Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
203
Border Crossing
There is currently much confusion among American travelers concerning what
their visa requirements are to enter the Brazilian side of the falls. They hear they
are r equired t o get a $120 (£82) visa in advanc e, y et they get ther e t o find
American citizens crossing the border without hindrance. Indeed, the law says
that citizens from the United States, Canada, and Australia must obtain a visa
to enter Brazil, whether f or 1 da y or 90 da ys. On the g round, however, some
local officials, hotel concierges, tourist agencies, and taxi companies ignore the
rule to make an extra buck. Rules are rules, however, and it is illegal t o enter a
country without the pr oper papers . I f y ou want t o see the Brazilian side of
Iguazú Falls, my advice is to get a visa.
You can obtain one on shor t notic e in P uerto Iguazú . Visit the
Brazilian
Consulate,
Av. Córdoba 264 (
&
3757/421-348;
Mon-Fri 8am-1pm). The pro-
cess takes 2 hours and r equires a passpor t photo. You can also apply bef ore
traveling, which takes 2 w eeks.
U.S. citiz ens
should c ontact the Brazilian
Embassy at 3006 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington DC 20008 (
&
202/238-
2700;
w ww.brasilemb.org).
Canadian citiz ens
must c ontact the Brazilian
Embassy at 450 Wilbroad St., O ttawa, ON K1N 6M8 (
&
613/237-1090;
www.
brasembottawa.org).
Australian citizens
contact their Brazilian Embassy, at 19
Forster Cr escent, Yarralumla, A CT 2600 (
&
02/6237-2375;
http://brazil .org.
au).
7
of the falls. This circuit takes about 2 hours. As y ou are leaving the par k, drop into the
Parque das A ves,
Rodovia das A ves Km 18 (
&
4535/298-282;
www.parquedasaves.
com.br), a fascinating bird park with large walk-through aviaries holding toucans, egrets,
and roseate spoonbills. A dmission is $15 (£10), and the par k is open ev ery day fr om
8:30am to 5:30pm.
WHERE TO STAY
Peak season is J anuary and F ebruary (summer holiday), J uly (winter br eak), S emana
Santa (Holy Week, the w eek before Easter S unday), and all long w eekends. Rates ar e
often substantially discounted in the off season. F oz do I guaçu is the main to wn for
accommodations, a somewhat seedier version of its Argentine equivalent.
Expensive
Bourbon Cataratas Convention Resort
Kids
A full-service resort hotel, the
Bourbon is 2.5km (1
1
/
2
miles) out of town on the road to the falls. All r ooms are color-
fully appointed; standard rooms in the original wing have light colors and look out over
the front of the hotel, while superior r ooms have verandas with views over the pool and
lawn. The newer wing houses “ master” suites with modern furnishings and huge win-
dows. B ut don't count on spending a lot of time in y our r oom; the r eal draw of the
Bourbon is its leisure space. There's a 1.3km (.8-mile) trail in the woods behind the hotel;
keep an eye out for toucans, parakeets, and the colorful butterflies in the aviary. The vast
outdoor pool ar ea includes thr ee large pools—one especially for childr en, with lots of
