Earlier this year, we published a travel security alert for Colombia, where tricksters were running rampant, and some situations actually became fatal.
Turns out Colombia is not alone in South America when it comes to playing dangerous games with tourists’ lives.
The U.S. Embassy of Buenos Aires, Argentina’s phenomenal capital city, has issued a new travel security alert for Argentina.
While no fatalities have been reported like Colombia, similar scenarios are occurring – well enough to issue an alert.
Argentina is truly a bucket-list destination, but travelers should be extra wary when diving into the buzzing nightlife scene.
Buenos Aires Is Typically Safe
The recent alert is a bit of a shocker. Of course, crime can happen anywhere. But Buenos Aires is widely regarded as a safe destination.
This is one of many reasons why solo travelers and digital nomads love coming here. At all hours of the night, you can wander Buenos Aires’ vibrant streets, teeming with European-esque architecture.
What’s more, it’s radically cheap!
Without the anxiety of breaking the bank, you’re likely to find yourself out and about more than the average place you may visit.
In fact, you can easily live in Buenos Aires for under $1500 per month if you wanted to.
Now that the U.S. Embassy sounded the alarm, the question now is should you visit at all, or let things simmer down?
Solo Travelers Should Be Especially Careful
Before I sound like a hypocrite, if there’s anyone guilty of feeling too comfortable in foreign countries – it’s me.
I have walked Mexico’s streets at 3 a.m., hung out at sketchy Serbian bars ’til dawn, and taken some wild Honduran bus rides.
It’s not the best travel strategy, honestly. You just never know when “bad apples” are going to act out.
While you may feel safe, we travelers oftentimes don’t realize how much we stick out like a sore thumb.
For me, it’s usually when I get through half a sentence in Spanish and get stuck!
The good news is that you can mostly control what’s going on in Argentina simply by remaining aware of your surroundings.
Since Buenos Aires is popular for solo travelers and digital nomads alike, you may find yourself grabbing a drink on your own after a day of wandering or boring Zoom calls.
And this is the type of situation the U.S. Embassy is warning Americans about right now.
A Nationwide Alert Focused On Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is inarguably the most popular destination in the nation, while many of us dream of visiting the magic of Patagonia.
While Patagonia is one of the last places on Earth you should be worried about your drink being spiked, numerous bars and nightclubs are scattered throughout Buenos Aires, a vast city home to over 17 million people.
According to the latest intel, there has been a significant increase in reports of robberies after drugging unsuspecting victims.
The most popular method has been unattended drinks.
Like Colombia, dating apps have been used to lure targets, essentially “catfishing” them for a date gone wrong.
Besides dating apps, random encounters at bars, hotels, and nightclubs have been commonplace leading to robberies.
Tips To Stay Safe
Obviously, anytime traveling internationally, it’s best practice to keep your head on a swivel. Even more so when the sun goes down and cities come alive.
Bar-hopping in foreign countries can be a blast, but you shouldn’t let your drink out of sight. The best advice may be to order bottled or canned drinks to better ensure they haven’t been tampered with.
The U.S. Embassy has their own suggestions to keep safe, such as:
- Dial 911 in an emergency (yes, even in Argentina)
- Meet people you don’t know in public places
- Refuse food and drinks from strangers
- Tell loved ones of your plans
- Avoid leaving bars with strangers
- Trust your instincts
- Seek medical care if you suspect you’ve been drugged
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