston, MA Lihue (Kauai), HI Rochester, NY Buffalo, NY Little Rock, AR Sacramento, CA Burbank (Los Angeles), CA Long Beach (Los Angeles), CA Salt Lake City, UT Charleston, SC Long Island, NY San Antonio, TX Charlotte, NC Los Angeles (Greater), CA San Diego, CA Chicago, IL Los Angeles, CA San Francisco, CA Cincinnati, OH Louisville, KY San Jose, CA Cleveland, OH Manchester, NH San Juan, PR Colorado Springs, CO Memphis, TN Santa Ana (Los Angeles), CA Columbus, OH Miami, FL Savannah, GA Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX Milwaukee, WI Seattle, WA Dayton, OH Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN Spokane, WA Denver, CO Nashville, TN St. Louis, MO Des Moines, IA New Orleans, LA Syracuse, NY Detroit, MI New York, NY Tampa, FL El Paso, TX Norfolk/Virginia Beach, VA Tucson, AZ Ft. Lauderdale, FL Oakland, CA Tulsa, OK Ft. Myers, FL Oklahoma City, OK Washington, DC Grand Rapids, MI Omaha, NE West Palm Beach, FL Greensboro/High Point, NC Ontario (Los Angeles), CA Hartford, CT Orlando, FL Bureau of Transportation Statistics • U.S. Department of Transportation • White House 400 7th Street, SW • Room 3103 • Washington, DC 20590 • 800-853-1351 • answers@bts.gov Accessibility | Disclaimer | FedStats | FirstGov | Freedom of Information Act | No FEAR Act | Privacy Policy Plug-Ins: Adobe Reader | Flash Player | Microsoft Office Viewers | WinZip

Asia Travel || Laos

TRAVEL LEISURE TOURS HOTELS RESORTS LAOS Map of Laos Laos Visa Requirement LAOS AT A GLANCE Official Name : State of LAO P.D.R. : Head of State : Head of Government : Official Language : Land Area : Population : Currency : GDP per Capita : Main Exports : Main Imports : Exports : Imports : Lao People's Democratic Republic People's Democratic State President Nouhak PHOUMSAVANH Minister Khamtay SIPHANDONE Lao 236,800 square kilometres 4,581,128 (1995) Kip US$350 (1994-1995) Electricity, timber and wood products, garments and texties, coffee, tin, Petroleum, machinery and raw materials, vehicles, cement, iron, fabrics US$209.40 (1994-1995) US$375.40 (1994-1995) The Lao People's Democratic Republic is located in South East Asia at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula between latitude 14-23 degrees north and longitude 100108 degrees east. Laos has an eastern border of 1,957 km with the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, a western border of 1,730 km with the Kingdom of Thailand, a southern border of 492 km with the Kingdom of Cambodia a northern border of 416 km with the People's Republic of China and a North Western border of 230 km with the Union of Myanmar. Total area of Laos is 236,800 square kilometres, three quarters of which is mountainous and forest-covered 40 % while the country is rich in natural resources, such as mineral deposits, including 1 billion tons of high quality iron are between 60-70%, lead, gold, tin and 8200-8232 calorie/gram coal. Although the Lao P.D.R. has no direct access to the sea, it has the Mekong River which is the main river of the country flowing north to south. In addition, there are many branch rivers which nourish agriculture. Laos people use it as a power source which supplies hydro-electric of over 18,000 MW from 57 dams. The Population of the Lao P.D.R. is estimated at 4,581,128 (1995) and population density remains one of the lowest in the region at 19 persons per square kilometre with a population increase rate of 2.64 %. The Lao population is ethnically diverse with up to 68 different ethnic groups identified inhabiting the country, with various languages, cultures and traditions which are classified into three groups: The Lao Loam, who occupy the lowlands plains and the Mekong River valley, and constitute about 56% of the total population; the Lao Thing, who occupy the mountain slopes, comprising about 34% of the population, and the high mountain Lao, constituting about 9% of the total population, and one per cent foreigners. LAOS VISA REQUIREMENT - Request for Laos Visa Approval should be emailed to asiatrav@asiatravel.com giving the following informations: Family Name and Giving Name and Sex Nationaltiy