Uruguay Resort Punta Del Este

Hand in the Sand, La Mano, Homes, Napolean Restaurant BBQ

Punta Del Este's main claim to fame is La Mano, the giant hand in the sand. But there's more! This Uruguay resort where the Rio De La Plata meets the Atlantic Ocean offers whale watching, a marina, beaches, and fabulous seafood. There's even an Apple store.

I came by highway from Montevideo, with stops at Piriapolis and the fabulous Casapueblo. There are direct flights from Buenos Aires Argentina, to Punta Del Este. The summer months (December, January) are high season and many hotels are fully booked by visitors, who swell the local population of 20,000.

La Mano ~ The Hand in the Sand

La Mano -- the concrete fingers/ hand in the sand -- is the work of Mario Irrarazabal, a Chilean artist.

La Mano is at Playa Brava.

Punta is a port of call for many South American cruise ships, and La Mano is a must-take photo!

I am amazed that this day, I was alone on the beach. Likely it was because it was a weekday before Christmas, and overcast.

Street scene in Punta Del Este Uruguay

Main street in punta del este uruguay

This mid-week day, rain kept threatening but managed to hold off, though skies stayed cloudy, and few people were on the beaches that surround the downtown area shown here.

There are almost as many motorbikes as cars. De-commissioned red phone booths from the UK add ambiance to the streetscape.

Furniture store windows showcase high style Scandinavian and Euro designs.

Punta has good seafood and barbecue restaurants, hotels, condos, and marinas, and is also good celebrity watching spot: Brazilian racing champion, Emerson Fittipaldi, has (had?) a home west of Punta.

Punta Del Este City Park garden

Punta del este park in city Uruguay

Most of the upscale homes in Punta, I was informed, are owned by well-known businessmen.

As well, Punta draws artists from all over the world (no pun).

At the time of my visit, a very large estate was being built, but no one knew the identity of the owner.

The property was already surrounded by berms, cinder block and other fencing, then faced with stone; Overall, the fencing was about two feet thick and six feet high. Whoever it is certainly wants privacy!