PLAYA MONTOYA
Uruguay
Deserted beaches are fine as fantasy fodder, but put me on one for five minutes and I’m bored. That never happens in Punta del Este.
This jet-set vacation town, a 45-minute flight from Buenos Aires, is where Argentina’s beautiful people come to strip off and demonstrate just how beautiful they are. Sitting on the pure white sand at Playa Montoya, you’ve got swimmers in front of you, surfers riding the big breakers on either side and the shabby-chic settlement of La Barra just a stroll away.
Playa Montoya keeps me content for days, but to glam it up local-style, you need to beach-hop. Start your day with the mini-Miami vibe of Playa Mansa, promenading along its beauty-contest boardwalks. Then it’s over to Playa de los Ingleses, a surf ’sup stunner, before a lazy lunch at Cactus y Pescados, above Playa Bikini. Fancy shrimps served in a pumpkin?
Aim to watch the sunset from the boho beach town of Jose Ignacio. Arrive at about 5pm, grab a cold beer from a beach bar and sit beside the flaming tiki torches while DJs float chilled-out sounds across the cooling sand.
Take me there: the Punta del Este season runs from December to February. Exsus (, www.exsus.com) has a 10-day trip, with seven nights at Mantra Resort (www.mantraresort.com), which has the swankiest beach club in town, and two nights in Buenos Aires, from £2,820pp, B&B, in February, including flights from Heathrow and transfers. Or try Steppes Travel (, www.steppestravel.co.uk).
Richard Green