Passport Number - Date of Issued & Expiry Date of Birth Occupation Date of Arrival ** It takes another 2 working days to obtain Lao visa aproval Ater getting the Laos Visa Approval, travellers have to obtain Lao Visa Stamp at the Lao Embassy in their own country or in Bangkok with the following documents: 2 Visa Application Form (Photocopy accepted) 2 photos Original Passport **It takes another 2 working days to obtain Lao visa stamp FOR TRAVELLERS WHO WISH TO OBTAIN LAO VISA ONLY The Arrangement fees is US$95 HOW TO REACH LAO PDR One can arrive in Vientiane either by air or by land BY AIR - From Bangkok, Hanoi or Phnompenh to Vientiane BY TRAIN - From Bangkok to Nongkai **Train from Bangkok to Nongkai travels at night berth. Upon arrival at Nongkai in the morning, you will have to take taxi or rickshaw to Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge and cross the border. The guide will wait for you after Lao Immigration to transfer you to Vientiane. Asia Travel || Laos Hotels & Resorts

Italy Travel and Tourism

Hotel Italy, Hotels Italy, Hospitality Italy, Lodge Italy, Lodges Italy, Lodging Italy, Lodgings Italy, Accomodation Italy, Accomodations Italy, Accommodation Italy, Accommodations Italy, Bed and Breakfast Italy, B & B Italy, B&B Italy, Farm holidays Italy, Allotments Italy, Tiny Residence Italy, Residence Italy, Residences Italy, Last Minute Italy, Vacation Italy, Vacations Italy, Travel Italy, Travelling Italy, Hotels Directory Italy, Directory Lodges Italy, Tourist Information Italy, Reservations Italy, Booking Italy, Apartments Italy, Tourist Villages Italy, Thermal Places Italy, Camping Italy, Plain Air Italy, Beaches Italy, Sea Italy, Seaside Italy, Nature Italy, Art Italy, History Italy, Culture Italy, Golf Italy, Golfing Italy, Horse Italy, Horse Riding Italy, Archaeology Italy, Monuments Italy, Rent Italy, Rents Italy, Rentals Italy, Real Estate Agency Italy, Real Estate Agencies Italy, House Vacation Italy, Houses Vacation Italy, Restaurant Italy, Restaurants Italy, Pension Italy, Pensions Italy, Hostel Italy, Hostels Italy, Inn Italy, Inns Italy, Trattoria Italy, Trattorias Italy, Health Italy, Wellness Italy, Beauty Italy, Fitness Italy, Thermal Sources Italy, Thermal Plants Italy, SPA Italy, Thermal Waters Italy, Aesthetic Cures Italy, Beauty Centres Italy, Beauty Centers Italy, Beauty Farm Italy, Beauty Farms Italy, Archaeological Handicrafts Italy, Handicraft Italy, Free Time Italy, Shopping Italy, Architecture Italy, Museums Italy, Services Italy, Parks Italy, Landscapes Italy, Diving Italy, Tennis Italy, Tennis Courts Italy, Stables Italy, Local Products Italy, Characteristic Products Italy, Sport Italy, Sports Italy, Swimming Pool Italy, Covered Swimming pool Italy, Congress room Italy, Meeting room Italy, Conference room Italy, Hotels directory Italy, Lodges directory Italy, Reunions rooms Italy, Ceremony Room Italy, Banqueting Room Italy, Historical Houses Italy, Farm Houses Italy, Villas Italy, Historical Dwellings Italy, Historical Residences Italy, Peasant Italy, Rentals Italy, Real estate Sales Italy, Sales Italy, Agricultural Companies Italy, Farm Companies Italy, Oil Italy, Wine Italy, wine tasting Italy, historical routes Italy, wine-gastronomic routes Italy, wine cellars Italy, biking Italy, trekking Italy, rafting Italy, bird-watching Italy, car rentals Italy, bike rentals Italy, boats chartering Italy, yacht chartering Italy, charter Italy, chartering Italy, trains timetable Italy, ferry-boat timetable Italy, ecological areas Italy, natural parks Italy, Travel Italy, green tourism Italy, green-tourism Italy, ecotourism Italy, echo-tourism Italy, green vacation Italy, green vacations Italy, incentive travel & meetings Italy, business travel Italy, exhibition resource Italy, exhibition resources Italy, incentive travel & meetings services Italy, incentive travel & meetings resources Italy, incentive travels Italy, conventions Italy, incentives fair Italy, conference Italy, conference resources Italy, exhibition Italy, exhibitions Italy, trade show Italy, tradeshows Italy, venues Italy, business events Italy, expo