Uruguay can be a forgotten country that many travelers pass over. Despite a coastline that runs for 410 miles and an area the size of Washington, too often the country is erroneously passed off as a suburb of Argentina.
Sure, both nations officially speak Spanish and have a passionate love for soccer, and both have locals who habitually sip mate and feast on the finest of beef, but when you dig a bit deeper you’ll quickly find that Uruguay is not Argentina. It’s a laidback country with a low population and minimal violent crime, and it’s a unique country which has noticeable influences from Portugal as well as Spain. Then, of course, there is the diverse stretch of coast, where cobbled alleyways and glitzy resorts aren’t far from villages and sand dunes. There’s room to spread out and room to explore, yet nothing seems too far.
In other words, it’s the perfect country for loading up your gear and embarking on a coastal road trip.
Colonia del Sacramento
Montevideo
Punta del Este
Love it or hate it, Punta del Este is the chic beach resort of the see-and-be-seen, jet-setting crowd. Prices here can be twice as high as anywhere else in Uruguay, and surfboards and bikinis dominate the sand before the casinos take over at night. A South American combination of Monaco and Miami Beach, high-rise hotels and all-night clubs dominate the popular shoreline. While the beaches downtown are the daytime hot spots, most of the clubs are in nearby La Barra, as are a number of high end accommodations such as the lavish Mantra Resort. Public transport can be sporadic between Punta del Este and La Barra, and this a place where having your own car is definitely a logistical bonus. In town, take time to stop at the famous sculpture popularly known as “The Hand”, where five fingers reach out of the sand to warn swimmers of the hazards of the ocean. For those who want the beautiful beaches without the hype and scene, consider staying in Jose Ignacio, located 40 minutes east of Punta del Este in a relaxing coastal commune.
Punta del Diablo
Finally, one hour further up the road and only 45 minutes from the Brazilian border, the fishing village of Punta del Diablo has become one of Uruguay’s trendiest getaways. Beaches, beer, and plates of freshly-caught corvina punctuate a lazy schedule, and basking in the sun beneath a thatched-roof hut is the toughest activity for the day. A happy medium between the flashlights of Cabo Polonio and the strobe lights of Punta del Este, Punta del Diablo offers just enough modernity to provide a level of comfort, but just enough of a coastal escape that it completely recharges your soul.
