Punta del Diablo

About this place

An old fishing village on the northern Rocha coast near the Brazilian border, now a favourite with young travellers and lovers of quiet, with colourful wooden houses and thatched roofs on sandy hills, dirt streets and broad beaches between rocky points. At its heart is the fishermen's beach, where colourful wooden boats are hauled onto the sand after fishing, beside small stalls selling fresh fish and seafood empanadas. Other beaches stretch on either side, some favoured by surfers. On the rocky point a walkway runs among granite boulders battered by waves, with a lovely sunset view. The village has craft shops and small cafés, and a few kilometres away lies Santa Teresa park with its woods and fortress. The village is packed in January and quiet the rest of the year. The Rocha coast is wild and quiet most of the year and busy in January; the ocean is cold with strong waves, so swim only at guarded spots.