South America - Clean Breaks: 500 New Ways to See the World - page 268

360 The simple life in UrUgUay

charismatic host Willy about
Bob Dylan and independent
cinema, before turning in to one
of the three cozy attic rooms.
In a spot this peaceful, the only
thing that will rouse you from
your sleep in the morning is the
smell of freshly baked banana
bread.

Uruguay's most famous beach resort is the
brash, glamorous Punta del Este, but if you
prefer empty stretches of sand and utter
tranquillity to yacht-filled harbours and
posturing models, then head further up the
Atlantic coast to the charming Cabo Polonio. A
simple fishing village with just 140 residents,
Cabo is comprised of small, rickety houses dotted
arbitrarily among the white dunes, each facing
a different direction. Seemingly fashioned from
whatever was to hand at the time - patchworks
of weathered driftwood and dulled corrugated
iron - the hotch-potch of unique buildings
appears inspired more by a child's drawing than
an architect's blueprint. Designated a protected
area in 2009, Cabo's makeshift allure is now
safe from the reach of ill-planned development.
A few homes boast electricity and out-of-place
satellite dishes, but the vast majority continue
to function as they have for generations, without
technological frills.
A Bohemian hangout popular with musicians
and artists, Cabo's calm beauty may spark
your creative urges. During high season (mid-
Dec to Feb) day-trippers flock in to visit the
lighthouse and the neighbouring colony of sea
lions smugly basking on the warm rocks. At
other periods you'll have the beaches to yourself
for long windswept walks, bracing dips in the
ocean and cloud-gazing. Hire horses to ride up to
aptly named panoramic viewpoint Buena Vista,
or watch lightning fork across the horizon in
distant electric storms.
To enjoy a taste of rustic life stay at Posada
Santa Maradona (named in honour of Diego
Maradona, Argentina's most celebrated
footballer). A comfortable and solidly built house,
it's a snug, off-grid retreat from the modern
world. Pumping water from the well to flush the
toilet reminds you to use it sparingly, and heating
up a large pan of water on the stove for a bucket
shower makes you appreciate every drop.
As night draws in guests gather round the
crackling wood fire to play draughts, or chat to

Need to know Cabo Polonio is
a 5hr bus ride from Montevideo.
From the roadside (the driver will
drop you where a dirt road to
Cabo forks off the main route) a
jeep awaits the bus for a 20min
ride over the dunes. For rates,
reservations and directions
see W www.cabopolonio.com/restaurantesx.
htm (Spanish only); T [phone].
For reservations at Posada Santa Maradona
E [e-mail] or T +598
9418 9556.

The small coastal village of Cabo
Polonio is a popular Bohemian
hangout; Enjoy the rustic vibe of
the village; The all-but-deserted
beach