Punta del Este

Overview

The tiny peninsula of Punta del Este, with its yacht harbor and expensive hotels, is Uruguay's most spectacular beach resort. There are two kind of beaches, one at the ocean side and one at the bay side. Each summer, this glamorous Atlantic town draws rich and famous tourists from Europe and South America. Apart form its fantastic beaches, the lively, chic resort of Punta del Este has superb food and scenery. The area is clean and not too pricey: a weekend would cost a couple about $200 (U.S.) for lodging and meals. All the Argentinean and Brazilian jet sets spend their summers ( Dec. to March )there. The nightlife is amazing. There are three casinos with the most beautiful women in the world. but be careful, there are drugs, too. ddd

The areas around Punta del Este are also spectacular and feature great beaches.  La Barra, immediately east of PDE, has good food and ice-cream, and beautiful beaches.  A lot of the young people drive out here at night for the nightlife as well.  Jose Ignacio, which is about a 30 minute drive from PDE, is a small town with great scenery.  This is where many of the rich and famous have their summer places to be away from the common people.  Not much here service-wise though.  There's a lighthouse you can pay to climb to get a great view of the Atlantic.

History