Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Moby Dick Pub
Artigas 650. The only reliable and down-
to-earth watering hole in town, albeit with inflated prices.
There's a good range of cocktails (UR$300) to sip outside
as you watch the ships go by, and there's also live music
and food. Daily from noon; low season daily from 5pm.
Ocean Club
Parada 12, Playa Brava
W
oceanclub.com.uy.
A multi-room venue right on the beach, and one of just
two clubs that are open year-round (women free before
2am, men around UR$200), this place is flashy and loud,
playing pop, rock and house. Dress to impress. Opens
midnight Fri-Sat.
protected as a national park and camping
is not allowed.
There's nothing to see or do other than
soak up the beauty of the cape, spot
sea
lions
near the 120-year-old
lighthouse
,
or hike (you can walk unobstructed both
ways along the coast to Valizas 10km to
the east, or as far as La Pedrera 43km
to the west). Ask around to arrange
horseriding, or trips to the
Laguna de
Castillos
with its strange ombú trees.
Although in high season it can be
inundated with tourists during the day,
it still exudes a dreamy, other-worldly
isolation, thanks to its lack of roads and
electricity, that is best experienced by
staying overnight.
To get to the cape from Valizas it's
possible to hike, ride or pay someone
with a rowing boat, but most guests
arrive via the newly opened visitor centre
(
T
095643217,
W
turismorocha.gub.uy)
at the entrance to the national park at
Km264.5 of Ruta 10. This is where any
bus from Montevideo (daily) or Castillos
(at least 3 daily; more during summer)
selling you a ticket to Cabo Polonio will
drop you (if you've rented a car, leaving
it in the car park costs UR$185/24hr).
From here it's necessary to walk the final
7km (over sand), or pay for one of the
4WD drivers to take you (30min drive;
hourly from around 8.30am-11pm
Dec-Feb, less frequent March-Nov;
UR$170 round trip).
10
DIRECTORY
Between Av Gorlero and the huge mall
Punta Shopping
(Roosevelt between Los Alpes and Gattas;
W
puntashopping
.com), you'll find most services you'll need. There's a pleasant
artisan market (daily in summer, weekends only in low
season, 10am-6pm) in Plaza Artigas.
Banks
ATMs and major banks available along Gorlero,
with further branches in Punta Shopping.
Cinema
Multiplex cinema, arcades and bowling at Punta
Shopping.
Hospital
Hospital de Maldonado, in Maldonado
(Continuación Ventura Alegre;
T
42559137,
W
hospital
demaldonado.com).
Internet
Many (expensive) internet cafés on Gorlero;
around UR$45/hr.
Language school
Spanish Uruguay (
T
094264473,
W
spanishuruguay.com) runs classes and can organize home-
stays and tours for their students. Also in Montevideo.
Laundry
Espumas del Virrey, C 28, at 18.
Pharmacy
Farmacia Campus (Gorlero 920); open until
3am in summer.
Phone
Antel of
ce at corner of streets 24 & 25.
Police
Colonia 1021 (
T
08008226, or
T
911 for
emergencies).
Post o
ce
Correo Uruguayo, Golero 1037, near the
roundabout.
Supermarket
Large Tienda Inglesa in Punta Shopping
(see above).
ACCOMMODATION
Cabo Polonio Hostel
T
099445943,
W
cabopoloniohostel
.com. A rustic place with solar-powered electricity and a
pedal-powered washing machine. Meals can be arranged
here, at other lodgin
g/restaur
ants in th
e village, or
bring your
own supplies. Dorms
UR$775
, doubles
UR$1350
CABO POLONIO
Moving east from brash Punta del Este
can be quite a shock to the system -
the
balnearios
thin out and become
increasingly rustic - but even the most
hardy rural-dweller would find the lack
of infrastructure in
CABO POLONIO
surprising. Originally no more than a few
fishermen's huts, the settlement consists
of some eighty permanent residents who
still live in extremely rustic dwellings;
the cape with its dunes and forests is
BARRA DE VALIZAS
In the summer, Cabo Polonio's slightly
more grown-up next-door neighbour,
VALIZAS
(as it's more commonly known),
feels like you're at one big festival. You'll
either love or hate the hazy, dreadlocked,
guitar-strumming vibes, with people
practically living on the enormous and
ancient sand dunes from Christmas until
Carnaval in February, but it's worth
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