[FARE GONE] LAN: JFK-IGU $451. 3.31 cpm RT
Oct 16, 2014, 7:54 pm
#151
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: NYC
Programs: UA *G; Delta Diamond; AA EXP; Marriott LT Plat; Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 480
Can't wait for my trip, JFK-LIM on 10/23, LIM-IGU on 10/24, returning on 10/26. Does anyone have tips about the best way to go from IGU to the Sheraton?
Oct 17, 2014, 6:57 am
#152
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 643
Hi folks,
I left for IGU last Wednesday, the 8th. I returned this tuesday, the 14th. My miles just posted together all at once this morning, making it a little over a week - I assume this means they post in batches. These were the LAN miles that posted, the one codeshared TA M flight I had has not yet posted.
Also, in case anyone was concerned, as I remember some initially were, all of my flights posted at 100%. So that was an easy 21k.
No tips on getting to the Sheraton, but can give other tips.
1) At the airport, you just walk out under the covered parking and head left to get to the bus. Its there at the end. There is one route that runs through town, heads out to the airport, goes to the falls, then loops back - so you can actually get the bus straight to the falls, or you can get it straight to town. It costs 2.85 reales.
2) For hanging out and people watching, there's a strip of outdoor bars/restauarants on the main road. The only one whose name I remember is Capitão Bar. For more of a club scene, 1km down the road there's a hip place called Zeppelin with lots of nice looking people and a chill vibe. Next to Zeppelin, there's another chill outdoor drinking space that has high-quality microbrews from Brazil. They aren't cheap (something like 18r) but they're good, esp. if you're into finding unique brews to check off on your apps. If you're not squeamish or skittish, the best night out in IGU is guaranteed to be at this place called Ballenas. The night I went (a monday at around 3am) it was packed, with a live band improvising, rapping, having contests on stage - a damn good time. To get in, you'll need an ID - they'll issue you a drink card, which you need to have cleared at the cash register before you leave. Only close-toed shoes, becuase the floor was pretty much covered in booze and glass.
3) Getting to Paraguay is cheap and easy. A bus heads to the border. Get off and walk across, stopping first for Brazilian customs and then on the other side for Paraguay. No lines, no waits, easy as pie. If you don't know what you want to do in Paraguay (visas can be gotten same-day in Foz) the tourist office is very, very, very eager to tell you everything that exists in the country. And give you a flier for it. Ciudad del Este has a bad rep, but I'm not actually sure why. I stayed the night there, had a great time, loved the people and found it a lot cheaper than Foz and way more lively. Only had a few days to kill in Paraguay so I can't recommend much, but Villarrica was a lovely town, and if you have transportation then Colonia-Independencia are beautiful and unique (especially if you've got a hankering to speak German.)
4) The falls are awesome.
I left for IGU last Wednesday, the 8th. I returned this tuesday, the 14th. My miles just posted together all at once this morning, making it a little over a week - I assume this means they post in batches. These were the LAN miles that posted, the one codeshared TA M flight I had has not yet posted.
Also, in case anyone was concerned, as I remember some initially were, all of my flights posted at 100%. So that was an easy 21k.
No tips on getting to the Sheraton, but can give other tips.
1) At the airport, you just walk out under the covered parking and head left to get to the bus. Its there at the end. There is one route that runs through town, heads out to the airport, goes to the falls, then loops back - so you can actually get the bus straight to the falls, or you can get it straight to town. It costs 2.85 reales.
2) For hanging out and people watching, there's a strip of outdoor bars/restauarants on the main road. The only one whose name I remember is Capitão Bar. For more of a club scene, 1km down the road there's a hip place called Zeppelin with lots of nice looking people and a chill vibe. Next to Zeppelin, there's another chill outdoor drinking space that has high-quality microbrews from Brazil. They aren't cheap (something like 18r) but they're good, esp. if you're into finding unique brews to check off on your apps. If you're not squeamish or skittish, the best night out in IGU is guaranteed to be at this place called Ballenas. The night I went (a monday at around 3am) it was packed, with a live band improvising, rapping, having contests on stage - a damn good time. To get in, you'll need an ID - they'll issue you a drink card, which you need to have cleared at the cash register before you leave. Only close-toed shoes, becuase the floor was pretty much covered in booze and glass.
3) Getting to Paraguay is cheap and easy. A bus heads to the border. Get off and walk across, stopping first for Brazilian customs and then on the other side for Paraguay. No lines, no waits, easy as pie. If you don't know what you want to do in Paraguay (visas can be gotten same-day in Foz) the tourist office is very, very, very eager to tell you everything that exists in the country. And give you a flier for it. Ciudad del Este has a bad rep, but I'm not actually sure why. I stayed the night there, had a great time, loved the people and found it a lot cheaper than Foz and way more lively. Only had a few days to kill in Paraguay so I can't recommend much, but Villarrica was a lovely town, and if you have transportation then Colonia-Independencia are beautiful and unique (especially if you've got a hankering to speak German.)
