Tours and Activities:

Polonio Planet

It is hard to put it into words but there is no doubt that this is another planet. It is that simple and that true. It is necessary to see it in order to understand.

Where the blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean meet the bright orange color of this little desert, some fishermen's houses appear on the sand out of the blue. On the other side of the sand dune, there lies Cabo Polonio, which can be reached on horseback, 4WD vehicles or a two-hour hike through a desert-like landscape.

Cape Polonio would strike anyone as an unusual place. It is one of those places that turns out to be special from wherever you look at it. It is renowned for its history as well as the traditional and ecologist spirit it has developed in the last few years.

History at its Feet

On January 31, 1753, Joseph Polloni commanded the Spanish galleon called "Nuestra Señora del Rosario" coming from Cadiz (Spain). Due to a navigation mistake, it ran aground in the rocky area of the cape, so far without a name. The victimless accident caused the place to be baptized with the name used for the ship - “Polonio”.

The shipwrecked sailors that remained there were the first settlers and they fished until they were rescued and could get back to Spain on other Spanish galleons of the time.

Since it was an area of difficult navigation, the repeated shipwrecks made it necessary to set up a lighthouse in the year 1880. Its aim was to guide the ships which could not make it through the rocky areas without a reference. Later, the Uruguayan State, opened a factory for seal exploitation – slaughtering and fishing – and from then on, a small stable settlement was created.


From the Seals to Tourism

As the years went by, the region acquired a preservation spirit which is evident today: seals were protected and the slaughter was totally abandoned. As a consequence, the fauna population has multiplied just like in the beginning.

Currently, only a hundred residents still live on craft fishing. Now, summer tourism lures young craftsmen, ecologists, artists, writers and lovers of solitude, among others, to visit this place. Despite the passing of time, there are occasions on which it seems that nothing has changed here. Cape Polonio remains as fascinating as it was in the past.


No Sense

Polonio is unlike any other city as there neither streets nor squares. Everything seems to be relaxed and there are times in which this logic-free spirit turns out to be common sense. That is why people like it so much.

It offers very few services. It has no running water or electricity, just the sand, the rocks and the sea, which together make up the landscape as there are no trees. Despite their precarious condition, the little houses, the seal roaring, the wind and the fierce waves are excellent excuses to pay a visit.

The most interesting thing is that whoever wants to reach Cape Polonio must live as its inhabitants do: trying to be unnoticed and having ecology as a priority in their lives. Most of the residents have batteries which are charged in the lighthouse since it is the only place with energy. At night, a few lamps and countless candles make it a magical and wonderful place.

See also: Hotels in Cabo Polonio and other accommodation venues