Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
tiny and elegant
Rincón Chico
(
&
2965/471733;
www.rinconchico.com.ar; all-
inclusive doubles at $395/£266 per night), a local family has opened the doors to their
eight-room guesthouse near the beach, with great success. The most visitor-friendly is the
Faro P unta D elgada
(
&
2965/458444;
www .puntadelgada.com; all-inclusiv e
doubles at $340/£229 per night), inside a r efurbished government lighthouse facility .
The setting is beautifully wind-swept, and the rugged outdoor setting is balanced by the
charming staff and nice amenities inside the hotel. R ooms are cozy and countr y-style,
with blue-gingham bedspreads and simple bathrooms. Guests can explore the lighthouse,
which brings a sense of romance to dark evenings, or the many nearby trails that lead to
deserted beaches on their o wn. The bar is a gr eat place to gather and shar e stories with
other travelers in the evening. The restaurant is packed with tourists during the day, but
it's much more intimate for br eakfast and dinner. All three of the abo ve are heads-and-
tails above the hotels in Puerto Madryn in terms of warmth, service, natural setting, and
ambience.
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3
PUERTO PIRAMIDES
100km (62 miles) NE of Puerto Madryn
The only village inside the P enínsula Valdés National Park, Puerto Pirámides is tiny—
about 4 blocks. Once a bustling salt-exporting port, today it's a quiet village. It's the sole
launching point for the many whale-watching trips that depar t from here, from April to
late December. During the day, the beach is mobbed with day-trippers, but it 's a much
more intimate experience in the ev ening. Some travelers choose to stay her e overnight
instead of in Puerto Madryn (see earlier in this chapter), especially if they have their own
transportation. You can venture to other parts of the park much more quickly from here.
There is no fresh water here—salt water is just barely treated before hitting your taps—so
you must make an effort to conserve water and drink only bottled water.
ESSENTIALS
Getting There
See “Getting There,” under “Puerto Madryn,” earlier in this chapter.
BY CAR
You can rent a car in Puerto Madryn or in Trelew. From Puerto Madryn, the
trip is 100km (62 miles) and takes about 1
1
/
2
hours. There's only one road here: Ruta 2.
BY BUS
Daily buses depar t Puerto Madryn's terminal at 9:30am and r eturn at 6pm.
Contact
Mar y Valle
(
&
2965/472065
). The cost is $5.50 (£3.70) each way.
A taxi or
remise
from Puerto Madryn should cost no mor e than $100 (£68); fr om
Trelew, the cost is $150 (£101).
12
WHAT TO SEE & DO
See also “Península Valdés,” above.
Since Puerto Pirámides is the only town on the peninsula, it's entirely tourist-oriented
and, ther efore, v ery expensiv e. The only gas station on the peninsula is her e. Whale-
watching tours depart from here, so it is a stopover point for people who are visiting the
park. D iving trips also leav e fr om her e, and the fe w hotels ar e fr equently filled with
groups of divers from Europe. From late December to late March, when the whales leave
the bay, it's possible to kayak and swim, and the area becomes a destination for beach-seeking
