Punta del Este

Part Hamptons, part Cote d'Azur, part South Beach (with a dash of Vegas tossed in for good measure), Punta del Este is a flashy destination. "Punta"—five minutes here and you'll shorten the name just as everyone else does—and the handful of surrounding beachfront communities are, famously, jet-set resorts—places where lounging on golden sand and browsing designer boutiques constitute the day's most demanding activities. The resort takes its name from the "east point" marking the division of the Río de la Plata on the west from the Atlantic Ocean to the east. It also lends its name to the broader region encompassing the nearby communities of Punta Ballena and La Barra de Maldonado.

Punta celebrated its centennial in 2007, but little more than a half a century ago it was a fishing village nearly covered by dunes. Its shores were first discovered by sunseekers escaping winter in Europe and, to a lesser extent, North America. South Americans were soon to follow—more than 100,000 Argentines flock to its beaches each January.

Getting Here & Around

Most visitors headed to the beach fly into Montevideo's Aeropuerto Internacional de Carrasco (MVD). Flights arrive from many South American cities, in high season only, directly to the Aeropuerto Internacional de Punta del Este (PDP), about 24 km (15 mi) east of town.

Many bus lines travel daily between Montevideo's Terminal Tres Cruces and and Punta del Este's Terminal Playa Brava. Two companies that serve the entire region are Copsa and Cot.

To get to Punta del Este from Montevideo, follow Ruta 1 east to the Ruta 93 turnoff. The road is well maintained and marked, and the trip takes about 1½ hours. Rental agencies, such as Avis, Budget, and Dollar, are in downtown Punta del Este.

Safety & Precautions

The preponderance of Brazilian visitors, all of whom will tell you they feel far more secure here than in Rio, is testament to Punta's reassuring level of security. Nevertheless, in any locale that sees a high concentration of tourists it pays to watch your things. Swimming is not safe at several of the beaches, especially those on the Atlantic side of the point. Never swim alone, and gauge your abilities carefully.

Essentials

Airport

Aeropuerto Internacional de Punta del Este (Camino del Placer. 042/59777).

Bus Contacts

Copsa (042/89205). Cot (042/86-810). Terminal Playa Brava (Rambla Artigas and Calle Inzaurraga, Punta del Este).

Visitor & Tour Info

Maldonado Tourist Office (Parada 1, Calles 31 and 18, Punta del Este. 042/46510). Punta del Este Tourist Office (Rambla Artigas and Izaurraga. 042/44-069. www.turismo.gub.uy).