Punta del Este is a beach resort town in Uruguay complete with casinos, beaches, yachts and lots of tourists. Many of these tourists come from the other side of the Rio de la Plata from Argentina to get some nice fun in the sun on a beach away from the brown waters of the Rio de la Plata.

Understand

The unspoilt Uruguayan peninsula of Punta del Este is all paradisiacal oceanic beaches, exotic sophistication, beautiful people and an ardent night scene.

Get in

Regular buses come back and forth from Montevideo regularly, making Punta del Este a convenient day trip. If you are in Buenos Aires, you can take a short direct flight (less than 1 hour) to Punta del Este. Alternatively, you can take the ferry (about 3 hours) from Buenos Aires to Montevideo, which is approximately one hour (by car) away from the Peninsula.

Get around

The bulk of Punta del Este resides on a peninsula jutting into the ocean. The perimeter of this peninsula can easily be transversed by foot.

See

The beautiful sunsets in the port, La Barra or Jose Ignacio. The endless beaches, beautiful seaside mansions, tree-lined streets, chic boutiques, stylish people.

Casa-Pueblo is a beautiful ciudadela-museum near Punta del Este. It was created by uruguayan artist Paez-Vilaró in a kind of mediterranean surrealistic architecture. He is the father of one of the survivors of the infamous plane crash on the Andes (depicted on Alive! movie).

Do

Punta del Este is famous for its clubbing scene... Most parties start very late, between midnight and 3am and end around dawn.

Tanning in his famous beaches.

Eat

Seafood in Punta del Este is delicious. Chivitos (steak sandwiches) and asado (steak) are the locals' favourite dishes. Aside from that, pretty much any type of food can be found: sushi, hindu, Italian, French cuisine, etc.

Drink

Local and imported wines (specially Argentinian and european vineyards). There's a famous drink in all Uruguay called "medio y medio" (half and half) which is a sweet mix of grappa and other beverages.

Sleep

• 1949 Hostel, corner of 18th and 30th street, 0059842440719 [1]. Expensive (...but well it is Punta del Este) hostel. Has internet facilities and a basic breakfast. The price is 15 US$ a night or the equivalent in Uruguayan pesos.

Get out

Every year the night life changes, so you never know which is going to be place that will hit the summer in Punta del Este.