Cabo Polonio
Uruguay · Rocha · 5 m
Description
Cabo Polonio is a village of shacks in the dunes with no road, no mains electricity and no piped water, reached only by four-wheel-drive trucks that grind across the sand from the highway or on foot along the beach. It sits inside a national park on a headland between two bays, and the rocks below the lighthouse carry one of the largest sea lion colonies in South America. Power comes from solar panels and wind, light at night from candles, and the absence of streetlights makes the sky here the darkest on the coast. Little can be bought here, so supplies come with you.
Length of stay
Recommended length of stay: 1 to 4 days (optimal 2 days)
Travel season
Best time to visit: December – March
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Highlights
- Sea lion colony below the lighthouse
- Cabo Polonio lighthouse and its climb
- Dune truck ride from the highway
- Night sky without streetlights
- Shifting dunes of the national park
- Off-grid hostels and candlelit bars
- Beach walk to Barra de Valizas
- Whale watching from the rocks (July - November)
- Southern right whale and penguin sightings (July - November)