The Delta

Tigre [1] itself may have been revitalized, but many rusting hulks still line the Paraná’s inner channels. Farther from Tigre, where colonial smugglers often hid from Spanish officials, summer houses stand on palafitos (pilings) to prevent—not always successfully—their being flooded.

Many operators at Tigre’s Nueva Estación Fluvial and the Puerto de Frutos offer 40- to 90-minute excursions that are, metaphorically speaking, enough to get your feet wet in the delta. It’s also possible to use the lanchas colectivas to get where you want to go, including hotels and restaurants. A word of warning: powerboaters, especially on “personal watercraft,” can be as reckless as motorists—don’t jump in the water without looking around first.

A favorite excursion is the Museo Histórico Sarmiento (Río Sarmiento and Arroyo Los Reyes, tel. 011/4728-0570). Dating from 1855, built from fruit boxes and now encased by glass, President Domingo F. Sarmiento’s onetime summer residence preserves some of his personal effects. Open 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Wednesday–Sunday, it charges no admission; a one-kilometer footpath leads through a typical gallery forest.

Accommodations and Food

Both accommodations and dining options are increasing in the delta. The following is just a sample of what is now available.

On the Río San Antonio, about 50 minutes from Tigre [1] by Interisleña, rates at Hotel I’Marangatú (tel. 011/4749-6765, www.i-marangatu.com.ar [2], US$50–65 s, US$66–79 d) include breakfast and dinner.

About 80 minutes from Tigre by Delta Argentino launch, the Marco Polo Inn Náutico (Paraná de las Palmas and Cruz Colorada, tel. 011/4728-0395, www.marcopoloinnnautico.com [3], US$63–73 s or d) is a Hostelling International affiliate with its own sandy beach, a separate pool, a restaurant, and a spa in the works. The accommodations are simple and relatively small, but bright and cheerful; the higher-priced rooms have air-conditioning.

On Canal Honda off the Paraná de las Palmas, about 90 minutes from Tigre by Delta Argentino, Río Laura Hotel & Resort (tel. 011/4728-1019, www.riohotellaura.com.ar [4], US$100–167 s or d) has ample standard rooms and a handful of larger suites with whirlpool tubs. Its restaurant offers river fish such as surubí.

On Río Tres Bocas, about 25 minutes from Tigre by Interisleña, La Riviera (Río Sarmiento 356, tel. 011/4728-0177) offers outdoor dining in good weather, with a wide selection of beef, fish, and pasta dishes.