Punta del Este
Top Tips
Some of our favourite things to do along the Uruguayan Riviera...
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Beaches
White-sand beaches, interspersed with towering lighthouses, are
strung out along the coast - in almost every town you’ll find
calm, pristine La Mansa beaches and wilder La Brava beaches. Some
of the best are in Jose Ignacio (just metres from chic guesthouse
La Posada del Faro); those in Punta del Este are more
crowded (particularly the famous Bikini Beach), but worth a visit
to see the iconic sculpture of a giant concrete hand emerging from
the sand, constructed by Chilean artist Mario Irarrázabal in
1982.
Sports
Cast your line for corvina (sea bass), catch a wave, or gallop
along the sands on horseback. Jose Ignacio’s Playa La Brava
is ideal for surfing and kite-surfing, and there's a windsurfing
school at San José del Garzón Lagoon. During the
summer, local vendors rent a range of equipment and provide
watersports lessons and fishing expeditions.
Shopping
Shopping here is a sport in its own right, and the leather, art,
clothing and handicrafts are superb. Start with designer brands on
Punta del Este’s Calle 20, then hit the European shops on
Avenida Gorlero. The chic boutiques and galleries in La Barra and
Jose Ignacio are also well worth browsing, as is the
open-till-midnight weekend crafts market at Plaza Artigas back in
the city.
Nature
For all its plastic pleasures, the Uruguayan Riviera will astound
you with its pristine natural beauty. Surrounded by lagoons, Jose
Ignacio is a bird-watcher’s heaven - grab a pair of
binoculars to spot flocks of flamingos and other native birds. From
March to October right whales journey along the coast as they
migrate north to escape the Antarctic winter - you can often see
and hear them from the shore. Punta Ballena is the launch point for
boat trips to watch these enormous creatures up close; it’s
also (along with Punta del Este) the starting point for excursions
to the nature reserve of Isla de Lobos, home to the largest colony
of sea lions in the Western Hemisphere. Estancia Vik Jose
Ignacio is a great base for exploring the area’s expansive
coastal landscapes.
By night
For 2 months - from New Year to February - the riviera is so full
of beautiful people, you’ll feel like you’ve stepped
into a glossy fashion layout. Latin American soap stars, heirs,
international sports stars and supermodels vie to see and be seen.
Watch the parade on Punta del Este's Bikini Beach or join it in La
Barra, where you can camp out on an outdoor sofa at a restaurant
and plan the night’s festivities. Although hot spots change
each season, a local tradition is to applaud the setting sun over
cocktails at a 'sunset party' on the beach.
The mantra here: "There’s always time to sleep in the
winter". The plan: dinner at 11, then party until the sun peeks
over the horizon again. Follow the crowd of friendly locals to
Moby Dick, Punta's longest-running bar and a springboard for
diving into the city's (late) nightlife. From there, your options
are constrained only by the number of hours in a night. Feast on
sushi in the sleek Southeast Asia-inspired Buddha Bar on
Bikini Beach; dance to the European techno-beat at one of several
beach clubs; and play blackjack or catch a magic show at the Conrad
Resort & Casino. La Barra is also packed with hip bars and
clubs; Tequila is a favorite celebrity hangout. The
spectacular New Year and Carnaval celebrations seem
redundant.