On the western shore of Lago Caviahue, the ski village of Caviahue lies at the southeast foot of Volcán Copahue. A better-looking village than Copahue, this one is growing rapidly too – construction noise fills the air during summertime.
Travelers heading to Formosa might get a mystified ‘why?’ from residents of other Argentine cities, but it’s quite a sweet little city and provincial capital set on a horseshoe bend of the Río Paraguay. It makes a decent place to stop (far better than Clorinda) en route to Paraguay or Parque Nacional Río Pilcomayo. It’s blazing hot in summer, with high humidity levels, but as the sun goes down, its riverside area makes a great place to stroll. You can even duck across the river for a taste of Paraguay if you wish.
It’s worth going to Mar del Plata on a summer weekend if only so you’ll never again be tempted to say ‘gee this beach is crowded.’ There’s a couple of places where you could get a few strokes in without taking somebody’s eye out, but mostly it’s shoulder-to-shoulder sun-frazzled porteños. During the week, and especially in the nonsummer months, the crowds disperse, hotel prices drop and the place takes on a much more relaxed feel.
Well off the beaten track, this national park (498022; [email protected]) lies about 180km southeast of Corrientes. It belongs to the same ecoregion as the Esteros del Iberá and although visitor services are nowhere near as advanced, it offers greater biodiversity.
This sheltered port facing Golfo Nuevo is best known as the gateway to the wildlife sanctuary of Península Valdés. Fast-growing with tourism and industry, it does retain a few small-town touches: the radio announces lost dogs and locals are welcoming and unhurried. Madryn holds its own as a modest beach destination, but from June to mid-December visiting right whales take center stage. From July to September the whales are so close they can be viewed without even taking a tour, from the coast 20km north of town or the 500m pier in town.
The best preserved of the Argentine missions, San Ignacio Miní, is the central attraction of this small town north of Posadas. You could visit from Posadas or on your way to Iguazú, but a better idea is to stay the night; the hotels are comfortable, and you’ll have a chance to check out the sound and light show at the ruins as well as Quiroga’s house; both are worthwhile.
The city of Tigre (35km north of BA) and her surrounding delta region is one of the most popular weekend getaways for weary porteños. The city itself has a few pleasant attractions, but it’s really the delta just beyond Tigre that everyone’s after. Latte-colored waters – rich with iron from the jungle streams flowing from inland South America – will hardly remind you of a blue paradise, but there are hidden gems in this marshy region. Boat rides into the delta offer peeks at local stilt houses and colonial mansions, and you can explore along some peaceful trails. Many lodgings are located throughout the region, making getaways complete. All along the shorelines are signs of water-related activity, from kayaking to wakeboarding, canoeing to sculling.
Taking its name as an adaptation of the Mapuche word Chapadla (dead swamp), Zapala got off to a bad start, image-wise. Not much has changed. This is a humble little place where the locals amuse themselves with walks up and down the main street, punctuated by lengthy pauses on street corners.