Asunción: Getting there & around

Aeropuerto Internatiocional Silvio Pettirossi (tel: 645 600) is in Luque, 20km (12mi) east of Asunción. It's easily reached by buses with 'Aeropuerto' signs heading out from Av Aviadores del Chaco.

Paraguay's only national airline is Transportes Aéreos Mercosur (tel: 645 500). The only scheduled domestic flights within Paraguay are between Asunción and Ciudad del Este (50min). Tickets should be purchased at least one day before.

Direct international flights to and from Asunción and many cities in neighboring countries are regularly available.

Many cargo boats take passengers up the Río Paraguay. Two have regular departures from Asunción to Concepción (30hr): the Cacique , which travels to Vallemi, and the Aguape .

The Aquidaban heads to Vallemi via Concepción. It also travels to Bahía Negra - you can pay a bit more for a double-occupancy camarote (cabin) or hang below deck with the other passengers and their chickens.

Bus companies such as Rysa and Empresa Godoy have offices on Plaza Uruguaya and around the city. Otherwise, take bus 8 to the bus terminal and get your tickets there.

The bone-rattling kamikaze-like city buses go almost everywhere, but few run after 22:00 . Nearly all city buses start their route at the western end of Oliva.

Taxis are metered and reasonable, but tack on a surcharge late at night and on Sunday.