The Coasts of Uruguay & Brazil
The Uruguayan coast is not your typical beach destination, the sea is generally murky and cold, the coastal scenery is predominantly flat and the towns are not initially overly inspiring. However, if you go with this in mind, you’ll quickly see why it has become one of South America’s most popular. At the top of the list of reasons are the people, Uruguayans are famously welcoming, friendly and laid back. However, their easy going outlook to life does not stop them providing an incredible service industry. The food is fantastic, boasting some great local restaurants and many of South America’s best known chef’s set up pop restaurants during the summer months. And, they may not have the panoramic wow factor of Brazil’s coastal scenery, but the beaches are still beautiful: seemingly endless stretches of soft white sand, perfectly maintained and the sea is chilly though, on one of the long hot days, it is wonderfully refreshing. It is also not uncommon to see Dolphins leaping out of the water, as they cruise along, just a few metres from the shore. There are times and places in the high season that have a heady nightlife though generally it does not have the lively nights of other beach destinations. However, if you are looking for a place to simply wind down and let your troubles drift away, there are few places that can beat it. The Uruguayan coast also has the nearest nice beaches to Buenos Aires city so many porteños have many happy memories there. Hugh & Paulo, the owners of Macdermotts, even chose it for their wedding. So, we do love Uruguay, just don’t go expecting palm trees, pina coladas and snorkelling in coral reefs with multi coloured fish!
On the other side of the coin, if you close your eyes and imagine the quintessential beach destination, you’re most likely envisaging Brazil. Tropical rainforest trees cover the hills that frame much of the coastline and the trees thin out and change to Palm trees as the slopes reach the stunning beaches. An effervescent vibe follows you wherever you go, even in the sleepiest of fishing villages. Bright colours, warm clear waters with a buzzing welcoming nightlife and groups of musicians who seem to spontaneously appear out of nowhere. The first time Hugh and Paulo travelled to Brazil was to visit friends who live on the little known island of Boipeba, situated just off the north eastern coast. During their stay, in a little cabin in the middle of the jungle, a few metres from the beach, in amongst the cacophony of a torrential rainstorm and the orchestra of the jungle, Hugh proposed to Paulo underneath a mosquito net, cementing their love and our connection with Brazil and each year we return to explore a different destination along on the coast.
Where to go & What to do
URUGUAY (from south to north)
- Colonia del Sacramento: not really a beach destination, but it’s well worth the stop if you’re taking the ferry over from Buenos Aires, and the beach on the river is nothing to write home about but perfectly pleasant. More interesting is the town which has maintained much of its Portuguese Colonial style and has some good restaurants and there are several local wineries to visit.
- Jose Ignacio: a laid back little beach town with some fantastic restaurants and our favourite spot on the Uruguayan coast (it was where Paulo and Hugh’s wedding was held so we may be a little biased!). It also has some of our favourite hotels in the country and it’s only a short drive from some wineries that have been making big waves in the industry in recent years.
- Cabo Polonio: a perfectly preserved traditional Uruguay coastal village. It is located in a protected area and there is little to no access to any mod cons – including mains electricity and water, which comes purely from solar panels and bore holes. If you’re looking to totally disconnect, it’s the place to be and also has some huge (up to 30 m) sand dunes (which you travel through to get to the village) and a colony of sea lions who have set themselves up a short walk from the village
- Punta del Diablo: a fun, chilled out surfer town that attracts a younger visitor and, unlike much of the Uruguayan coast, it has a slope rising up from the beach so most houses have great views.
BRAZIL (from south to north)
- Florianopolis: the closest destination to Buenos Aires and one of the few places, that have some more exclusive accommodation options as well as a nearby airport with a direct flight to the Argentine capital.
- Rio de Janeiro: the ultimate city beach experience, with a great nightlife. However, there are also a variety of accommodation options in smaller towns, close enough to Rio to experience the city but far enough away to have a break from the bustle when you need it.
- Trancoso: one of the most beautiful towns on the Brazilian coast and home to possibly the most incredible beach hotel in South America.
- Boipeba and the Cairu Archipelago: an enchanting, very excluded archipelago off the coast of the north eastern state of Bahia.
- Fernando de Noronha: an island off the northern coast, declared a marine national park in 1988, only 420 tourists are allowed on the island at any one time, making it possibly the most exclusive of all destinations on the Brazilian coast. The island lies within a volcanic archipelago of 21 islands and the waters are teeming with colourful fish, dolphins, lobsters, turtles, sponges and corals, making it a great destination for diving and snorkelling.
- Jericoacoara: the most northern destination we work in, known for its stunning sand dunes and some excellent windsurfing and kitesurfing options.
Travel logistics
- By including the coast of Brazil we are able to offer time on the beach pretty much all year round. If you are looking for a more private experience, an interesting nightlife, or a certain activity, the dates are more important. However, if you let us know your preferences, we’ll make sure to send you to the beach that fits you best.
- Between Uruguay and Brazil we are talking about a very long stretch of coastline and weather can be varying, though, as a very general rule, in the Autumn/Winter months (April to September) head north and in the Spring/Summer ones (October to March) head south.
- The most accessible beaches from Buenos Aires are in Uruguay, which you can get to by ferry across the River Plate.
- The Iguazu Waterfalls can link well with Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, as there are direct flights from Foz de Iguaçu, which is just over the border from Argentina’s Puerto Iguazu.
- There are also direct flights from Buenos Aires to Rio de Janeiro and Florianopolis.
- Unless you are happy to charter flights, many of the destinations further north in Brazil are trickier to get to, particularly those situated on islands, some of which require several flights, boats, and even tractor-taxis to get to. We always do everything we can to alleviate the stress of travelling, though at times there is little we can do, and it is important to factor in at least a day’s travelling when going to more remote regions. We can only say that, if you have the time, these regions are worth every inconvenience to get to.
Things to keep in mind
- The obvious is of course the rising temperatures around the globe. Irrelevant of your skin type the sun can be very powerful and you want to make sure you have good protection and access to shade.
- The Brazilian government has a habit of changing their visa rules so, during the planning of any given trip, we would advise on any updated information and do everything we can to help to make the process as stress-free as possible.
- As we only work with a very select group of accommodations along the Uruguayan and Brazil coasts, availability is more of an issue, so the more time in advance you give us, the better the chance we have of getting you to the beach destination of your dreams.
Example Itineraries
Some examples of our favourite trips that we’ve organised over the years:
