Cabo Polonio: A Sand Lover’s Paradise in Uruguay

Somewhere up the coast of Uruguay, about halfway between Punta del Este and Punta del Diablo, you will find the tiny caserio of Cabo Polonio. Or maybe you won’t. No roads go to this laid-back beach town, it’s separated from the main highway by several miles of mud dirt and sand paved roads. You have two options to get there really:

1. Walk. It’s only 4 hours from Punta del Diablo on foot I’m told.  You can do it 😉

OR

2. Catch one of these hilarious looking pick up truck buses:

Pick Up Trucks/Buses to Get to Cabo Polonio, Uruguay

The Trip to Cabo Polonio By Truck Pick Up

The Sand Road to Cabo Polonio

The Empty Beach at Cabo Polonio

After a pleasant teeth-jostling ride you’ll arrive in town. If you can even really call it a town. According to Wikipedia the population in 2011 was 95 people in Cabo Polonio. There are no roads, no running water, and variable electricity (there is wifi though, just like everywhere in Uruguay). The place consists mainly of a few ramshackle houses, hostels and restaurants spread out across the sand and grass sprinkled with the odd horse, turkey or rabbit. And then there is the stretch of sand and the ocean.

The town of Cabo Polonio has a population of 95A hostel in Cabo Polonio

Cabo Polonio in Uruguay has a decided hippy feelBeach Huts in Cabo PolonioA horse grazing in Cabo Polonio, Uruguay

The place has a decidedly hippie feel, and quite a few of the omnipresent Uruguayan hippies selling bracelets, smoking joints and drinking mate. Aside from the hippies, it’s become a bit of a daytripper tourist experience, with huge amounts of people being carted in for a few hours to poke around. Nonetheless, it’s an incredibly unique little town and it is worth your time to visit Cabo Polonio.

Hippies at Cabo Polonio in Uruguay

Shell Wind Chimes for Sale in Cabo Polonio, Uruguay

A Little Shack in Cabo Polonio, Uruguay

Fishing Boats in Cabo Polonio, Uruguay

The Beach at Cabo Polonio, Uruguay Beach Covered in Shells at Cabo Polonio, Uruguay The Lighthouse at Cabo Polonio, Uruguay

 

While it may be a trek to get to this little hippy town, Cabo Polonio offers deserted beaches, gorgeous views and more in this quaint little Uruguayan beach town!

 

Headed to Uruguay?  Learn more about travel to this country also known as Le Celeste!

Uruguay: The Best and The Worst

Things You Didn’t Know About Uruguay

Guide to Driving the Coast of Uruguay

 

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Cabo Polonio

 

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19 thoughts on “Cabo Polonio: A Sand Lover’s Paradise in Uruguay”

  1. This is some good material. It took me a while to come across this website but it was worth the time. I noticed this page was hidden in yahoo and not the first spot. This blog has a lot of high-quality material and it does not deserve to be burried in the search engines like that. By the way I am going to save this web page to my list of favorites.

  2. There’s not running water because Cabo Polonio is a protected area, so no plumbing is allowed except for some people who afford the extra taxes it requires. Also, you can arribe by horse riding following the beach! I was there by all ways, walking though the dunes (al night!! Surreal), by the lovely tucks, and my favourite by far is by horse.
    Come back! The interior of Uruguay has a local flavor that tourist-not-tourist will defenitive appreciate.

  3. I’d rather not walk from Punta del Diablo to Cabo Polonio! From Valizas it’s already a two hour walk 😉 They’ve been joking, it’s a least a 2 day walk! So it’s better to take a bus, which will take you there in 1 hour. Saves you a lot of time and some blisters as well 😉

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