Now that the leaves are turning and the weather is getting colder, our thoughts of warm weather and finding surf spots with friends become more frequent. I like to think that I’m a cultured person as I often go with my friends and family to exotic far away places and fully absorb the other culture in any way I can.
Recently, I was with my family in Punta del Este, Uruguay visiting other family and friends. Just an hour and a half flight east from Buenos Aires, Punta del Este is where everyone flocks to during the weekends in the summer. Imagine Punta del Este as the Hamptons to the Argentine and Uruguayan population, for those who can afford it of course.
Apart from its delicious and exquisite cuts of meat, Punta del Este is the exporter for epic waves that would make any surfer, novice or professional, drool. From Playa Montoya to Playa Mansa, the beachgoers and surf regulars will personally tell you that the waves and the laid-back life here are what makes Punta del Este so special.
Tucked away in a seaside town, Playa Montoya is located right when you enter La Barra heading west towards Jose Ignacio from Punta del Este. Playa Montoya should actually be renamed “Playas Montoya” as it’s essentially a strip of beaches. Playa Montoya is considered one of the few meccas for die hard surfers because of its general wideness combined with gargantuan waves together with coarse sand. In fact, the World Surfing Championships is sometimes held here in the summer.
Playa “El Emir” is also another popular destination among surfers who hail from everywhere in the world. Legend has it among the locals, that sometime in the early 20th century this beach was named after a man named Emir Aislan who came regularly and he became so in love it, that he created a seaside house for himself right beside the beach. On top of the beach you can also see a pair of sculpted fingers emerging through the sand, Los Dedos.
Just talking about this with you all makes me want to grab anything that floats and go back and surf these beaches!
