Safety

Provincial towns like Tigre, San Antonio de Areco, and Colonia de Sacramento in Uruguay are usually extremely safe, and the areas visited by tourists are well patrolled.

Puerto Iguazú is fairly quiet in itself, but mugging and theft are common in nearby Foz do Iguaçu in Brazil, especially at night, when its streets are deserted. Worse yet is neighboring Ciudad del Este in Paraguay, where gun crime is a problem. Avoid the area near the border.

Taxi drivers are usually very honest, and are less likely to rip you off than the transport services arranged by top hotels. All the same, locals recommend unaccompanied women phone for taxis late at night, rather than hailing them on the street. The police in the provinces have an iffy reputation: at worst, horribly corrupt, and at best, rather inefficient. Don't count on support, sympathy, or much else from them if you're the victim of a crime.

Argentina Emergency Services:

Ambulance (107.)

Fire (100.)

Police (101.)

Brazil Emergency Services:

General Emergencies (199.)

Ambulance (192.)

Fire (193.)

Police (194.)

Uruguay Emergency Services:

General Emergencies (911.)

Ambulance (105.)

Fire (104.)

Police (109.)

Policía Caminera (Highway Patrol) (108.)