La Paloma

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La Paloma is the beach resort with largest hotel and service infrastructure on the coast of Rocha. Its heterogeneous profile amalgams in the summer a large area of varied beaches, cuisine ranging from fast food to seafood with unique preparations, nightlife, handycrafts fairs, films and even a casino two blocks from the sea and a large hotel proposal, complex of cabins just steps from the beach. To make matters better, La Paloma is bordered by several beach resorts that blend in La Paloma maintaining its own personality and unique characteristics of its beaches, such as La Aguada, Costa Azul and Antoniópolis to the east and Anaconda, Solari and Playa Serena on the West. A large sample of what Rocha has to offer, everything at hand, especially in La Paloma.

To get there, if you are on Route 9, close to km 208, you must take a secondary route (but in very good condition): Route 15, and run a course of about 28 km to La Paloma. If arriving by boat, on the other hand, the Port of La Paloma is a very good choice, has 10 "borneo" moorings and 10 to 12 moorings on each side of the marina, and service for boats, more info can be found in website of the National Directorate of Hydrography (there you will find even an email to send inquiries).

Beaches

Obviously, the main attraction of the resort. The beaches of La Paloma are as extensive as varied, and they include several different locations, you could say that La Paloma is from Playa Serena to Antoniópolis. To make a short description from Antoniópolis to La Aguada you will find beaches, good surf and on the further east the beaches have better water and sand than those to the West (particularly La Aguada), closer to the port has some tar in the sand and sometimes the waters are not so clear. After the port is the La Paloma Bay, opposite the old town, good for sea baths and with an interesting landscape value, with La Tuna Island in front. Then comes the lighthouse and to the west La Balconada, with very coarse sand, good for smelt fishing with a rod because it has good depth even a few meters from the shore. Beware with the children on that beach.

After the first rocks, the water is calmer and more suitable for sea baths than for fishing, and there is where you can see the famous magical sunsets. This beach is crowded, in season, for youth who want to enjoy beautiful sunsets or listen to music that they perform accompanied by guitar, good voice or just enthusiasm. Continuing to the west, the Cabito, almost a swimming pool because it is enclosed by sandbars and rocks, so it is suitable for young children in good weather. Sometimes there is a lot of algae. For those looking for relax on uncrowded beaches surrounded by pine forests, is Los Botes, with fishing boats resting until the next exit to the sea, sharing the wide strip of sand with the people and the Christ of Lucho, an icon of the place, made by Lucho Maurente, fisherman and local artist. More remote are Anaconda beach, Playa Serena, and Solari all of them fine white sandy beaches. Off-season when there are few vacationers, it is wonderful to walk westward from Los Botes, and enjoy secluded beaches and the ocean, viewing as far as the eye, smelling the sea, the deafening roar of the waves on one side and the fresh and salty breeze in the face. For our part, we do not remember having been in a place more peaceful than that.

The surfers have, among others, beaches such as La Aguada, with good waves and fishermen can try their luck in the harbour, the Lighthouse and beaches such as La Balconada or Los Botes.

Other places

The Lighthouse: A tour that we recommend is a visit to the Faro, it has enough steps to demoralize you initially, but with more than 30 m in height, the view you have if you dare to rise, is spectacular, both the sea and the town of La Paloma. You can visit every day and each entry costs per person (2009) $ Uruguayans 15 (a bargain). No children younger than 8 years are allowed and it is a good idea, because the last section of approximately 3 meters is a little bit dangerous. For every children, under the lighthouse, there is a concentration of rocks with hundreds of sea shells brought by the sea, also among the small stones are small lakes where they can wet their feet.

If you intend to buy souvenirs or just are fans of shopping, in and around Solari Ave, La Paloma allows the widest choice: clothes, shoes, souvenirs, marine handicrafts, or surfboards, in short, whatever that comes to your mind. For years now, artisans exhibit their work on a craft fair, which currently are located in positions on Avenida La Paloma ... but it can only be visited in January and February.

