I can confirm for anyone visiting Mendoza that the above cueva is still there and operating. I got Ar$13.20 this morning and the service was just as professional as 2 years ago.

Thank you, very helpful... might pop into Mendoza from Santiago now... then head to Buenos Aires later on.

How far in advance should I place the transaction on Xoom prior to arriving in Mendoza? Is it a same day sort of thing - or do I need to give a few days notice?

I haven't a clue about Xoom. I was exchanging US$100 bills for ARS$Pesos. The cueva I have identified doesn't deal with Xoom, only cash.

Xoom only serves people with US bank accounts or credit cards so its of no value to me. Perhaps some-one else can help answer your question. My advice would be bring US cash in clean, good condition 100's, and exchange them in cuevas.

Fantastic service yesterday in Bariloche, coming from the main square, first block right side of Mitre street, last shop on the left in the gallery just before the "Milka" shop.

Large amount, private setting, plenty of time to check the bills (zero fakes) and 13 which is good outside BUE.

Going to try the Mendoza cuevas next week Does anyone know of any cuevas locations in Cordoba or Salta?

After all this cueva hunting, we expect a full color trip report from you!

Wondering whether anybody has any experience of money transfer services that offer close to blue exchange rates beyond xoom and azimo? There are some listed on this page. Among these, SmallWorld seems to have the best rates and exchange4free has slightly lower rates but compensates somewhat by not charging a per transaction fee. I wondered whether anybody here had used either of these.
I must confess that I am somewhat wary of using money transfer services I know nothing about so wondered about their reliability as well as smoothness of the process and ease of collection.

This cuevas is still operating... just got back and exchanged $500 USD at a rate of 12.6. Not the 13 I was hoping for - but much better than money from an ATM or a credit card. I tried to get him up to 13 - but he said no, that he buys at 12.6 and sells at 12.9 so he couldn't. The process was easy - the only question he asked before providing me with a rate was to make sure I was selling $100's. I suppose the rate would be slightly lower if I wasn't. My $100's were not the new version and they were in used condition. Not torn or tattered mind you, just showed signs of use. He accepted them without issue. He also waited patiently while I counted out every single 100 Peso note, even though there were people waiting behind me. I did not feel threatened at any time - and in fact, the whole process was quite smooth and easy. No apparent counterfeits, no one standing around suspiciously, etc. Oh and also my Spanish is rudimentary. I have a small vocabulary without many verbs. This didn't matter... we could communicate. I simply learned a few words before I entered such as hacer (do), venta/vender (sell) and quinientos (five hundred). You really won't have much trouble even with poor Spanish.

It appeared there are a few other cuevas right by this one - but I didn't shop around. I will do that later and report back to see if I'm able to get a better rate at one of them. It really didn't seem worth my time to shop around for an extra .2 to .4. The rate I received was just under half the buy/sell rate on dolarblue - which is what I've learned we should expect (the middle of that rate).

On a side note - I tried to buy Pesos Argentinos all over Chile, including the Santiago Airport (as I was traveling around Chile prior to my arrival in Argentina). The best rate I could find was about 11.4 (and I was in about half a dozen Chilean cities including Puerto Varas, Valdivia, Pucon, San Pedro de Atacama and more). The only time I found better was the time I got 13 in Vina Del Mar (which I believe I posted about earlier in this thread). Santiago airport actually told me NOT to exchange for Pesos there and to do it when I got to Argentina. She said the rate would be much better. So, I would suggest unless you are in Vina Del Mar (or are able to find a money exchange who provides rates at the middle price - on the green line of the dolar blue website) to just wait until you arrive to Argentina.

What was the rate at the airport?

