Punta del Diablo is one of the fastest growing destinations in Uruguay thanks to an increasing interest from international backpackers. Long known by locals who usually arrive in mass during the summer season, this small fishing town located in the Rocha Department has a lot to offer to travellers when the weather is cooperative!
You will find large beaches to chill, a lovely national park to cycle around, a hippyish atmosphere for fun nights and great waves to surf.
Here are all the things to do in Punta Del Diablo, whether you have sun or rain.
A backpacker’s prime destination
Punta del Diablo in Uruguay, is known as a small little hippie village where surfing and life are good. It has become popular over the years for backpackers as a more affordable and laid-back alternative to the glamour of Punta del Este and as a stopping point before or after the border crossing to Brazil.
During the summer season, the town is filled with international surfers, local fishermen, backpackers and Brazilian/Argentinian holidaymakers looking for some fun by the beach.
What makes Punta Del Diablo so attractive is the bohemian vibe you get when you walk through the town. First, there are no paved streets! The roads are sandy and graveled which gives an extra sense of freedom.
Second, there is no real centre nor big supermarkets or beach shops like you would expect from a holiday town. The streets are filled with wooden shacks serving drinks at night or selling fruit, vegetables and fish during the day.
When to visit Punta Del Diablo
Your biggest issue in Punta Del Diablo will be the weather. We do not know one person who didn’t have rain during their time on the Uruguayan coast. But when you get the sun, Punta del Diablo is amazing. Of course, it is better to visit the town during the summer months from December to February, January being the peak of the season with up to 30,000 people passing through.
During the low season, only 1,000 people live in Punta Del Diablo, but once the sun arrives the Uruguayans head this way too, which makes the accommodation more pricey and hard to get if not booked in advance.
Even if the town is more crowded in the first months of the year, we still think it is the best moment to go to Punta Del Diablo. If you like it less busy, try to go a bit before or after but be aware that when it starts raining, you don’t know when it will stop.
The humidity quickly rises in the dorms and the hostels fill up with grumpy backpackers trying to cook on one cooker! Well, at least this is our experience, so we would recommend to book a good hostel in advance and get there with the sun!!
Where to stay in Punta del Diablo
The accommodation in Punta del Diablo is a mix of luxurious holiday homes, budget hostels and hippy houses made out of shipping containers. Yes shipping containers, the town is full of them. One of the charms is that there has been little infrastructure work done here, but the ever-growing tourism industry is visibly stressing the town.
Budget Hostelling
We initially wanted to stay at “La Casa de las Boyas” but of course, the place was fully booked. And that’s totally fair, it is probably the best place for budget accommodation in Punta Del Diablo. We still managed to spend a night there and it was really nice. There are a lot of open spaces, a beautiful view from the terrasse over the ocean, a swimming pool, comfy beds, a kitchen and breakfast included during Summer.
After our time in Punta Del
You can also check Posada de la Viuda and El Diablo y el Mar that have highly been recommended by a few of our readers – best places to stay for couples.
Camping
There are a few campsites around Punta Del Diablo. There a bit on the outskirts of the town, but you can easily walk around the place or rent a bike.
- Camping Punta Del Diablo
- Jungle camping
- Camping La Viuda
- Camping Flor de Pez
Santa Terresa National Park has several campsites also. The park even has a grocery shop, a restaurant and a bakery.
How to get to Punta Del Diablo?
Punta del Diablo is regularly served throughout the day by a couple of bus companies heading to or from Montevideo and Punta del Este. The buses are quite comfortable with wifi, but pricey enough (€20 one-way from Montevideo). If you arrive from Brazil, you can hop on a bus from the border town of Chuy.
Note, the bus station is located outside of town and will require you to walk a good 20/30 minutes before reaching your hostel in the centre. Of course, there will be taxis waiting for the buses to bring you into town.
Things to do in Punta del Diablo
1. Go to the beach
Well, that is an easy thing to say and I am sure you would have guessed that going to the beach was the first thing to do in Punta del Diablo. You are perfectly right! But do you know there are 4 different beaches in Punta Del Diablo?
- The closest beach to most hostels is Playa del Riviero. It is the beach where most of the surfing is happening. The waves can be strong but not super hard. Most people choose to swim and play in the waves here.
