About Punta del Este, Uruguay

In late December, Punta del Este, Uruguay transforms from a sleepy coastal city to one of the most elite summer resorts in South America. Punta del Este has been called "St Tropez South", "Hamptons of South America", and "Rio's Successor". This resort town is charactarized by beautiful white-sand beaches (perfect for swimming), world-class hotels, great restaurants, and one of the most vibrant nightlife scenes in all of South America during this time of the year.

From late December to mid February, Punta del Este is mostly frequented by people from Argentina, Brasil, and Chile, but as of late has seen an increase in the number of Europeans and Americans. Expensive by local standards, Punta del Este is attractively priced compared to European and US resorts.

During this time there are also a ton of events happenning in Punta del Este - jazz, music festivals, film festivals, rodeos, fashion shows on the beach and various tournaments, including golf, rugby and polo. Last year, the Miss Playboy TV Latin America beauty contest completed the roster of events.

More about Punta del Este:

1. Beaches -Playa Brava on the Atlantic and Playa Mansa on the Río de la Plata are the two main beaches, but all the beaches are terrifically crowded during the summer season.

2. Daily Activities -Beach activities, plus golf, tennis, horseback riding, biking, bird-watching, and numerous watersports, such as parasailing, windsurfing, water-skiing and snorkeling on both Playa Mansa and Playa Brava.

3. Shopping - Punta del Este offers world-class shopping. From Uruguayan Shops to European Boutiques on Calle Gorlero to a huge shopping mall on Avenida Roosevelt, you will find what you are looking for.

4. Nightlife - Casinos, bars, nightclubs, discos start late and continue through the night. The Conrad Resort and Casino holds Las Vegas-style reviews and other music, dance, and magic shows. A lot of the clubs and restaurants are found in "La Barra".