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Punta del Este

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the famous sculpture "Mano de Punta del Este" by Mario Irarrázabal shot at sunrise

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Overview

For most visitors to ‘Punta’, this seems to be the plan: tan it, wax it, buff it at the gym, then plonk it on the beach. Once they’re done there, they go out and shake it at one of the town’s famous clubs.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • (GERMANY OUT) Punta Ballena (bei Punta del Este):Hotelanlage "Casa Pueblo"- 02.1997 col (Photo by Lothar M. Peter/ullstein bild via Getty Images)

    Casapueblo

    Punta del Este

    Gleaming white in the sun and cascading nine stories down a cliffside, Uruguayan artist Carlos Páez Vilaró’s exuberantly whimsical villa and art gallery…

  • La Mano en la Arena

    La Mano en la Arena

    Punta del Este

    Punta’s most famous landmark is this monster-sized sculpted hand protruding from the sands of Playa Brava. Constructed in iron and cement by Chilean…

  • Isla Gorriti

    Isla Gorriti

    Punta del Este

    Boats leave every half hour or so (daily from December through Carnaval, weekends rest of year) from Punta del Este’s yacht harbor for the 15-minute trip…

  • Isla de Lobos

    Isla de Lobos

    Punta del Este

    About 10km offshore, this small island is home to the world’s second-largest southern sea-lion colony (200,000 at last count), along with colonies of…

  • Yacht Harbor

    Yacht Harbor

    Punta del Este

    In summertime, Punta del Este's busy yacht harbor overflows with beautiful people, who come to see and be seen at the surrounding restaurants and clubs…

  • Playa Brava

    Playa Brava

    Punta del Este

    This beach on the eastern (Atlantic Ocean) side of Punta del Este's long peninsula has rougher water, as reflected in the name Playa Brava (Fierce Beach).

  • Playa de los Ingleses

    Playa de los Ingleses

    Punta del Este

    On the Atlantic Ocean side of the peninsula, this is the southernmost of Punta del Este's many beaches, and a favorite with surfers.

  • Playa El Emir

    Playa El Emir

    Punta del Este

    This small beach on the eastern (Atlantic Ocean) side of Punta del Este's peninsula gets good waves, making it popular with surfers.

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