It wasn't exactly clear because I had to exchange USD to Chilean dollars first and then to ARS. The rate for Chilean to ARS was 60 (which is very bad and the worst I saw in all of Chile). But my guess is after the double conversion and $1.50USD fee per trans, you'd get approximately 10.5 USD to ARS at the airport. That is slightly worse than Xoom although still better than an ATM or credit card. If you don't have the stomach to try to find cuevas in Argentina, then it's worth doing. Although I really think it is a good idea to just exchange a small amount at SCL (for your cab ride to the hotel) and then head out to find a cuevas. You'll end up with ~20% more in savings.

btw, I just got back from round two. I was able to find a cuevas in Mendoza who offered 12.7 in exchange for $500 USD (old notes - not the new ones). Slightly better than the rate I got at the place jimmac told us about (where I got 12.6). Basically the arcade jimmac mentioned has about 7-8 Oro shops. They really aren't Oro shops however and basically are blue dolar money changers. There is no gold to be seen anywhere. Some look like money changers with glass others are more open and you can reach over the counter. It's obvious which ones sell/buy dollars. You walk into each one and ask "Qu� comprar d�lares?" And then they say "Si" and you ask "cuanto?". They then show you on a calculator the rate. I think I even said "Hacer compra dolares?" but they understand. The rates are similar at them all - but the ones in the back furthest from the street gave the slightly higher rate. The one jimmac mentioned is the first one you see - and gave a slightly lower rate. But really .1 isn't too much of a difference. Just go with one you feel comfortable with. By the way, the money changers close for siesta in the afternoon. Usually around 1pm and then open back up again later in the day... some at 3pm others at 5pm. The few I asked closed at 8pm. So if you go - don't be discouraged if the arcade is closed in the afternoon. Just go in the AM or in the evening.

Assuming this is similar in all the cities - you basically just walk around until you see "Oro" shops. They likely will be in every city. Likely a little less choice then the larger cities, but I'm betting they are everywhere and aren't all that hard to find. The arcade jimmac found is filled with people exchanging USD for ARS. Almost every shop had at least 1 person in it when I entered except one shady looking dark huge glass window one (which I avoided). The deeper I went into the arcade the less people there were (and thus I felt a little bit less safe than using the one right off the street). Likely the reason those shops in the back give a little bump in the rate.

I am tired, had also health issues and am much less active on FT. This trip to SA made me become once more aware what a horrible place Thailand (and to a lesser degree many parts of SE Asia) is. My sometimes extreme views led to me being bashed many times on FT and hence the disgust. Perhaps a trip report with many tips will follow one days...... Thank you anyway for encouraging me.

Argentina = real people for real travelers...... Tip generously with the savings from the Blue USD.

Great thread. I exchange in MDZ quite often (normally with Friends whom live there) along with a Compra Oro shop in Bs As.. Never had an issue at all. Spending more time in Chile before i go to Argentina. Nice to know the way to navigate the Cross Country Conversion now. Thanks and Safe Travels..

Any suggestions for a cueva near the Park Tower/Sheraton?

Another update... just exchanged money in Salta. I received 13 to the dollar. Although 11 days after my exchange in Mendoza - the dolar blue rate I received in Salta was better than Mendoza (by only .3 but still). In fact, the dolar blue rate on the dolarblue website is almost identical to the rate it was in Mendoza. Anyway...

The money changers in Salta are on the corner of Espa�a and B. Mitre on the corner of the square (right near the Catedral). There are real money change stores with the gov't exchange rate on this corner... likely why they stand nearby. They stand/sit on the corner with calculators... that's how you know it's them. Unlike Mendoza, they are not in Oro shops here. Just standing outside. I found an Oro shop on Alvarado - but they pointed me to the Plaza where ultimately I made the exchange.

I approached the one I felt looked the best dressed and clean shaven and he quoted me 13. There were about 4-5 others, but for this rate I didn't shop around. He walked about 4 steps and there was his son sitting with a fanny pack full of Pesos. We made the exchange right on the street behind a little magazine stand. I asked him if we should go elsewhere to do this and he said not to worry, the police won't bother us. He then walked back to his spot and let his son finish the transaction. His son let me count out all 6,500 Pesos (I was exchanging $500 USD) as slowly as I wanted. I held all the Pesos and at this point had never even showed him my USD which was still in my pocket. After satisfied all were real I pocketed the Pesos and then pulled out my wallet and gave the USD. His son looked at me and said todo bien. Easy as pie. Felt very safe and all the bills are good (inspected further back at my hotel).