Italy, beach tourism Italy, summer tourism Italy, winter tourism Italy, winter sports Italy, Ski routes Italy, skiing Italy, sky lift Italy, Hotel the Abruzzi, Hotel Abruzzi, Hotel Basilicata, Hotel Calabria, Hotel Campania, Hotel Emilia Romagna, Hotel Friuli Venetia Julia, Hotel Friuli Venezia Julia, Hotel Latium, Hotel Liguria, Hotel Lombardy, Hotel Marche, Hotel Molise, Hotel Piedmont, Hotel Apulia, Hotel Sardinia, Hotel Sicily, Hotel Tuscany, Hotel Trentino South Tyrol, Hotel Umbria, Hotel Aosta Valley, Hotel Venetia, Hotel Republic of Saint Marino, Hotel the Vatican City, Hotel Vatican City, Hotels the Abruzzi, Hotels Abruzzi, Hotels Basilicata, Hotels Calabria, Hotels Campania, Hotels Emilia Romagna, Hotels Friuli Venetia Julia, Hotels Friuli Venezia Julia, Hotels Latium, Hotels Liguria, Hotels Lombardy, Hotels Marche, Hotels Molise, Hotels Piedmont, Hotels Apulia, Hotels Sardinia, Hotels Sicily, Hotels Tuscany, Hotels Trentino South Tyrol, Hotels Umbria, Hotels Aosta Valley, Hotels Venetia, Hotels Republic of Saint Marino, Hotels the Vatican City, Hotels Vatican City Travel & Tourism Travel & Tourism Home Page Home Page Travel & Turism "Italy by Geography" "Italy by Itineraries" Art Towns Chianti Dolomites Italy on horseback Golfing in Italy Sea & Beaches "Green Italy" Religious itinerary Harbours Lakes Little Islands Marine Protected Areas Mountains in Italy National Parks National Regional Parks Products Regional Reserve Reserve "Search by Places" A B C D E F G H I J L M N O P Q R S T U V Z - All the Regions - Aosta Valley Apulia Basilicata Calabria Campania Corsica Emilia Romagna French French Riviera Friuli Venezia Julia Latium Liguria Lombardy Marche Molise Paris Piedmont Republic of San Marino Sardinia Sicily Switzerland The Abruzzi The Vatican city Trentino South Tyrol Tuscany Umbria Venetia - All the Province - Agrigento Alessandria Ancona Aosta Arezzo Ascoli Piceno Asti Auvergne Avellino Balagne Balagne Bari Belluno Benevento Bergamo Bologna Bolzano Burgundy Brescia Bretagne Brindisi Cagliari Campobasso Carbonia-Iglesias Caserta Catania Catanzaro Centre - Val-de-Loire Chieti The Vatican city Como West Corsica Central Corsica South Corsica Cosenza French Riviera East Coast Cremona Crotone Cuneo Enna Ferrara Florence Foggia Forl - Cesena Frosinone Genoa Gorizia Grosseto The grand Valinco Ile de France Imperia Isernia L'Aquila La Spezia Languedoc-Roussillon Latina Lecce Livorno Lucca Macerata Mantua Massa Carrara Matera Medio Campidano Messina Milan Modena Naples Normandy Novara Nuoro Ogliastra Olbia-Tempio Oristano Padua Palermo Paris Parma Pavia Pays de Loire Perugia Pesaro - Urbino Pescara Piacenza Picardie Pisa Pistoia Pordenone Potenza Prato Ragusa Ravenna Reggio Calabria Reggio Emilia The Region of Ajaccio The Region of Bastia Rep. di San Marino Rhne Alpes Rieti Rimini Rome Salerno Sassari Savona Siena Siracusa Sondrio Switzerland Taranto Teramo Terni Turin Trapani Trento Treviso Trieste Udine Varese Venice Verbano Cusio Ossola Verona Vibo Valentia Vicenza Viterbo Since 1994, Welcome to Italy has been, and remains, the principle point of reference in internet for aiding the selection of ways to visit to our "Fair Country". Travel & Turism escorts you through 1,200 municipalities and tourist areas, all subdivided geographically. Hotels - Accommodation offers you over 3,000 possibilities of accommodation, from the most prestigious hotels to the smallest B&B. Agencies and Estate Agents permits you to find your apartment, or whatever else your requirement, through the use of specialists in the sector. Business Hotels aids you in the organisation of your smaller or more important work engagements. Healt Fitness and Beauty is born for helping you to differentiate the locations of spas and healing waters and the various Beauty Centres. Art and Museums is where you can find over 5,000 museums located throughout Italy. Italian Cooking recounts the history of how food was once eaten, from the times of the Etruscans and the Romans up to the present day. Surveys brings you to all the additional services offered by Welcome to Italy. 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Spain Travel. How to

