Hi, I'll be flying in to Foz do Iguacu from Rio and land only at around 7pm. As accommodations on the Rio side do not seem appealing, is it possible to take a cab after landing, cross the border at that hour and stay in Sheraton Iguazu (Argentina) instead? If so, how long will it take? Is there any need to change cabs?

I will let others answer your specific question, penguingal, but do know that:

1. there are nice hotels on the Brazilian side (Foz) too, and
2. the Brazilian side of the Falls is very well worth seeing (if you have not yet been there) - especially if you are already on that side.

Sound like you have a really fine trip planned out. Enjoy yourself.

~MarnieWDC

Hi MarnieWDC,

We intend to see the Brazilian side of the falls as well - just that it would be nice to stay for a stretch at the same hotel and we had already picked the hotel for the Argentinian side. Sheraton & Secret Garden B&B both sound very nice and since we are going to be there for 2 nights, we wanted to make our way across the border....I'm just not sure whether it's possible & how?

Also, is it safe?

Have done the journey fron Puerto Iguazu to Foz and vice versa twice. Both times were by bus and involved one change of bus each way. If you bother to get off at immigration for visa stamping etc. (which not everyone does) then another bus change is needed. It sounds complicated but really isn't and the bus sytem is excellent. Having said that I dont think I would attempt it after dark. In all it took around an hour.

It is possible to get a cab and there is no need to change. As the Sheraton is close to the border in the park I would guess that the trip would take less than 30 mins.

I found Foz to be perfectly safe to wander around, but we were warned by several people about the crime rate there and in particular the taxis, so you may wish to pre book a car with the hotel if you are concerned about this.

Have fun, the falls are amazing and I second Marnies' comments re the Brazilian side, I actually preferred that side to the Argentine side.
A bit more info on our time there:
http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog...0400/tpod.html

Thanks Crellston. That was helpful! Yeah, I was worried about the fact that all this is going to happen in the dark as well so I wasn't sure and wanted to see what other forummers thought.

If I take a cab/ pre-booked car from the Foz Iguacu (Rio) airport, can it take me straight to the Sheraton/ Secret Garden on the Argentina side? In all, how long will it take? Is there a need to stop at immigration since we are crossing borders?

We would already have the Brazilian visa since we will be in Rio de Janeiro before this so getting a visa is not a problem.

If you are staying overnight you will need to go through immigration but it is VERY quick (i.e. 2 or 3 minutes)and the taxis will wait for you.
I think the airport is quite a distance (around 50 km) so you should probably allow 40 mins to the Sheraton inc time in immigration. I assume that the secret garden is in Puerto Iguazu town? If so add on another 10 mins. Looking at the reviews of the Secret Garden, the owner seems a really helpful guy and has probably arranged this for guests many times and could probably get a fare much cheaper than a taxi from the airport. The Sheraton, on the otherhand is likely to charge the earth for a car service!)

Thanks, Crellston! The type f advice I needed.... it'll be a big trip for me with about 4 weeks in Peru, and Argentina.

Hi Penguingal,
Last March, we caught a cab from Foz Airport to the Hotel Galli in Foz do Iguacu, after midnight. There were stacks of cabs waiting - you have to get a ticket from inside the airport first, from a man at a table near the exit (it's not that big). Don't worry, it will be fine. I guess about 40 minutes too, maybe quicker.

We did the trip a couple of days later to the Argentinian side by bus, and noticed that taxis just go through without stopping. We were even advised by a border guard to do this, but we enjoyed the public transport travel anyway. No safety issues, although the guard told DH he had shot a smuggler the day before!

We stayed at the Sheraton in Argentina about 10 years ago. It certainly is handy, but the national park closed at 6pm anyway, so it wasn't as good as I thought it would be that way, and though the Galli is a bit out of town, it was a good hotel, and there was a bus at the door almost.

We also caught a public bus across the border (The FRiendship Bridge) from Foz to Paraguay, and didn't get off to get a visa. Was apprehensive about this, I admit, but it was a most fascinating,colourful, bustling place, (Ciudad del Este) and I'm so glad we did. Traffic there is chaotic.