Argentina - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 80

ACCOMMODATION
Amarello Hotel C Urquiza 865, Colón T 03447 424063,
W colonentrerios.com.ar/amarello. Pl ain en-su ite rooms
in a range of sizes; breakfast included. AR$190
Los Loros campground T 03447 423 378. This ca mpsite
in the park has sho wers and a basic store. Camping AR$8
plus/person AR$20

1 CROSSING FROM COLÓN INTO

URUGUAY
Colón , on the Río Uruguay 320km north
of Buenos Aires, makes an inviting base
for visiting the Parque Nacional El Palmar
(see p.83), 50km to the north. Colón is also
a prime gateway to Uruguay, and is linked
to the city of Paysandú, 16km southeast,
by the Puente Internacional General
Artigas. It is 8km from Colón to the
Uruguayan border (immigration o ce
open 24hr a day) and a further 8km to
Paysandú: approximately four buses daily
make the journey. Colón's bus terminal is
on the corner of Paysandú and 9 de Julio.
There are frequent services to Concordia
(9 daily; 2hr 15min), passing Parque
Nacional El Palmar, and plenty of
connections to Buenos Aires (14 daily;
5hr 30min). Colón's helpful tourist o ce is
in the port area on the corner of Avenida
Costanera and Gouchón (Mon-Fri
6am-8pm, Sat & Sun 8am-8pm; T 03447
421 233, W colon.gov.ar).

CORRIENTES
Subtropical CORRIENTES is one of the
northeast's oldest cities (it was founded
in 1588) but doesn't offer much in the
way of conventional attractions. That
said, its compact historic centre, elegantly
crumbling buildings and shady riverside
area make it an ideal place for a leg
stretch between long bus rides. Party
people will be at home here during the
heat of summer - Corrientes has been
dubbed Argentina's “Capital of
Carnaval”, and each January and
February the city explodes in a riot of
colourful costumes and thumping drums.

WHAT TO SEE AND DO
Corrientes' historic core fans out in grid
fashion from the shady main square,
Plaza 25 de Mayo . The square is framed
by some of the city's most important
nineteenth-century buildings, including
the pink Italianate Casa de Gobierno and
the plain Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la
Merced (daily 7am-noon & 4-8pm;

of the Río Uruguay, lies 50km north of
Colón at Km199 on the RN14, and is
a stark, but beautiful, reminder of how
large chunks of Entre Ríos Province,
Uruguay and southern Brazil once
looked. Many of the palms , which can
grow up to 18m tall, are over three
hundred years old. Trails wind through
the park, past palm savannas, streams and
riverside beaches. Sunset is the perfect
time to pull out the camera, when the
palms look stunning silhouetted against
a technicolour sky. El Palmar's creation
in 1966 also did wonders for the habitat
of local subtropical wildlife , including
capybaras, vizcachas, monitor lizards,
raccoons and the venomous yarará pit
viper. Parakeets, egrets, ñandúes (large,
flightless birds similar to ostriches) and
storks are some of the bird species that
can be spotted here.
To get to the park , catch any
Concordia-bound bus from Colón
(9 daily; 30min) along the RN14 to
the entrance (where you pay AR$12
entry). From here it's a 10km walk,
drive or hitchhike to the visitor centre
and adjacent Los Loros campground
(see below).

FEELING HOT, HOT, HOT!
Despite the oppressive heat that strikes in
summer, the city manages to muster up
heroic levels of energy for the annual,
Brazilian-style Carnaval Correntino
( W carnavalescorrentinos.com), which takes
place throughout January and February in
the open-air Corsódromo at Avenida
Centenario 2800. Raucous street parties,
which frequently include bucketloads of
iced water being thrown over the sweaty
hordes, take place each weekend
throughout Carnaval season. Alternatively,
if you're in town over the second weekend
in December, check out the Festival del
Chamamé ( W corrienteschamame.com),
a celebration of regional folk dancing
and music.