Night at La Paloma

As for night life, La Paloma in season offers plenty of discos and nightclubs. La Paloma is the busiest night prior to La Pedrera, where converge young people who are vacationing from Playa Serena to Costa Azul. Out the high season, most of them you will find closed, as most shops.

For fans of the game, there is a Casino on ave. Solari (hotel Santa Maria). The hotel Santa Maria is a stunning landmark that appears in almost every postcard of La Paloma. Next to it there is a cinema for those who want fun without risking much money.

Where to eat

The gastronomic offer of La Paloma ranges from simple pizzerias, fast food bars, to restaurants (different price) with seafood specialties. If you do not want to cook on vacation, there are many food stores (and even restaurants that have delivery) but ask for share prices before you buy, because they are usually quite expensive. A word of advice: walk a lot and ask for prices before deciding. The not so touristic rotiserías to buy food cheaply, are mainly in the Los Molles supermarket environment or Sagittarius street, where there are also small unexpensive supermarkets.

Venturing farther

A place that, if you have a car, I heartily recommend to visit is the Laguna de Rocha. It is an area that is being incorporated into the SNAP (national system of protected areas). To get there, go to Anaconda via Av. Del Navío Avenue to the end, you will find a scenic road to Laguna de Rocha (about 5 km). For the panoramic road you will find the Chacritas de la Serena (a biosphere reserve) and a nearby ecological environmental monitoring station. In the Laguna de Rocha, has been verified the presence of more than 200 species of birds, the species which attract the most attention of any visitor without much knowledge of the subject, are the black-necked swans, which swim serenely on the water, without a hint of concern for human presence, gulls, terns and egrets. If you have binoculars bring them with you, if not you will not see anything. Very near the lagoon, you can follow the sound of the ocean behind the dunes, and access to a practically virgin beach. The only requirement to explore this area, with emerald waters beaches, filled with violent waves of white foam, is not destroying the dunes with vehicles, leaving the car on the road and dare to walk to the sea that is not far away. Beware of these waters because there are no lifeguards and sea baths are not recommended for casual vacationers.

Also, from La Paloma you have day trips to La Pedrera, the Ombúes Forest, to the Laguna de Rocha, etc. Some trips lasting a few hours, others the whole day. Certainly, you will not get bored as long as you stay in La Paloma. Surely you will be willing to return next year.

When to go

One thing that it is not said is that these Rocha beach resorts are very different throughout the year, and for tourists who do not know the place well enough, here comes a description for knowing the characteristics of each month.

January. Cold water and a full beach resort. Young people everywhere, and everything La Paloma has to offer, works all day and night: fair, night boliches, supermarkets, restaurants, etc. Live music and entertainment all over town and free on the beach. The beach resort party. Major complications can arise precisely for the number of people in the resort, many queues in supermarkets, and some difficulty in getting good rotiserías with stock. Also, it is difficult to find secluded beaches.

February. Fewer people (especially at the end of the month) but the beach resort fully active in all its offerings as in January. Age group of vacationers more shared with families and people of all ages. Good month to go. The water is still cold.

March. Few holidaymakers and services 50%. Closes the show and some shops and restaurants open only in Tourism Week and weekends. Others remain. The water a little warmer, accompanied by extensive beaches with more space for all the stragglers of the holiday. The wind and the beach gets cool. Good times for fishing.

April to November. Almost everything closes, there are some shops and services for La Paloma people and little else. There are also good restaurants for the adventurous, but it's more likely a poor village than an international beach resort. The other side of La Paloma, only for true lovers of the place, and there are many.

December.. Whether is like March's as well as the appearance of the resort, only that the sea is cold. La Paloma begins to beat, craftsmen begin to build their premises and restaurants make the first adjustments. Good weather and good time for people who do not like the crowd and the noise.

Greetings from the Tourist Club and hope you enjoy.

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