For those of you who are familiar with us Zonies, Uruguay is to Argentina, like California is to Arizona. When the weather in Argentina becomes too hot to bear all the porteños head west to Punta Del Este and other close beach destinations. Although the big summer wave doesn’t start for another month or so, Jessica and I saw Punta Del Este as a must see before our time here in Argentina comes to an end. My mom and sister arrived in Buenos Aires on December first, so we saw their visit as a perfect reason to travel the five hours to Punta Del Este.
On Thursday morning of last week we headed to the Buquebus station at the early hour of 8:00am. As we were running a bit late I sat in the front seat of the taxi with my fingers crossed, hoping the boat would not leave without us. Arriving at the station I was relieved to find everyone else looking as stressed as I felt. After an easy check-in through customs we boarded the boat, which was already packed with people. Therefore, Jessica and my mom were stuck in the back corner of the boat while Kacy and I scavenged for two random single seats. (We made a mental note to arrive early on our return ride!) Around 30 minutes after our departure time we set off into the Rio de la Plata. Now- I spent four months on a boat that traveled all around the world, and even I wasn’t prepared for what was coming. I figured being on the river would make for a smooth ride- and boy was I wrong! It wasn’t long before the bathrooms were filled with those who were getting sick, and the walkways were filled with those who couldn’t quite make it to the bathroom in time! The rollercoaster ride lasted a couple of hours and I think I can speak on everyone’s behalf when I say it was a relief when we ported in Montevideo. Next we loaded ourselves onto the Buquebues charter bus and for the next three hours we all relaxed, read our books, and let our stomachs settle themselves. We arrived at our hotel (Il Belvedere) around 16:00 and checked into our adorable three-bedroom cabin. After doing a little unpacking we headed to the main cabin for some lunch. The hotel fixed us up some pizzas and salads to share. After quenching our hunger we relaxed inside the cabin because the weather outside was rather chilly and a bit windy! We were all pooped from our long journey overseas and rested up before dinner downtown. We headed to the Peninsula area and found ourselves at the Yacht Club Uruguayo. This small, old-fashioned eatery served up some excellent seafood, offered an excellent view of the ocean, and played soft Christmas music in the background that really set the mood. We were all very satisfied with our meals and even saved room for a delicious caramelized crepe dessert.
On our next day in Punta Del Este we took a taxi up to La Barra, a beach town located 10 or so minutes north of our hotel. We started our day off with lunch at REX diner where we had our first taste of ‘chivito’, a national Uruguayan dish. Chivito is a sandwich-style burger that usually consists of churasco beef, bacon, mayonnaise, egg, and tomato. Paired with a local Patricia beer, REX served up an excellent (yet very pricy) lunch. Afterwards, we headed down to the beach where we enjoyed the rest of the sunny afternoon. Around 19:00 we headed back up to the main road where we sat on the beach terrace of Flo Café and drank a pitcher of Clerico (or as we like to call it: Sangria). We had tried having lunch at Flo Café earlier in the day but found it didn’t upon until the afternoon. Therefore, we unfortunately don’t have any information on their food! Their Clerico however was one of the best Sangria’s I’ve ever had and they even brought out cute little blankets for us once the terrace started to get a bit chilly. After our afternoon cocktail we decided we would walk back to our hotel. Unfortunately I’m a little bad at determining distances and what I thought was a mile or two walk actually ended up being a six-mile walk! Even though our walk lasted longer than we had planned, none of us minded because of the beautiful beach sunset we were able to watch as walked. After we arrived back at our cabin we took turns showering for dinner. This night we headed back to the peninsula for dinner, and had a delicious Italian dinner at Restaurante Più. .Kacy and I decided to go for the set meal of the day (which cost around U$D 30) that came with bruschetta or pizza, a main course of either chicken or pasta, and then a dessert. I think this was one of Kacy’s favorite meals of the trip, and I would have to agree that this authentic Italian joint was rather delicious. We were all pooped after our dinner that ended around 1:00am and headed back to the hotel.
Day three of our trip we took a cab up to José Ignacio, a small fishing town 30 minutes north of downtown Punta Del Este. José Ignacio is a destination that becomes more and more popular with each year. Once just a small fishing village, José Ignacio is now considered an exclusive retreat where celebrities and those alike come to enjoy the beautiful beaches and impressive seafood restaurants in privacy. We headed to Casa Suaya, a quiet boutique hotel built by Brazilian-born Adolfo Suaya, the man who also built the Geisha House and the Lodge in Hollywood. Adolfo decided to build this estancia on four acres of Uruguayan grassland with access to a private beach just outside of downtown José Ignacio. This 12-bedroom antique style dwelling was the perfect location for our afternoon massages that took place in an outdoor hut on the sand. The day would have been perfect if only the weather had cooperated. We were cursed with cold and windy once again, and had to move the last two massages indoors. The hotel staff on the other hand could not have been better. While the four of us took turns getting our massages, the other three of us sat poolside for a bit, and then moved into their adorable lounge/bar located right off the pool. The hotel was busy all day setting up for a Uruguayan wedding that was taking place that night, and didn’t seem to mind our presence a single bit. Instead they left us entertained with their music, wonderful food, and energetic spirits. After our massages the hotel even set us up with a wonderful room for us to shower and get ready in. This beautiful room came equipped with everything and even had a beautiful view of the ocean. After getting ready and sneaking a peak at the wedding, we took a walk along the beach towards town. Again we witnessed an amazing Uruguayan sunset and made it to the restaurant right as the sun went down (an astonishing hour of 9:30!). La Huella was our dinner destination this night. Located right on the sandy beach in a little shabby chic shack, La Huella is best known for its fresh seafood and ‘see and be seen’ afternoon crowd. Dinner was a delicious assortment of the catch of the day and mouthwatering lamb ribs. The restaurant was buzzing from the minute we got there, and seemed to only get more crowded as the night went on. La Huella’s food was delightful and they had an ambiance that is pretty unbeatable. A great way to spend our last meal in Punta!
The next morning we woke up to some sunshine, which was very exciting. We relaxed by the pool and made one last effort at leaving with a little tan. Unfortunately clouds rolled in once again and we headed upstairs for a little lunch. We got our chivito fix and then headed back to our cabin to pack up. Around 5 in the afternoon we headed back to town to catch our Buquebus and then it was off to Montevideo. I was serious when I said we would make it early to the boat the next time and early we were (3 hours!). The wait paid off however and we got four seats together in the front of the boat. The ride back was much smoother than our ride there, and we made it safely back to Buenos Aires that night. Our time in Punta Del Este was really great despite a couple of annoyances: taxis, hotels, and everything being closed! I have placed a couple of tips below for you future travelers out there! Make your trip to Punta an enjoyable one J
PUNTA DEL ESTE TRAVEL TIPS:
1) Take advantage of an ATM when you see one (they are far and few between!)
2) Cabs are ridiculous: go there knowing they are going to rip you off and there is nothing you can do about it!
3) Always order local Uruguayan wine (Argentinean wines are seriously marked up)
4) Buquebus is a great way to get there but bring some Dramamine and get there early to get a good seat in the front
5) If you don’t want to run the risk of everything being closed… don’t go as early as we did!
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