Punta del Este New Year's: South America's Greatest Party
Punta del Este hosts South America's most glamorous New Year's Eve celebration — approximately 500,000 people converge on the resort for a week of parties culminating in fireworks over the yacht marina
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New Year's week
The week between Christmas and New Year transforms Punta del Este — the resident population of 10,000 swells to more than 500,000 as Argentinians, Brazilians and international visitors arrive; the hotels, restaurants and rental apartments are booked months in advance; the city operates on a completely different scale than the rest of the year
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Casino Culture
Conrad Casino's New Year's Gala - featuring international performers, formal attire and all-night gambling - is South America's most prestigious New Year's party; tickets sell out months in advance; the casino's New Year's celebration is the centerpiece of Punta del Este's high-season social calendar
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Beach parties
The beach clubs Playa Mansa and Playa Brava hold outdoor parties during the summer season (December-February); the combination of the beach environment, the warm Uruguayan summer nights and the international crowd creates a party atmosphere that mixes South American and European beach club culture
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Aguas Dulces and Punta del Diablo
The smaller beach villages north of Punta del Este — Aguas Dulces and Punta del Diablo — offer a bohemian alternative to the resort's glamour; the wooden beach houses, alternative art scene and backpacker-friendly accommodation attract a younger, more alternative crowd seeking the Uruguayan coast without the Punta del Este price tag
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Tennis and Polo
Punta del Este has elite sports facilities - the Cantegril Country Club (tennis), the La Barra polo field and the golf courses are all part of the resort's appeal to the Argentinian and Brazilian upper classes; the polo season (October-December) culminates just before the New Year peak season
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Low season Punta
Punta del Este in the off-season (April-November) is a completely different experience — the population drops dramatically, the restaurants thin out, and the resort takes on a melancholic quality in the off-season; the empty beaches, the closed businesses and the low gray winter sky create an atmosphere that some visitors find more interesting than the high season spectacle