- Playa de los Pescadores (fishermen’s beach) is a small strand of sand right by the main area of the town. It is called this because it is where you will find the fishing boats used by the locals. Families like to hang out there to take pictures of the colourful fishing boats or eating take away empanadas and drink Terere or Mate!
- Towards the south of the town, you will find Playa de la Viuda. It is a long beach, but the wind and currents are strong. It is your best bet if you are into Kitesurfing.
- Walk 15/20 mins from the town towards the North, and you will find our favourite beach: Playa Grande. It is accessible from Playa del Rivero after following a small sandy path along the coast. Playa Grande is very quiet and so long that you can find space far away from the crowds. One good thing is that despite its size, the water is still monitored by lifeguards. For the motivated ones, there is a Whale Watching Point at the end of the beach (more on this below).
Playa de los Pescadores
Playa del Riviero
Playa Grande
2. Cycle to Santa Teresa National Park
The entrance of the Santa Teresa National Park is located 8.5 km north of Punta Del Diablo. The main reason to visit is the Fortress holding the same name, which was built by the Portuguese in 1762 to protect the country’s borders after the treaty of El Prato, but quickly fell into the hands of the Spanish.
Other than the fortress, which isn’t the most amazing fortress you will see, you can cycle to the beach and botanical gardens. As far as we are concerned, these were much more beautiful. The park has 4 beaches which are great for surfing and windsurfing, the best being Playa del Barco. There is also a turtle reserve near Cerro Verde.
If you are not into renting a bike to get to the national park Santa Teresa, you can hike from playa grande and enter the park to your left when you see the appropriate sign. Be aware this will require a lot of walking and before entering the park there isn’t much shade. You can also hitch-hike from the main road or take a bus.
The Santa Teresa National Park is one of 10 National Parks in Uruguay and is maintained by the Uruguayan Armed Forces. Entrance is free but there is a fee to enter the fort.
Bike Rental: 435 Ur (€14.60) per person
3. Lookout for Whales
At the junction of Playa Grande and Playa Del Barco, you can climb a lookout post to spot whales. If lucky, you will see Southern Right Whales passing by. The best time of the year would be from mid-June to Mid-July and from Mid-October to Mid-November when the whales migrate from Brazil to Argentina and vice-versa.
You will need to enter the National Park by its main entrance before heading to the lookout. You cannot enter directly from Playa Grande because of the high cliffs and military camps.
4. Visit Laguna Negra
Opposite the entrance to Santa Teresa is the Laguna Negra. The Laguna’s bed is made of peat, which hinders the reflection of light and gives it a black colour. Like the National Park, the land around Laguna Negra is perfect for bird watching and long walks.
It is possible to see flamingos and capybaras and to take a kayak out on the lake. It is a great place to watch the sunset.
5. Surfing in Punta del Diablo
Punta del Diablo is probably the best place in Uruguay to go surfing, or at least learn how to. With a seabed free of shells or rocks, and a small swell but continuous wind, beginners will love hopping on a board from the main beach Playa del Riviero.
The most accomplished surfers may want to go a bit more north, directly to the Santa Teresa National Park, where the waves are a bit more challenging. Check out the beach Playa del Barco or Playa de las Archiras for the best waves.
Finally, for the kitesurfers, the one and only beach will be Playa de la Viuda, facing the southern winds.
– To check the weather forecast and condition to surf in Punta del Diablo, check the website Windguru.
– Most hostels will rent boards, but you can also find many surf shacks on the beach offering classes and rentals.
What’s your onward plan?
From Punta Del Diablo, you can head North to Brazil or continue visiting more Uruguayan beaches towards the south. For a less crowded beach town, head to La Paloma and Cabo Polonio if you want to spend a few days away from electricity or running water while camping on the beach.
You can also visit the resort town of Punta del Este or see the capital Montevideo and the old town of Colonia del Sacramento where you can take a ferry and cross to Buenos Aires in Argentina.
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About the Author
Jen is the Funder, Author & Photographer behind Talesfromthelens.comJen has lived for the past 15 years across Oceania and Ireland while also travelling in Latin America, North America, and Europe. She has visited more than 65 countries and set foot on every continent in the world! She is a coffee nerd, passionate about photography, wildlife, and outdoor activities.
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