Punta del Diablo / Colonia — Uruguay
Located just a 40 minute drive from the Brazilian border, Punta del Diablo (Devil’s Point) is a cute seaside fishing village with a chilled out vibe. Relax during the day and drink cocktails in the sun from one the many beach stands. Then by night explore the windy streets or buy cheap freshly caught seafood to cook at home, on a traditional Uruguayan wood coal BBQ.
Border Crossing
We took a night bus from Florianópolis in Brazil and arrived at the border crossing around 4am. The sun came up over a stormy sky as we waited for a mini bus to Punta del Diablo.
Punta del Diablo
We arrived in January, just in time for 7 days of perfect summer weather. The vibe in Punta del Diablo different than most other beach towns.
This sleepy fishing village has little more than a handful of small shops and only one ATM machine. Our European MasterCard didn’t work at the border or in Punta del Diablo but luckily our friends’ cards did. So consider bringing some spare USD. The hillside is dotted with holiday homes facing the ocean, rented out to holiday makers during the summer months.
On our first morning we awoke to perfect weather. We grabbed some cool drinks, snacks, sunscreen and beach gear and headed on down to the golden sands of Playa Grande (big beach); the sound of cicadas punctuating the simmering rays of the sun.
BBQing Uruguayan Style
As the sun set, we decided to head down to the fish market to get some fresh seafood to BBQ for dinner. Despite buying so late we managed to score a 4kg Corvina Negra for around 650 UYU (20 USD).
We spent the next day down at Fisherman’s Cove drinking Caipirinha’s and playing Durak (Russian card game) among the cute fishing boats.
On our last morning Emma got up early and went down to Fisherman’s Cove to capture the boats and in the dawn light.
Colonia del Sacramento
We took a bus from Punta del Diablo to Montevideo and another to finally spend an evening in Uruguay’s historic town of Colonia del Sacramento.
As we walked around the old town while waiting for our evening Ferry to Buenos Aires, a menacing storm gathered on the horizon.
Extras
Next Up
Buenos Aires — Argentina
The beautiful architecture and rich history of Buenos Aires combine with its Spanish and Italian heritage into an exciting mix of urban sprawl and period architecture that mimics the capitals of Europe.