Punta del Este

Where to stay

Budget beds cluster in the older town center around the Mercado del Puerto and the streets behind the main strip, where prices are a fraction of the beachfront hotels. La Barra, the fishing village at the peninsula's northern tip, has a handful of cheaper guesthouses and a more local feel, but it is a long walk from the center and requires a bus or taxi to reach the main beaches.

Getting around

• The peninsula is small enough to walk, but the southern beaches (Brava and Manso) are at the opposite end from the northern fishing village of La Barra. Plan your day around one end or the other to avoid a long trek back to your hostel with sand in your shoes.
• Fly into Montevideo rather than the local Laguna del Sauce airport. MVD has far more connections and lower fares, and the bus ride to Punta del Este takes about two hours, saving a significant chunk of cash compared to the regional airport.
• Bring cash in Uruguayan pesos. While high-end spots in the center take cards, the smaller eateries, beach kiosks, and local buses often prefer or require cash, and ATMs can be scarce in the outer reaches of the peninsula.

When to go

Hostels are cheapest and easiest to book from May through September, when the town is quiet and the weather is cool. Prices spike and beds vanish from December through March, the Uruguayan summer, when domestic tourists and international visitors flood the peninsula for the heat and nightlife.