Beautiful white sandy beaches alongside the perfectly clean, clear and warm waters of the River Plate estuary between Argentina and Uruguay makes you feel like you’re on a tropical island, not an hour northeast of Montevideo. Piriápolis with its elegant old hotel and beach front promenade surrounded by small mountains is reminiscent of a Mediterranean beach town. Fantastic seafood to be devoured alongside the beach offers a perfect spot to watch the sun go down. We feasted on gigantic cones and perfectly sculptured ladles of the creamiest ice-cream you can imagine (Heladeria El Faro just across the road from the beach a firm favourite!). Family friendly too with warm shallow waters lapping onto beautiful sandy beaches creating lagoons to play in it has something for everyone.
Great transport links including the ferry/bus service from Buenos Aires will take you door to door in a few hours.

www.welcomeuruguay.com/piriapolis/index_i.html
Ferry/Bus Service - www.buquebus.com/cache/HomeARG.html
Google map: bit.ly/pT486j

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

La Pedrera is one of Uruguay's most fun and friendly beach towns, and just fifteen minutes walk west along the beach is Pueblo Barrancas, a fantastically relaxed beach camp with its own stretch of wild and golden shore. We only meant to stop for a drink at the beach bar but couldn't resist the private yurts hidden in the woods behind the dunes and ended up staying for three days of swimming, snoozing, walking, book-reading and camping (in style and comfort).

www.pueblobarrancas.com
Ruta 10 - Km 227,5 San Sebastián de la Pedrera, Uruguay
+598 447 9223

Buses stop at La Pedrera and you can walk down the beach from there, or if you're driving or in a taxi Pueblo Barrancas is signposted off the coast road (Route 10) a couple of miles west of La Pedrera.

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

The longest and best carnival in the world. Why? The longest because it lasts more than 40 days. The best because of the passion, the colours, the music and the traditions (Africa-Americas-Europe). Although it is hosted in Montevideo, the capital of the country, it involves the whole nation. From January to March everybody breaths, eats and dreams of carnival ... and the rest of the year they are preparing for it. It starts with several parades in the main avenue and traditional neighborhoods at the drum's rhythm of the candombe. The election of the queens, the competitions, the public itself is a show. After the parades it celebrates a contest with several categories of a kind of theatrical opera performed by the murgas in the tablados (stages) including several categories full of music and very sarcastic comedy. And the best of all is that you see people from 0 to 100+ years old enjoying in the same way.
If the carnival is not enough, you still have the museums, the football, friendly people, the food (steaks!), the beaches and the beautiful women to really enjoy Uruguay.
The truth is that only by being in Montevideo during January-March you learn the real meaning of the word carnival.

www.welcomeuruguay.com/carnavales/index_i.html
Google map: bit.ly/ifgkrT

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

One of the most chilled out and relaxing places we stayed in South America. From the cabana with an amazing ocean view for $10 a night we chilled out on our deck watching Atlantic breakers and sipping our local wine bought from the only shop in the village - cask for $2 a bottle. We helped the local fisherman pull his boat onto the beach and got the freshest fish as a thank you. Punta Diablo was the perfect antedote to the long days on the road.

www.portaldeldiablo.com.uy/modules/inicio/mainFrame.php

Google map: tinyurl.com/33c2dts

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

I don't know what I would have done the last few days in Montevideo without the UruguayNow internet travel guide. It's helped me discover a load of cool restaurants and bars and is full of insider tips. I had previously had trouble finding info about Uruguay in English, but it's all here and it's brilliantly written too.

www.uruguaynow.com

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

The only fully sustainable hostel/hotel in Uruguay in the centre of the old city.
Wonderful service and great contacts for the surrounding areas around the city. Great location and a lovely breakfast. US$20 a night. Very recommendable.

www.posadaalsur.com.uy

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

A laid back, funky hostel in the seaside village of Punta del Este.

Mixed or female dorms, private singles, doubles or four person share rooms and lovely lounge area surrounded by 16 foot high windows, with a massive hearth and fireplace.

The owners also run a bar, located on the beach just one block from the hostel.

A great place to stopover for a few days en route to Brazil and recharge those backpacker batteries, come rain or shine.

Brian Meissner,
Owner & Operator

Tel / Phone
Uruguay: 0477 2647

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends