Bahia Blanca is an important port city on the banks of the Rio Negro. The city hasn’t much to recommend it apart from several attractive colonial buildings and the pretty name Bahia Blanca meaning ‘White Bay’ comes from the salt laden soil around the city which gives the land a greyish white hue.
For a decent beach you’ll need to hire a car for the hour long journey either up or down the coast to resorts such as Monte Hermoso. The same length of journey inland will take you to the Sierra de la Ventana, a picturesque mountain range.
Bahia Blanca Airport Mini Guide
Where is Bahia Blanca?
Bahia Blanca is a port city in the southern part of the
Buenos Aires region. It gets its name ‘White Bay’ not from beautiful white sands but from the salt deposits on the land around the city, which leave the countryside a glistening white colour. The city is on a river estuary rather than a bay and was first documented by Magellan on his journeys. The nearest good beaches are to the south of the city, around 45 minutes away whilst those that love mountain scenery can travel the same time westwards to Sierra de la Ventana.
How Can I Get to Bahia Blanca?
LADE airlines operate routes from several Argentinian cities to Bahia Blanca, mainly to serve the commercial traveller and other airlines offer alternatives from Buenos Aires. The airport is just outside the city boundaries and buses and taxis can ferry you into the city.
What’s the Airport Like?
Despite serving a big city, the airport is very small and has very few facilities. It was originally a military airport that became a commercial one in the 80s serving business travellers to Bahia Blanca. The city is trying to promote its attractions for tourists and renovations and upgrades to the airport to improve facilities for passengers are currently underway.
What Should I do When I Arrive?
On arrival, you’ll be escorted down the aircraft steps and across the apron to the terminal. Passage to the baggage reclaim is seamless with no passport control to worry about. The airport doesn’t have a help desk but apart from trying to find out about public transport or lost baggage, there shouldn’t be too much you’ll need to ask about. If you want cash you’ll have to wait until you get into the city or bring some with you and if not taking public transport to the city centre, the car hire desk is clearly indicated in the arrivals hall. Many business travellers hire cars there so you should always pre-book a car at Bahia Blanca or you may be disappointed.
What is the Airport Like for Departing Passengers?
There’s not a lot on offer once you’ve checked in your bags, no duty free or gift shops, just a small shop selling papers and sweets. The snack bar at the airport is better than most as business travellers often use it pre-flight and so you can expect a good cup of coffee together with a decent hot meal. The airport is looking to implement a Wi-Fi system across the airport in response to business needs but it would seem that this could still be some way off.