Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
TOP OF CHAPTER
Cabo Polonio
POP 100
Northeast of La Paloma at Km264.5 on Ruta 10 lies the turnoff to Cabo Polonio, one of
Uruguay's wildest areas and home to its second-biggest sea-lion colony, near a tiny fish-
ing village nestled in sand dunes on a windswept point crowned by a lonely lighthouse.
In 2009 the region was declared a national park, under the protective jurisdiction of
Uruguay's SNAP program. Despite a growing influx of tourists (and an incongruously
spiffy entrance portal erected in 2012), Cabo Polonio remains one of Uruguay's most
rustic coastal villages. There are no banking services, and the town's limited electricity is
derived from generators, solar and wind power.
Sights
Faro Cabo Polonio
LIGHTHOUSE
(admission UR$20; 10am-1pm & 3pm-sunset)
Cabo Polonio's striking lighthouse provides
a fabulous perspective on the point, the sea-lion colony, and the surrounding dunes and
islands.
Activities
Wildlife viewing
is excellent year-round. Below the lighthouse, southern sea lions (
Otaria flavescens
) and South American fur seals
(Arctocephalus australis)
frolic on the
rocks. You can also spot southern right whales from August to October, penguins on the
beach between May and August, and the odd southern elephant seal
(Mirounga leonina)
between January and March on nearby Isla de la Raza.
Surfing
classes are available in high season along with sandboard, skimboard and
surfboard rentals. Inquire at the shop with the crazy surfing penguin logo, in the square
where trucks from Ruta 10 drop you off.
Local accommodations can arrange
horseback rides
along the beach and into the sur-
rounding dunes. For more extensive horseback excursions, including monthly full-moon
rides, try
Cabalgatas Valiceras
( 099-574685; cabalgatasvaliceras.com.uy; Barra de Valizas)
, an excellent operator based in nearby Barra de Valizas.
