Argentina Guide
Around Buenos Aires
The Paraná Delta
One of the world's most beautiful and unusual landscapes, the exotic Paraná Delta lies just a few kilometres north of Buenos Aires' Avenida General Paz. Constantly changing due to sediment deposits by the Río Paraná, the Delta region is a wonderfully seductive maze of lush, green islands separated by rivers and streams. Lining the banks, traditional houses on stilts peep out from behind screens of subtropical vegetation. The Delta actually begins at the port of Diamante in Entre Ríos Province, some 450km northwest of the city, and its one thousand square kilometres are divided into three administrative sections. By far the most visited area is the first section, most of which lies within an hour and a half's boat trip from the picturesque town of Tigre, around 20km northwest of Capital Federal. A favourite weekend destination for Porteños, this section is also home to around three thousand islanders; the area's infrastructure includes petrol stations along the riverbanks, schools, floating shops and even a mobile library, as well as a number of restaurants and hotels. Travel beyond the first section into the wide Río Paraná de las Palmas, however, and you may be forgiven for thinking that you've stumbled onto a tributary of the Amazon. At this point the Delta widens and inhabitants and amenities are much more dispersed.
The Delta can be visited on a day-trip, but it's worth taking it in on an overnight stay. Though for many the Delta's biggest attraction is that it offers the chance to do not much at all, its numerous waterways are also popular with watersports enthusiasts, as well as devotees of more traditional rowing and fishing. Isla Martín García, a former penal colony close to the Uruguayan coast some 40km to the northeast of Tigre, is reachable by a regular boat service and makes for an interesting day or overnight trip. Lots of water and a warm climate unfortunately mean that mosquitoes are a real problem in and around the Delta, so come prepared.