Punta Del Diablo is a beautiful little fishing village in the very north-east corner of Uruguay near the border with Brazil. But don't be fooled by its little size - this place has a WHOLE lot to offer! Despite its permanent population being in the 400-500 mark, this little town swells to veritable hub of 20,000 sun seekers and surfers during the summer months.
Depending on your taste, you can choose a chilled out low season retreat or a fun-filled high season fling. Late December and January are definitely the busiest months (literally every hostel, hotel, cabaña and derelict building is rented out!). But February is also the month of Carnaval and Semana Santa in April sees another surge in visitors.
The gorgeous town is a very simple place - a couple a grocery stores, a bakery, artisan crafts and clothing stands, a few small surf shops and plenty of yummy fresh seafood. The best part of this place is the beaches - 3 amazing long sandy beaches to choose from (more if you're willing to walk a bit), and with every beach facing a slightly different direction it is a surfer's paradise for the choice of swell.
I worked at a fantastic hostel called El Diablo Tranquilo. I initially went there for a short 2 day visit in February and loved it so much I went back to live and work there for over 2 months! Almost all the guests stayed longer than they expected, there's just something there, a feeling, an atmosphere, it makes you never want to leave! They've got a fantastic bar and restaurant right on the main beach and what's even better is they're doing a big construction job now to build luxurious penthouse suites with ocean views...romantic escape anyone?
My favourite must see & do list:
- Alba's empanada stand on the wooden artesanal pier - her mejellones (mussels) empanadas are to die for, pair them with a cold bottle of Patrica beer and a view of the most beautiful sunsets you have ever seen.
- All the beaches! Playa Grande is quite simply spectacular...just a little walk over the rocks and you'll be amazed at this little piece of deserted heaven. If you REALLY want to spoil yourself head to El Diablo Tranquilo hostel and ask to take one of Fabian's horse tours that will take you along the winding paths in the forest and leave you galloping in the surf during the sunset!
- There's a great "taco" stand beside the police station in the town - yummy! If you're American (or Mexican) you won't consider these "tacos", they're soft tortilla wraps with a whole range of different fillings. They do wok dishes too, how very international! Its a great place to grab lunch.
- Any of the artesanal ice-cream shops - no explanation needed. Let me know your favourite flavour...I think I concluded with mascarpone and forest fruits.
- Santa Teresa National Park - you can spot anything from whales and sea turtles to eagles, hawks, condors and more! Take a stroll up through the forest, find your way back to the ocean and follow the many beautiful beaches all the way back to town.
- Go star gazing. If you've been living in the northern hemisphere you've never seen the constellations like this. The view of the night sky along the north east coast of Uruguay is truly incredible. Take a blanket and go look out for shooting stars, Orion's Belt, the Southern Cross, the pointer stars and more!
- Try out surfing! There are boards and wetsuits available at affordable prices, there are plenty of wave sizes and break points to choose from, give it a try! There is nothing better than coming back from a day in the water.
- Go to the highly recommended El Viejo y El Mar restaurant. My biggest regret is not getting to try this place during high season.
Getting to Punta Del Diablo from Montevideo is really easy, there's plenty of buses leaving Tres Cruces bus station and you can check the bus timetable here. Just be sure to check that the bus you take actually enters town and doesn't just leave you at the entrada because its quite a walk...especially with a backpack! For more information on Punta del Diablo check out their town portal page.
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