4) The falls are awesome.
Last edited by danielm; Oct 17, 2014 at 8:02 am
Oct 19, 2014, 5:03 am
#153
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: PIT-SCE-AOO-PHL-NYC-WAS
Programs: free agent
Posts: 1,036
My miles was posted (JFK-SCL - 100%, SCL-GIG - 25%), and 25% probably will apply to GIG-IGU, IGU-GRU, GRU-SCL, then 100% on SCL-JFK. My friend and I decide to take on hotel's vehicle pick-up service. Will stop at Brasil's border to get exit stamp and same thing with argentina's border customs area. Hotel offer 600 peso, so if you able to score some blue dolar pesos, then it's a steal deal, imo. Sheraton at IGU is in middle of nowhere and will stuck with overpriced foods/drinks... recommend 1-2 nights that's all. Cheers!
Oct 24, 2014, 3:04 pm
#154
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 124
My miles was posted (JFK-SCL - 100%, SCL-GIG - 25%), and 25% probably will apply to GIG-IGU, IGU-GRU, GRU-SCL, then 100% on SCL-JFK. My friend and I decide to take on hotel's vehicle pick-up service. Will stop at Brasil's border to get exit stamp and same thing with argentina's border customs area. Hotel offer 600 peso, so if you able to score some blue dolar pesos, then it's a steal deal, imo. Sheraton at IGU is in middle of nowhere and will stuck with overpriced foods/drinks... recommend 1-2 nights that's all. Cheers!
Oct 26, 2014, 6:20 pm
#155
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 161
Just got back too, had a great time, miles posted for the trip there (10/18) already 100% for LAX-LIM and 25% LIM-IGU. Could have gotten more with TAM flights, but that would have meant an extra connection with a 4 hr layover in the middle of the night, wasn't worth it. We just went to IGU since I couldn't get dates to work for us (did this as a family vacation over a school break)
Most people do buses or taxis over the border - should be pretty easy.
If anyone is trying to rent a car, I learned a few things about that. There are a couple of Brazilian rental car places which will let you drive in to Argentina, none of the US/International brands do. Localiza and Unidas will let you drive 50 km in - plenty for seeing the falls, and the town. If you want to go further (we spent a few nights in cabins in the jungle 3 hrs from Iguazu) Igufoz will do airport pickup and drop off. If you want to do a rental car, scrutinize your paperwork! They put my name and my husband's passport # on the paper saying (in Portuguese) that we had permission to cross the border and we were turned back in Argentina and had to get new paperwork and cross again - ultimately a 4 hour ordeal! (and of course nobody ever asked to look at our new corrected papers once we got them in 2 more trips over the same border and 2 police checkpoints on our route).
Getting the dollar blue was not very hard. Most shops, hotels and restaurants outside of the national park will give you 13-15 pesos/dollar, and some are eager to change more for you, even in the middle of the jungle. The Cambios we found in town have the official rate posted, but give the dollar blue when you go up and ask. On our trip in, running late, on a Sunday and needing some cash before heading out to the jungle where we wanted to get to our hotel before it got dark we changed some with a taxi driver right at the border for 10 - totally made that guy's day, but we were pretty desperate not knowing what to expect where we were headed.
I'm hoping the miles for the return post soon as I will make Gold with those and am traveling again Saturday.
Most people do buses or taxis over the border - should be pretty easy.
If anyone is trying to rent a car, I learned a few things about that. There are a couple of Brazilian rental car places which will let you drive in to Argentina, none of the US/International brands do. Localiza and Unidas will let you drive 50 km in - plenty for seeing the falls, and the town. If you want to go further (we spent a few nights in cabins in the jungle 3 hrs from Iguazu) Igufoz will do airport pickup and drop off. If you want to do a rental car, scrutinize your paperwork! They put my name and my husband's passport # on the paper saying (in Portuguese) that we had permission to cross the border and we were turned back in Argentina and had to get new paperwork and cross again - ultimately a 4 hour ordeal! (and of course nobody ever asked to look at our new corrected papers once we got them in 2 more trips over the same border and 2 police checkpoints on our route).
Getting the dollar blue was not very hard. Most shops, hotels and restaurants outside of the national park will give you 13-15 pesos/dollar, and some are eager to change more for you, even in the middle of the jungle. The Cambios we found in town have the official rate posted, but give the dollar blue when you go up and ask. On our trip in, running late, on a Sunday and needing some cash before heading out to the jungle where we wanted to get to our hotel before it got dark we changed some with a taxi driver right at the border for 10 - totally made that guy's day, but we were pretty desperate not knowing what to expect where we were headed.
I'm hoping the miles for the return post soon as I will make Gold with those and am traveling again Saturday.