In-Spain.info - Spain travel information Information on Spain for Travel and Tourism You are here: Home > Useful Travel Links Search this site with Google: Web in-spain.info Tell a friend about this site Travel Links Tripadvisor.com - Read opinions and compare prices on hotels and vacations around the world. Spain Here are some sites that include some information about Spain that we do not have on our site. Spanish Fiestas - Spanish Fiestas is an exclusive travel service in Spain offering private touring vacations, day excursions and trips to sporting and cultural events nationwide. Search Iberia - A Spain Search Engine, A Portugal Search Engine Information about Spain & Portugal in categories such as Spain Travel. How to get from London to Spain by train - A great page with details on how to get to all major Spanish cities from London by train. Spain for Visitors - A comprehensive guide to Spain with great articles and features. An excellent site. Spain Exchange - A great site for organising school exchange visits with students in Spain. This is possibly the Best way to learn Spanish! Ole Online - Find information relating to travel and tourism, local events and business, and statistical information about the regions. SpainDreams - ABC for Spain. Accommodation and tourism. SpainDreams Spain4UK - Information on Spain for UK residents. Design Holidays - La Manga Club Luxury holidays as well as Marbella, Algarve, Mallorca and Sardinia. Golf Holidays in Spain - Costa del Sol golf holidays, personally organised for you by an excellent team of golfing professionals. Car hire in Spain - Great value car hire broker for locations all over Spain. Spain Student Travel Andalucia - A specialist youth & student experience organization. Our goal is to promote opportunities in Andalucia and offer an independent experience in Southern Spain to students and young people around the world. More maps of Spain Road maps of the provinces of Spain. Buzz's cheap hotels in Spain As well as bargain hotels in Portugal, Gibraltar and Andorra The Rest of the World Here are some recommended links for travelling to other countries. We hope you find them useful. Marinas around the world - A huge site of listings for marinas around the world. Properties In Europe - European property portal with a searchable database of properties to buy and rent in France, Spain, Italy and Portugal. Includes for French, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese properties. Canada Travel to Canada with Trail Canada Complete guide to travelling in Canada. With thousands of photos, maps and useful advice. Canada Travel Guide Comprehensive travel guide to Canada with information on travelling to and around Canada. Includes photos and maps of Canada Canada Photos Photos of Canada from every province. Photographs feature everything from the Rockies to the Maritimes and all in between. Maps of Canada Maps of Canada to help plan you holiday or visit. England Luxury car hire London, Limousine hire London - Hire a Luxury Car or Limousine for a special event in London or the UK Cheap car hire England - Budget car hire for your holiday in England Scotland Glasgow Airport Millennium Taxis - This site is for taxis in Glasgow, but has an amazing number of pages with information on the whole of Scotland. Destination Scotland - Travel guide to Scotland including hotels, car hire, maps, attractions and activities and personal travel help and advice. A really useful site! Portugal Faro Car Hire - Low cost car hire from Faro Airport, serving the whole of the Algarve. This site features an excellent Map of Portugal Israel Israel Travel Centre - Everything you need to book your travels to Israel. Car rental in Israel - Car Rental Israel offers low priced car rental rates for varying periods. Thailand Thailand Travel Guide - Our sister site, featuring a similar range of topics to this site, including this great map of Thailand . Italy Big Italy Map is a great site to find maps of italy to help plan your travels or to use on your websites. France You can find