Punta del Este

Currency

Uruguay is the most expensive country in South America and Punta is the most expensive part of it. Foreign visitors paying by foreign card get the 22% VAT refunded automatically on restaurant bills and accommodation, which is a real saving — pay by card rather than cash for that reason alone.

ATMs & cards

Banco República, Itaú and Santander. Machines dispense both pesos and US dollars, so check which you are asking for. Fees are moderate. Cards work everywhere and are usually the better choice here.

Foreign visitors paying by foreign card get the 22% VAT refunded automatically on meals and accommodation. Pay by card for that reason alone. Machines dispense both pesos and dollars, so check which you asked for.

Wherever you are: if the machine offers to charge you in your home currency, decline. That is dynamic currency conversion and the rate is set by the ATM's operator, not your bank.

Safety

Uruguay is among the safest countries in Latin America and Punta is calm, particularly out of season. Petty theft on the beaches in January is the main issue. The Atlantic side, Playa Brava, has strong undertows and is not the side to swim on with children — Playa Mansa on the river side is the calm one, which is what the names mean.

Our own assessment, not a sourced index.

Entry & visa

Health & emergencies

Required to enter

• Yellow fever certificate, but only if you are arriving from a country where yellow fever is present

Worth having

• Routine vaccinations up to date
• Hepatitis A
• Typhoid for longer stays

Getting treated

The best in South America alongside Chile. Emergency care is provided to everyone, the private mutualista system is well run, and Punta del Este has good clinics that scale up for the summer. Tap water is safe to drink, which is unusual for the region.

Orientation, not medical advice. Entry rules change and what you need depends on your own history and where you have been — check with a travel clinic or your national health service four to six weeks before you go.

Food tip

Uruguayan beef is the equal of Argentina’s and the parrilla is the institution. Chivito is the national sandwich and enormous. Tannat is the local red and it is very good.

Getting around

• Rental car — the practical choice for reaching José Ignacio and the beaches beyond
• Bus from Montevideo — 2h, comfortable and frequent, run by COT and Copsa
• Local bus — along the peninsula and the two coasts, cheap and adequate in summer
• Ferry from Buenos Aires — to Montevideo or Colonia, then the road east
• Airport: Laguna del Sauce (PDP), 20 min, or Montevideo (MVD), 1.5h

Must-see

Things to do

• See La Mano early, before the queue for the photograph
• Drive east to José Ignacio for the afternoon
• Watch the sun set at Casapueblo
• Take the boat out to the sea lion colony on Isla de Lobos
• Eat a full parrilla, slowly

Nearby day trips

Say a few words

Spanish (Latin American)

• HelloHolaOH-la
• PleasePor favorpor fa-VOR
• Thank youGraciasGRA-syas
• Yes / NoSí / Nosee / no
• Excuse meDisculpedees-KOOL-peh
• How much is it?¿Cuánto cuesta?KWAN-to KWES-ta
• The bill, pleaseLa cuenta, por favorla KWEN-ta
• Cheers!¡Salud!sa-LOOD

The c and z are said as an s here, not the Spanish "th" — gracias is GRA-syas.

Religion

No majority faith, strictly secular

The most secular country in Latin America by a wide margin, and separation of church and state is thorough — Christmas is officially "Family Day" and Holy Week is "Tourism Week".

Do's and don'ts

Do

• Accept mate if it is passed to you, drink it all, and hand the gourd back to the server, not the next person
• Greet with one kiss on the cheek, including between men in social settings
• Eat late — dinner rarely starts before 21:00
• Pay by foreign card at restaurants and hotels; the 22% VAT comes straight off for foreign visitors

Don't

• Do not say gracias when handed mate unless you mean "no more" — it ends your turn
• Do not stir the mate straw; it is set the way it is on purpose
• Do not confuse Uruguay with Argentina out loud, particularly about football, tango or the origin of dulce de leche
• Do not rush anyone. The pace is unhurried by choice, not by accident