Punta del Diablo explained

Official Name:Punta del Diablo
Settlement Type:Village, resort
Pushpin Map:Uruguay
Pushpin Label Position:right
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in Uruguay
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name: Uruguay
Subdivision Type1:Department
Subdivision Name1:Rocha Department
Population As Of:2011
Population Total:823
Blank1 Name:Climate
Blank1 Info:Cfa
Timezone:UTC -3
Coordinates:-34.0458°N -53.5389°W
Postal Code Type:Postal code
Postal Code:27204
Area Code:+598 4477

Punta del Diablo is a village and seaside locality in Uruguay, Rocha Department, east from the capital Montevideo. According to the 2011 census, its permanent population consisted of 823 inhabitants, mostly fishermen and artisans, while during high tourism season, the population swells to approximately 25,000, mostly with Argentinians, Brazilians and Europeans on holiday. As with the country it is located in, the primary language spoken in Punta del Diablo is Spanish.In 2008 it was named by the magazine "Lonely Planet" as one of the top 20 places to visit and invest.

Population

In 2011 Punta del Diablo had a population of 823.[1]

Year Population
1985 199
1996 318
2004 389
2011 823
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística de Uruguay[2]

Geography

The village of Punta Del Diablo is situated from Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay, from the upscale seaside resort town of Punta del Este, and 43 km from Chuy (which borders the Brazil city of Chuí).

Punta Del Diablo is perched on a gentle rise overlooking the ocean and centered around a square of brightly colored buildings, including houses, shops, restaurants, bars, shops and grocery stores that line sandy lanes.[3]

Due to strict building codes, there are no high rises or sprawling luxury resorts or high rises. Instead there are small hotels, a boutique hostel, cabanas and vacation houses.[3]

The white sands of the beach below are separated by the main rocky point, "Punta Del Diablo," which extends more than 600 feet, and two other rocky points, together forming "The Trident."

Climate

Punta del Diablo is in the Southern Hemisphere's temperate zone and has four seasons. Temperatures average 21C27C in summer and 10C16C in winter.

Tourism

The high season for tourism runs from December through February, as well as through Easter week. During high season, the population of the small fishing and artisan village of approximately 400 people, grows to approximately 25,000.

Tourists rent homes and cabanas or stay in hostels and small hotels. Most of the hotels and hostels are open only during the high season; however, some are open year-round to accommodate the increasing number of visitors to the seaside village. In response several restaurants including fine-dining options are also open off-season.[4]

In 2008, Lonely Planet ranked Punta del Diablo among the top 10 cities to visit.During that year, tourism was up to about 20,000 visitors during the December to February seasonal peak.[3]

Punta del Diablo's popularity with holidaymakers has steadily increased. And the single farming family that has owned the entirety of Punta del Diablo has been steadily selling land to investors.[5]

This tourism growth and Uruguay's positive investment climate and rule of law are attractive to foreign investors. Foreign investors are treated the same as national investors, prior authorization is not required, and they enjoy fully free remittance of capital and profits. Uruguay itself is host to about 100 American firms with investments totaling approximately $656 million; and the small village of Punta del Diablo has attracted a steady stream of American and other foreign investors.[6]

Places of interest

Activities

Horseback Riding. Year round, visitors can rent horse or take guided horseback riding tours on the beach or in the forest.

Dune boarding. Similar to snow boarding only done on the sand dunes. The surf shop in Punta del Diablo sells dune boards. Popular locations in Punta del Diablo for sand duning include the south end of La Viuda beach.

Surfing. The surf breaks off Punta Diablo's beaches offer relatively consistent and uncrowded surf. Best conditions are in the autumn and winter with high season running from December to February.[9] Visitors can rent or purchase surf boards at the Surf Shop on, Main Road.[10]

Transport

It is about an hour's walk from one end of the town to another. There is a regular bus service that transports people from the main village road to the beach. There is a taxi, which often parks at the bus stop.

Punta del Diablo has regular bus service to Chuy (bordering Brazil), Rocha and Montevideo. During the summer, there is service to the seaside towns of La Paloma, La Piedra, and Punta del Este. During the high season of tourism, January, all bus seats are sometimes booked days in advance.

Car rentals are found in Montevideo.

Going into Punta del Diablo, some of the buses go into town and others drop off passengers about 5 km from town at a square from which dirt roads fan out to various parts of the village. It is about a 3 ½ bus ride from Montevideo.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Censos 2011 Rocha (needs flash plugin) . INE . 2012 . 30 August 2012.
  2. Web site: 1963–1996 Statistics / P . Instituto Nacional de Estadística de Uruguay . 2004 . DOC . 7 July 2011.
  3. Web site: Radical Getaway In Uruguay, a Refuge Is Losing Its Low Profile. The Washington Post, Remy Scalza. June 8, 2008.
  4. Web site: Where to eat in Punta del Diablo. Guru'GUAY. Guru'GUAY. 3 September 2015.
  5. Web site: More discerning Puntas. The Guardian, Benji Lanyado. December 8, 2007.
  6. Web site: Background Note: Uruguay. United States Department of State. April 8, 2010.
  7. Web site: Tourist information. visituruguay.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20110622101710/http://www.visit-uruguay.com/tourist-information/13.aspx. 22 June 2011 .
  8. Web site: Introducing Punta del Diablo. Lonely Planet. 2009-02-17.
  9. Web site: Uruguay's laid-back surfing devil. Martinez-Carter. Karina. 2017-07-27.
  10. Web site: Punta del Diablo Surf Forecast and Surf Reports. surf-forecast.com. February 17, 2009.