Heaven on Earth: Rocha

Every year, January 16th, my family and friends have an appointment: we prepare the mate (typical Uruguayan beverage and something that we cannot live without), buy some bizcochos (pastries), fill the gas tank and officially inaugurate the beginning of our holiday.

The journey usually takes three hours and we arrive to La Paloma at around 9am. We leave our luggage, prepare the mate again and go for our first walk of the year on the beach.

Last year was a particularly special holiday because most of our friends managed to go. We rented the same house as previous years, which at this point is kind of our second home. Although there are many hotels in La Paloma, the most required accommodation are rental houses. Price ranges vary a lot, depending on the zone, the distance to the beach, etc. A house close to the beach for 4-5 people cost around US$ 80 per day. "Our house" is located in Costa Azul and it is only one block from the beach.

Although La Paloma is a small town, we always find something to do. Everyday we get up early, have breakfast under the trees while we listen to the ocean sounds, and go to the beach. Barbecuing is mandatory, not everyday but most days! Then nap time and in the afternoon we go to the beach until sunset. Sunsets: another chapter. La Balconada is the place to go. It is said that the most beautiful sunsets are enjoyed there, and when the sun disappears in the ocean, the enthusiastic audience starts to clap.

There are some interesting options for those who enjoy going out at night, from art and craft fairs, to cinema, restaurants, pubs, and three or four discos that are the centre of attention for young people. A couple of years ago, all the discos that were located in La Pedrera (another seaside in Rocha) moved to La Paloma, changing most young people’s destination for their holidays. People start going to the discos at around 4am and leave the place at around 11am or even later, especially during the first two weeks of January.

I highly recommend this beach, both for families and young people who want the beauty of the beaches and a place with interesting options to have fun after the sunset.

Fortunately, I have already booked the house and in a couple of months I will be under the gentle sun of La Paloma.

There are so many things to say about Cabo Polonio that it’s hard to decide where and how to start. First things first: Cabo Polonio is a small village located in the eastern coast of the province of Rocha, in Uruguay. The particular characteristics of this place are the things that you won’t find: electricity, to start with! Is this a reason for you not to choose Cabo Polonio? Hold on and continue reading, I’m sure you will change your mind. No running water, no roads, no cell phones, no internet access, no traffic, no noise! But trust me, nature compensates for all that.

You are not allowed to access the village by car. You have to leave your car in one of the shaded parking lots for cars near the highway and take one of the trucks of the companies that take you to the Cabo. If you are not travelling by car, the bus will leave you right there, on the route, and you then take the trucks to Cabo Polonio. The ride is short –around 7km- but you will have a lot of fun on the trucks.

Don’t expect many entertaining options here. The main attractions are the beautiful Atlantic beach, and dunes of sand, and the reserve of sea lions close to the lighthouse. People who choose it do it because they are looking for a place to relax, be in contact with nature, and forget about everyday life. It might take a while for you to get used to the silence of the place and not seeing lights, other that the stars and some lanterns, but after the initial shock, you won’t want to leave the place.

Hosteria La Perla is a good place to stay. You will particularly enjoy the large deck overlooking the beach. I can’t think of a better option that having breakfast there or taking a nap in one of the hammocks. You can also rent a rancho, but you have to do it with several months of anticipation, especially if you are planning you go in January, the busiest time of the year.

My base of operations is La Paloma, but we usually take a one day trip to Cabo Polonio. We prepare some sandwiches and leave early in the morning to enjoy the beauty of the beaches as much as we can.

Over the course of the years, Punta del Diablo has changed quite a lot. It used to be a small fishing village where some Uruguayans went to spend a quiet and relaxed holidays. Nowadays, although you will still spend a quiet and relaxed holiday, it has become a popular spot for European and American tourists too, and you will find the place pretty crowded, particularly in January.

Traditionally, foreign tourists would head to Punta del Este, because that was the Uruguayan trademark when talking about tourism. Fortunately, they started to discover the beauty of Rocha’s beaches and Punta del Diablo has become a favorite among them.

The beauty of this village is indescribable. Being a fishing village, one of the attractions that gather curious people everyday is when the boats come to the shore after a fishing day. Needless to say, you will eat fresh fish during your entire stay at the village!

If you are into surf, you are going to love this place and if you like nightlife, you will find some small but fun pubs to go.

We always take a day trip to Santa Teresa National Park, a nature reserve with an incredible variety of wildlife and beautiful beaches. I particularly like La Moza beach, going there is mandatory!

It is said that a great hostel opened a couple of years ago, El Diablo Tranquilo. Since I haven’t stayed there, I cannot recommend it, but it should be considered as an option for anyone looking for accommodation. The other option is a rental house. Prices are similar to the other beaches of Rocha, around $80 per day (the house, not per person) in January, and a little less in February.

Punta del Este is not located in the province of Rocha, but in Maldonado. It’s not a place that I typically go during my holidays, but since it’s pretty close to La Paloma (about 1 hour) it might be a good option for those interested in a bigger and chicer destination.

It’s pretty well-known among foreign tourist, especially Argentineans and Brazilians who visit the peninsula every year looking for the beauty of the beaches but also the intense nightlife that includes casinos, discos, international shows, etc.

As in the rest of Uruguay, temperature from December to March is around 30 degrees (Celsius), making it a perfect location for beach lovers, families, and people fond of different sports like surfing, kite surfing, and even parachuting. Everything can be found here.

It’s a great place for families too. One of the options is the Zoo and you even have the facilities to cook a traditional Uruguayan barbecue.

Don’t miss the place, but also consider that it’s very expensive compared to the rest of Uruguay.