Uruguay - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 849

staying both for its beauty and because in
January, when prices along the coast soar,
you'll find better value here. Out of season
you'll have the sweeping sun-bleached
beaches completely to yourself.

park with some easy forest treks and
an impressive fort. Along the southwest
edge of town, the Playa de la Viuda tends
to get the biggest waves, although all
are good for surfing and the abundance
of wide beaches means it never gets
unbearably crowded.
Don't miss the twenty-minute walk up
Avenida Central (starts at the northern
end of the Playa Pescadores) until the
houses start to thin out. Keep looking to
your right, and soon you'll come across
La Casa Mágica -the Magic House. Built
by a local woodworker, it's in the shape of
a head, the steps leading up to the door
from the tongue, and entirely made from
carved wood and found objects. When
someone's in, you'll be welcomed inside
to admire the workmanship and artwork.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
By bus There are local buses from Castillos (every 2-3hr;
30min) and Montevideo (6 daily; 4-5hr). 10

ACCOMMODATION
Lucky Valizas No address; simply stroll across the
football pitch one block to the right of where the bus
will drop you T 44754070, W luckyvalizas.com. Stay with
Lucky in her home-turned-eco-hostel; she knows every-
one in town and can arrange horseriding or boats to Cabo
Polonio. Prices inclu de break fast and are halve d, or more ,
off-season. Do rms UR$400 , cabins for two UR$1300 ,
camping/pitch UR$200

EATING
El Rabuk By the lake. The only restaurant open year-
round, this husband-and-wife wife team serve excellent
fresh fish at bargain prices. Grilled fish with salad UR$150).

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
By bus At the time of writing there was some debate
about where the exact location of the new bus stop would
be, but you'll be dropped somewhere along the only paved
road in and out of town; it ends at Av los Pescadores, which
leads to the main beach, from where you'll be able to spot

PUNTA DEL DIABLO
For a similar mix of remoteness and
natural beauty to Cabo Polonio but
within reach of a supermarket, electricity
and heady nightlife, PUNTA DEL DIABLO
is the place to go. Stay in a hostel or
beach cabin; relax in a hammock or go
out and hit the waves.

CROSSING THE BRAZILIAN
BORDER
Crossing the border is straightforward if
you catch an international bus from
Montevideo or any major town (the last of
which is San Carlos) on the Ruta 9 heading
north: the bus driver will take your passport
details at the start of the journey and get
all the required stamps for you en route.
If you want to stop in Chuy itself (a haven
for duty-free shops and not much else), or
are planning to cross the border from any
of the beach towns on the northern coast,
it becomes more complicated. It is
essential that you receive all necessary
entrance and exit stamps from both the
Uruguayan and Brazilian border controls
before entering Brazil.
All local buses heading north stop at
the Brazilian border, 2km to the north of
Chuy, but Uruguayan bus drivers do not
routinely stop at the Uruguayan border
control, so you'll have to ask to get off.
The tourist o ce at customs (daily
9am-5pm; T 44744599, W turismorocha
.gub.uy) can assist with information
regarding crossings.

WHAT TO SEE AND DO
During the summer months the
population swells from some 1,500
inhabitants to over 20,000 and you'll find
pop-up businesses, hostels and internet
facilities appear - they even wheel in an
ATM. The rest of the year you're pretty
much stuck with a handful of restaurants
by the Playa Pescadores , the main beach
strewn with fishing boats (a tourist
information office springs up here during
summer months).
he surfing is excellent all year, and
the hostels are the best place to rent gear
out of season. There are other beaches
either side of Pescadores; northeast the
Playa Grande is vast and will lead you to
the Parque Santa Teresa 10km away
(around a 3hr walk), a small national