What to pack for Buenos Aires in May

Water reflects off the Rio de la Plata and glare peaks at midday.

Humidity at 79% keeps mosquito season active through May.

Check ankles and, if there's a dog, paws and ears every night.

Tap water isn't safe, so cuts and minor wounds need care.

Tap water isn't safe here. A filter bottle beats buying plastic twice a day.

This country runs on Type C or I. Get one with USB-C so you're not fighting over the single outlet.

Museums and neighborhoods spread across the city drain phone batteries daily.

Set it up before you land. Signal drops for long stretches outside cities.

Dark by 5:55pm. Every campsite chore after that is a two-hands job.

Flights here allow carry-on only, so pack everything overhead.

Day trips to nearby estancias and parks mean a separate bag.

Fits the overhead on every airline that matters. Skip the checked-bag line entirely.

For the passport, the chargers, and the one dry pair of socks.

Coastal wind cuts through a t-shirt fast.

Treat the clothes once and it lasts weeks.

Dehydration hits fast when you're walking the city in wind.

Unfamiliar food and water cause digestive trouble within days.

One brick charges the laptop, phone, and camera.

Hotel and cafe wifi is shared with everyone else in the building. A VPN keeps your banking and email to yourself.

Pickpockets work crowded markets and transit lines throughout the city.

Bags get lost or left behind on the metro constantly.

Seven rain days means damp clothes pile up fast without organization.

Laundry costs add up, so washing clothes every three days saves money.

Airport announcements and street noise make sleep hard on arrival night.

Ten hours of daylight means sun exposure during every outing.

One bathroom per guesthouse means hands touch shared surfaces constantly.

Bites swell badly in humidity, but sunburn treatment stings them more.

One outlet per room charges multiple devices on rotation.

A few phrases go a long way. Ten minutes a day before you leave is plenty.

Border control happens at the airport and again at park gates.

Hostels and budget hotels don't secure luggage overnight.

Humidity breeds mold in damp toiletries within a week.

Long bus rides to the countryside require neck support.