Before talking about its beautiful sunsets, pay special attention to the water… When you look at the water in Uruguay’s capital, Montevideo, you can notice a brownish color. There it lies the Río de la Plata, the widest river in the world. It is also said to be a river as “wide as the sea”. But if you look further, you can see the color starts to turn green, depending on the day and currents.
Going east…
After driving 100km from the capital the water starts to turn greener and greener, the water you now see would be 100% from Atlantic Ocean! Well, not exactly 100%… depending on the currents there might be a mixture in some areas. But after driving 200km and entering Rocha, you will be amazed by the emerald color of the ocean, its wild waves and natural scenery everywhere. Rocha is the eastern city full of summer houses and beach resorts next to the border that separates Uruguay from Brazil.
Regional tourists
Rocha is one of the most visited places in summer. People from everywhere come to spend their holidays, but mostly Uruguayans who love the ocean and the peace of those places. Many Brazilians who are probably tired of the crowds in their own beaches decide to drive some kilometers to here to rest. Argentinians are also regular visitors, although they usually prefer Punta del Este (a bit crowdy for Uruguayans!)
In Rocha there are certain areas which are considered part of the National System of Protected Areas. Tourists cannot go freely anywhere they want. For instance, to go to Cabo Polonio’s beach you need to leave your car far from the beach. A special truck takes tourists there. They will remind you to take special care of not throwing anything at the beach and protecting the environment. There are areas with no electricity, and that makes the place much more attractive for those seeking a different experience in contact with nature.
Gratitude
One of the most wonderful moments during the day at the beach is the sunset. As after 6 or 7pm it would get a bit chilly at the beach in Uruguay’s Atlantic coast, it is common for people to bring a jacket or hoodie to stay and wait for the sunset. You can see people drinking mate and chatting, reading or just relaxing, while they are all waiting for the sunset. Once the sun disappears into the horizon everyone would start clapping. It seems that everyone feels the need to thank the sun for a wonderful day. After this moment, within a few minutes, everyone goes home.
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