Punta Del Este: To Do and To Stay

Punta Del Este is known as South Americas most glamourous resort with its A-List celebrity beaches and yacht harbour.

Often people go on a day trip from Montevideo as it is only 2 hours away. However, I feel Punta Del Este deserves a 2 night stay.

Click image above to visit my Pinterest Travel Board

As we stepped off the overnight bus at 6am (after a surprisingly good nights sleep) we immediately saw the prestigious ‘Hand in the Sand’ in the distance! This was the perfect opportunity to see sunrise and get some ‘tourist-free’ pictures! Also known as La Mano, the hand is on Brava Beach, which is also known for its strong surf.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

This is the first place we noticed we arrived in low season. It felt like a ghost town but that’s not always a bad thing. Yes in the day it was quiet, but we got some fantastic pictures and after 4pm the beaches became alive with locals until sunset and beyond.
That day we not only saw the sunrise but also the sunset… it was a long but rewarding day! We visited the Lighthouse, the Catholic Church (Nuestra Senora de la Candelaria), Brava Beach, Emir Beach as well as a walk to the yacht harbour where we saw our first glimpse of the Sea-Lions!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Where we Stayed

We spent two evenings at Trip Hostel and then we were kindly invited to Del Barcito Hostel. They kindly hosted us in a private bedroom with a private bathroom. I have to say this is the comfiest nights sleep I have had all month. A proper mattress that doesn’t make you feel like a cripple the next day… bonus points! After a day of rain, we definitely were in need of a hot shower and Del Barcito have HOT showers! It sounds daft but little things please travellers, like hooks and shelves. It makes our lives so much easier and Del Barcito have thought of everything for you.

Del Barcito Hostel is a restored barn and has accommodation in two wings; the private rooms and the dorms. The hostel offers fantastic communal areas such as; a cinema room, two cosy seating areas and games area in the communal kitchen space. There is ample space to have some time to yourself, watch a film or have a ‘friendly’ game of table tennis! This was Duncan’s favourite thing about the hostel. I didn’t realise he loved ping-pong so much but apparently ‘who doesn’t like a game of ping-pong?’ It’s a good question haha!

The kitchen offers everything you need to make a proper meal. There were ample pots, pans and utensils. We made a lemon chicken, rice and vegetable dish, using many more pans than we usually would and it was divine! In the morning, they served bread, ham, cheese with jams and my favourite, Dolce de Leite. We were also made a banana smoothie, this was a first for us and we really appreciated the effort the staff made.

Throughout the hostel you will see beautiful art work in keeping with the street art we have previously seen around South America. This adds to the ambience of the property. The staff speak good English and were more than happy for us to join them with some popcorn and a film. As we mentioned, it was quiet due to low season but I can imagine this place comes alive in high season!