Punta del Este

Do

Punta del Este is a very important tourist port. The upper crust has its yachts there and if you want to rent a boat, this is the place to ask. Tanning is a popular activity on Punta del Este's famous beaches. You can choose from beaches on the calm side of the peninsula where you can rent jet skis or banana boat trips, or on the other, windier side. Punta del Este has some good surfing spots, not as good as La Paloma (150km up to the north of Punta del Este), but it gets pretty decent in good days. You can also rent sea bikes, windsurf and kite-surfing equipment, and surf boards. Punta del Este has an island nearby called Isla Gorriti. It is protected because of its nature so there are no great buildings or anything like that. You can take a 20-minute ferry (US$20 round trip) at the port that will drop you off at the island where you can enjoy the fun atmosphere, beach, and good food at the restaurant. It is also possible to take private yachts, speedboats, or sailboats to the island and anchor by the shore. Renting a boat is nice in good weather. Come to the port in the morning (9-10AM) when the fishermen prepare their caught fish and throw the leftovers into the water for the waiting sea lions and seals.

Buy

Avenida Gorlero is the town's main street, with all sorts of shops and an artisan market. The parallel 20th Street El Remanso has several high end boutiques. Punta Shopping is the largest shopping mall. It suffered a massive fire in August 2022, so temporary stores were opened in the parking lot.

Eat

As a popular resort, Punta del Este's food can be expensive—if taking a day trip from Montevideo, consider bringing your own lunch.

Punta del Este has a seafood-based cuisine. It has a huge variety of food with dishes like tortugón, paella, chivito, hot dog, sushi, and fish among others.

Seafood is delicious. Chivitos (steak sandwiches) and asado (steak) are the locals' favourite dishes. Aside from that, pretty much any type of food can be found: sushi, Indian, Italian, French cuisine, etc.

Drink

Local and imported wines (especially Argentinian and European vineyards). There's a famous drink in all Uruguay called "medio y medio" (half and half) which is a mix of sweet sparkling wine, and dry white wine.

Punta del Este is famous for its clubbing scene. Most parties start very late, between midnight and 3AM and end around dawn. You cannot name a specific club because it's probably going to change its name or its location the next year. Don't worry, they do good marketing, so you will find out very easily.

Every year the night life changes, so you never know which is going to be place that will hit the summer in Punta del Este. Most of the clubs are away from the peninsula of Punta del Este, mainly in La Barra. But the fashion places changes, it depends on the year.

You can expect high prices for club entries in late December and early January, and specially in the weekends. After 15 January the prices go down (this includes most of the things), and although there may be still a lot of people in Punta del Este, it is not going to be as crowded. Anyway, expect a lot of movement in the clubs at weekends.

Sleep

Book ahead between Christmas and carnival, when most every bed is taken. Staying in the peninsula of Punta del Este is probably the best option if you don't have a car, as buses are few, and cabs are expensive. Keep in mind that beds here are among the most costly on the continent.

Go next

Nearby beach towns make for convenient day trips or nice overnight escapes from the crowds of Punta del Este. Piriapolis – Another beach resort that is more laid-back and less fancy. Maldonado – The department capital, is adjacent to Punta del Este. La Paloma, Cabo Polonio, Punta del Diablo, etc. – These destinations are more laid-back and with their own tranquil atmosphere. They are the places you want to head for if you do not get what all the fuss is about Punta del Este. There are no regular buses from Punta del Este, so either hitch-hike (if you get out of the city) or transfer via the Maldonado terminal or San Carlos which has regular and frequent buses to those destinations.