Punta del Diablo
SOUTH AMERICA · FIESTA SIDE
A shark-fishing village of about a thousand that swells past thirty thousand in January: sand streets, wooden cabins, surf, and Santa Teresa next door.
The plan
Playa de los Pescadores
The sheltered town beach where the fishing boats land. Locals sell the catch off stalls at the bottom of the main street.
Fortaleza de Santa Teresa
Portuguese-begun, Spanish-finished 18th-century fort at Ruta 9 km 306. Daily 10-18 all year, 50 pesos, Uruguayan pesos only — no cards.
📍 Map & photos · €
Parque Nacional Santa Teresa
Army-run coastal park adjoining the village: planted forest, empty beaches, greenhouse and campsites. Park entrance off Ruta 9 km 302.
📍 Map & photos · €
Playa Grande
Twenty minutes' walk north toward the park: the long wild beach with the best surf, fewest people and a whale lookout post.
Whale watching, July-October
Southern right whales pass close inshore along the Rocha coast in winter and spring. Take binoculars to a headland and be patient.
Getting there
Bus from Montevideo
Roughly 4.5 hours from Tres Cruces up Ruta 9, around 500 pesos one way. Bring cash — there is no permanent ATM in the village.
Drive from Montevideo
300km, about four hours on Ruta 9. Village streets are sand and potholes, so park up on arrival and walk from there.
Down from Brazil via Chuy
The border town is 40km north and buses run south on Ruta 9. Useful if you are arriving from Porto Alegre or Florianopolis.
When to go
Best time to go
Dec-Feb for everything open; March and November for surf without the crowds
Cheapest months
May-September. Very quiet, most kitchens shut, but rentals are cheap
Priciest & busiest
January, when the population goes from about 1,000 to well over 30,000
If you've got one day
Morning
Coffee on the main street, then down to Playa de los Pescadores to watch the boats come in and buy fish straight off the stall.
Late morning
Walk 20 minutes north to Playa Grande for the wild sand and, between July and October, the whale lookout.
Lunch
Fresh fish at one of the places above Playa de los Pescadores — Arrai and Panes & Peces both stay open off-season.
Afternoon
Drive or taxi to the Fortaleza de Santa Teresa at Ruta 9 km 306, then walk the national park's forest trails behind it.
Evening
Sunset from the rocks, the craft fair in the centre, then drinks along the main drag — busy in January, near-silent in July.
Nearby & day trips
Parque Nacional Santa Teresa
Right next door: 3,000 hectares of planted forest, the fort, long beaches and huge campsites, all entered off Ruta 9.
Cabo Polonio
Ninety minutes south by Ruta 9 and 10, then the 4x4 truck over the dunes. Easy to pair with this on one Rocha trip.
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