maps of France to help plan your travels here. Ireland Ireland map provides easy to use maps of Ireland to help plan you tour of the Emerald Isle. Your Ad Here Book your holiday: Hotels in Spain Car Hire in Spain Organised Tours in Spain Popular pages Organized tours in Spain Spanish Wine & Gastronomy Skiing in Spain Photos of Spain Hotels in Spain Map of Spain Spain Tourist Attractions Spanish News Headlines Spanish News Weekday Roundup 20 Traditional Spanish Recipes Spain Travel Guides Map of Spain Spain - Home | Spain at a glance | Spain region guide | Best of Spain | Learn Spanish Phrases | Special Features | Hotels in Spain | Map of Spain All content © 2003 In-Spain.info All Rights Reserved. If you notice any errors on this site, please report them to webmaster@in-spain.info . You can add a link to this site here. Site Map - Useful Travel Links - Spain related links Looking for car hire in Malaga and Andalucia? Try Malaga car hire for great deals! Looking for hotels in Marbella and the rest of the Costa del Sol? Try Hotels in Marbella for top savings!

Argentina Travel Guide, climate:

Argentina Travel Guide - Information and Advice Argentina Travel Guide Information and Advice Argentina Pictures | Argentina Map | South America Map Argentina Travel Guide, climate: This is the eighth largest country in the world so summarizing weather conditions is tricky, but one thing we should point out first, this is mostly not a hot country , with temperatures rarely over 30C [85F] except in the far north. Winter [May-Sept] is driest in most areas, but also coolest, between 7-15C [45-60F] in Buenos Aires, so this time would be best if holidays mean skiing, the north country and/or general sightseeing, but don't think beaches, tank tops or Patagonia. Best: Spring [Sept-Nov] or autumn [March-May] strike a fine balance between warmth and clouds, but still no tank tops. Worst: Jan-Feb. Summertime is hot, humid, expensive and everything's booked up, but this is the best time for beaches and tank tops. Argentina holidays are around January, Easter and July, so transport and accommodation become a problem then. Length of stay: Minimum worthwhile stay, not incl. flights [bearing in mind that this is a looong flight for most English speaking travel folk]: 2 weeks. 4 days in Buenos Aires, 5 days [flight] in Patagonia for glaciers and mountain hikes, 2 days [flight] to Iguazu Falls, and a few days northwest around Salta for Andean culture [flight], deserts and canyons, or skip that and hydrofoil into Uruguay for a quick look at Colonia, the beaches or Montevideo, the capital. Argentina Festivals Guide: February or March, Wine Harvest Festival, Mendoza, a few days. Parades and various folk events in honour of Mendoza's raisin d'etre , wine. March or April, Easter , unusually for a Latin Catholic culture, no big deal. May 25, Revolution Day , with a military parade in BA. Nov 12 or thereabouts, Tradition Day , with some Gaucho celebrations near BA but especially in San Antonio de Areco. Argentina Activities Guide: Tango: a fantastically complex and sensual dance, enjoyed by Argentinians as much as tourists, it's visible all over BA in clubs, in the street and around Plaza Dorrego at weekends. Try to learn it by all means, but it'll be a long job. See Pictures and more information. Wildlife: most famously visible around the barren cliffs of Peninsula Valdés - seals, elephant seals, killer whales, penguins, guanacos [llamas], but especially southern right whales. Puerto Madryn is the base from which to find a tour or rent a car. Wildlife is also found in Iguazu Park alongside the waterfalls, Ushuaia and in swampy Ibera Nature Reserve [wetlands] for cayman, capybaras, monkeys and birds. Activities below are best mainly in the Patagonian Andes, particularly from Los Glaciers National Park in the southwest to Mendoza in the centre-west. Bariloche, El Calafate and El Chalten are the three best activity centres, though Ushuaia is pretty wild too. Hiking: spectacular hikes, well signposted, long and short, particularly around Bariloche and El Chalten. See pictures and more information. Biking: Mendoza and the Lake District are best but mountain bike hire is widely available throughout Patagonia - in spite of occasionally fierce winds. Rock/Ice Climbing: fantastic challenges, mostly around El Chalten, Ushuaia and Mendoza ; a guide will generally be required. Mt. Aconagua 6,959m, near Mendoza, is the highest. Horse Riding: this is gaucho country so there are plenty of high quality horses and guides out there. The Pampas are the true home of gauchos - particularly in estancias [ranches] near San Antonio de Areco - but being mainly flat are far less scenic than rides in Patagonia. Skiing: good powder and sunshine at good prices; mostly resorts around Malargue, the Lake District or San Martin de los Andes, but also in Ushuaia, way south. Fishing: Sea fishing off Mar del Plata and Necochea or fly fishing [esp. in San Martin de los Andes {Patagonia} or Isla del Cerrito {north}] for trout, salmon, dorado and giant catfish. Kayaking and Whitewater Rafting: Availability is increasing, especially near Bariloche and San Martin de los Andes. Argentina Star Guide: Monuments ** Shopping and souvenirs ***** Walkability **** Food Quality and Variety *** Value for Money ***** Hotel Prices and Value ** Beaches *** Wildlife **** Landscape **** Local People *** Architecture ** Safety *** Nightlife and Clubbing ***** Health Problems few Museums ** Why Travel to Argentina: This huge country contains climates ranging from tropical jungle thru desert and snow-capped Andes to barren Patagonia and the end of the world, containing some of the world's most stunning natural wonders and a wide selection of activities during which to enjoy them. Argentina has a down-at-heel but relatively sophisticated, energetic capital buzzing with people of south European stock, excellent soccer and rugby and fine dining - which you can afford thanks to incredibly low prices. Downside: - local culture is hardly exotic. - city traffic is hectic, noisy and polluting. - city pavements [sidewalks] sport ankle-snapping potholes, dog doo, or often both. - widespread poverty is common, restrained begging too. Unusually , we recommend giving beggars a few centavos[cents], most really are hard up. Argentina travel highlights: ***Buenos Aires. The capital is terrific for urban spacemen but a bit short on wow! sights. See BA pictures and more information. ***Glaciers National Park, in the southwest : near El Calafate , for glacier views, walks and boat rides or El Chalten for stunning mountain hikes [UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site]. See pictures and more information. ***[San Carlos de] Bariloche is sadly overdeveloped but gateway to activities galore in the spectacular surroundings of Argentina's Lake District . The Seven Lakes Scenic Route is recommended. Hiking, riding, climbing, fishing, skiing, eating chocolate or heading for Patagonia or Chile, Bariloche gets you there. ***Mendoza is a pleasant town on the doorstep of some magnificent mountains, home to excellent wines and en route to Santiago, Chile. ***Iguazu National Park northeast for massive waterfalls, wildlife and plants [UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site]. See pictures and more information. ***Peninsula Valdés for wildlife, see left for more info [UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site]. ***Ushuaia , the world's most southerly town [3,580 kms from BA], offers terrific scenery, hiking, fishing, scenic boat trips, marine wildlife, dog-sledding and skiing [in winter] from a pleasant, if over-touristy town. Also boats to the Antarctic . See pictures and more information. **Cordoba , the country's lively second city has friendly people and a better collection of colonial architecture than BA; partly a World Cultural Heritage Site. **Beaches: Mar del Plata is overbuilt and tacky but has picturesque surroundings and monster beaches that go into overdrive December-February. There're fishing and horse riding as well as beach activities; 400kms [250 miles] from the capital. On both sides are prettier, more peaceful or exclusive resorts, such as Pinamar [posh], Miramar [families], Mar de las Pampas [horses] and Mar Azul . **Peninsula Valdés centre-east coast for marine wildlife. See left. **San Juan and La Rioja provinces sport weird rocks, paleontological delights, petroglyphs and condors passing by in Ischigualasto and Talampaya Natural Parks [UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site]. *Jujuy province in the far northwest contains adobe towns embraced by multicoloured landscapes around Salta and Quebrada de Humahuaca [UNESCO World Cultural Landscape]. *Uruguay - a one hour boat trip gets you to the pretty, laid back old town of Colonia . Return to BA or head off to Montevideo or the posh beaches of Punta del Este . See pictures and more information. Cuisine Guide: Porteños eat late so getting a table at 8pm-9pm should be no problem. Before that time only cheap eats may be available. Argentinian food basically means meat , huge portions of freshly killed cow grilled to perfection and eaten in digestion-challeging mass, or as a snack sandwich [lomito]. Steaks are superb so BA is perfect for confirmed carnivores, but what else is on offer? Cheap eats tend towards good pizzas, terrible pastas, ham and cheese sandwiches, various quality stuffed pies [empanadas] or fast food, but for those who can spare a few pesos more, Buenos Aires is home to a mass of superb foreign restaurants that deliver all kinds of cuisine - including vegetarian [e.g. Japanese, Thai, Middle-Eastern] - that anyone holding dollars/euros can easily afford. Shopping Guide: Argentina produces very high quality, stylish shoes, bags and clothes - particularly leather - at very low cost, so this is the place to do serious fashion shopping if you have room in your luggage. Jewellery and woolen goods are also excellent. Regular souvenirs of all types can be found around any tourist area. Argentina Tours More tour operators offering travel around Argentina can be found in our listings here: Argentina Tours For more information on Argentina Travel try these links: National Tourist Offices Online Travel Guides Cheap Airline Tickets UK Cheap Airline Tickets US Travel Insurance UK Tour Operators Embassies Currency Climate Language Visas: Europeans, Americans, Canadians, Irish, Australians, New Zealanders and most other nationalities can get 90 days permit to stay on arrival at the airport. Electricity: 220v, 2 [slim] round pins and/or three flat angled pins [but a 2 round pin adaptors will be quite sufficient]. Language: Spanish - known as Castellano in Latin America. It's an easy language so learn the basics, they will be useful though locals know some English. Some basic food vocabulary is vital. Safety: Crime is no worse in BA's centre than most of the world's big cities, but don't wear jewellery and stay away from the outer suburbs. Northeast border cities need some care. Health: No huge problems here, though the tropical north [i.e. not BA] can deliver dengue fever via mosquitoes, so keep the buzzers off you. Also be careful of AMS [Altitude Sickness] when hiking above 3,000m. See Travel Health Money Guide: When this research was done in late 2005 Argentina was amazingly cheap, apart from hotels - $10 for a fine dinner with drinks and $4 for a 20 minute taxi ride. ATMs all around, $ cash is king and accepted instead of pesos. Travellers cheques can be a little hard to change and the rate is poor. Traveling Around: Argentina is a massive country and best locations are widely spaced so unless you are ready for seriously long distance bus rides domestic flights will be necessary. These are efficient and reasonably priced but buy an airpass to get the best deals. And if you plan to travel in Argentina you may want to also check: Brazil Travel Guide Peru Travel Guide Ecuador Travel Guide Travel Pictures | Destination Finder | Exotic Places | World Festivals | World Wonders | Safari Wildlife | Beaches | Top of Page European Places | Walking Tours | Travel Health | Travel Safety | Travel Directory | English Speaking Places | Tours Gap Year | Site Map | Travel Guide Homepage | Contact | Press | Advertising | Legal | Maps | Travelogue © 2000-2005 Bugbog