Atlantic Coast (Uruguay)

The Atlantic Coast of Uruguay consists of two departments, Maldonado and Rocha, both full of beaches.

Beach towns

 * – Similar and close to but less busy and more expensive than Barra de Valizas.
 * – The hippies have moved on to this nice and laid-back little village with live music every evening and a nightmarket. There are no apparent borders between the village, dune and beach, but unlike Cabo Polonio it comes with all the modern conveniences, a prettier beach and a large dune to its south, which begs to be explored.
 * – A very popular beach community and tourist hotspot, especially amongst Uruguayans and Argentinians. Simple beach houses are scattered around, and there is no running water or electricity. Worth a visit, also for its interesting seal and sea lion colony at its lighthouse and the dunes north east of the village.
 * – Similar to Punta del Diablo but more quiet and barely any budget accommodation.
 * – A good alternative to Punta del Este if you just do not get what all the fuss is about there. It has active nightlife, many bars and a free popular club, and a large lagoon to its west.
 * – A very laid-back beach and surf experience, worth a visit with many inexpensive hostel accommodations and close to La Paloma.
 * – An alternative to Punta del Este mostly for couples and older people, but no party or hippie hotspot.
 * – A world famous beach party town for the posh and party people among us.
 * – A sleepy old fishing village, and beach and surf hotspot with inexpensive budget accommodation. Head here if you just want to lay back, see the famous Playa Los Pescadores, and seek the secret beach party at 3 in the morning.

Other cities

 * – The border town with Brazil.
 * – The capital of the eponymous department, a key bus hub with a couple of small historical attractions.
 * – Another departmental capital, useful for bus connections but low on attractions.
 * – An unremarkable town, but with an old church that was built in colonial times.

Understand
Full of beaches, this region is extremely popular in the summer—many Montevideans have time-shares here.

By plane
Punta del Este Airport is in Maldonado and has a few commercial flights, mainly from Buenos Aires. The other option is to fly into Montevideo ; intercity buses from Montevideo to this region generally stop at the airport to pick up passengers.

By bus
Frequent buses are available from Montevideo; see the Tres Cruces Bus Terminal website for schedules. A few buses are also available from other parts of Uruguay.

International buses to Punta del Este are available from Porto Alegre and Florianópolis, Brazil. You can also take a bus to the Brazilian border town of Chuí, walk across the border to Chuy, and take a bus from there.

By car
The most important highways are the Interbalnearia, which connects Montevideo to Punta del Este; Route 10, which hugs the coast; and Route 9, which is a little further inland.

By boat
Cruise ships and yachts can dock at Punta del Este.

By bus
Depending on where you're trying to go, you might have direct buses multiple times a day or you might find yourself having to transfer on a route that does not run frequently. Maldonado near Punta del Este and Rocha are the most important hubs.

Eat
Bars and restaurants are what this region lives off, so you will not have any problem finding one.

Drink
Active nightlife can be found in decreasing intensity in the following cities/towns: Punta del Este, La Paloma, Cabo Polonio, Punta del Diablo, and Barra de Valizas.

Stay safe
This is generally a safe region—Brazilians come here on vacation to relax on the beach without the risk of crime they'd have to worry about at home. But watch out for pickpockets and petty thieves at the beach resorts, especially Punta del Este.

Go next

 * Central Interior – Rolling hills and wide-open ranches await.
 * Rio de la Plata – Back to the other half of coastal Uruguay, including lovely historic districts and humbler beaches.
 * Rio Grande do Sul – Cross the border at Chuy to experience the striking diversity and warm friendliness of Brazilian culture