The sea temperature at Punta del Este today is 16.1 °C (61 °F) – icy water, most people reach for a wetsuit. The usual October average is 15.7 °C. The forecast for the next 3 days is 16.1 to 16.3 °C. Over the last 30 days the sea has warmed from 13.8 °C to 16.1 °C. Swimmable from January to December, when the sea averages 18 °C or more. Source: Sea Temp Map (seatempmap.com) – NASA MUR satellite data and the Copernicus Marine sea forecast.
| Month | Min | Avg | Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 21.5°C / 70.6°F | 21.8°C / 71.2°F | 22.1°C / 71.8°F |
| February | 21.8°C / 71.2°F | 22.8°C / 73.1°F | 23.3°C / 73.9°F |
| March | 21.9°C / 71.4°F | 22.8°C / 73.0°F | 23.5°C / 74.2°F |
| April | 19.6°C / 67.2°F | 20.3°C / 68.5°F | 21.1°C / 70.0°F |
| May | 15.8°C / 60.5°F | 17.1°C / 62.8°F | 18.2°C / 64.8°F |
| June | 12.2°C / 54.0°F | 13.7°C / 56.6°F | 14.8°C / 58.6°F |
| July | 10.8°C / 51.4°F | 11.6°C / 52.9°F | 13.1°C / 55.5°F |
| August | 11.5°C / 52.8°F | 11.9°C / 53.5°F | 12.5°C / 54.6°F |
| September | 12.8°C / 55.0°F | 13.1°C / 55.6°F | 13.5°C / 56.3°F |
| October | 14.9°C / 58.8°F | 15.7°C / 60.3°F | 16.4°C / 61.5°F |
| November | 17.3°C / 63.1°F | 18.0°C / 64.3°F | 18.4°C / 65.2°F |
| December | 19.9°C / 67.7°F | 20.5°C / 68.9°F | 21.7°C / 71.1°F |
| Month | Min | Avg | Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 20.8°C / 69.5°F | 21.6°C / 70.9°F | 22.1°C / 71.8°F |
| February | 21.3°C / 70.3°F | 22.1°C / 71.7°F | 22.6°C / 72.7°F |
| March | 20.8°C / 69.4°F | 21.5°C / 70.6°F | 22.0°C / 71.6°F |
| April | 18.1°C / 64.5°F | 18.7°C / 65.6°F | 19.2°C / 66.6°F |
| May | 15.1°C / 59.1°F | 15.5°C / 59.9°F | 15.9°C / 60.6°F |
| June | 12.2°C / 53.9°F | 12.6°C / 54.6°F | 12.9°C / 55.3°F |
| July | 10.8°C / 51.4°F | 11.3°C / 52.3°F | 11.8°C / 53.3°F |
| August | 11.4°C / 52.5°F | 11.9°C / 53.4°F | 12.3°C / 54.1°F |
| September | 12.5°C / 54.5°F | 13.1°C / 55.5°F | 13.6°C / 56.4°F |
| October | 14.6°C / 58.3°F | 15.3°C / 59.6°F | 15.9°C / 60.5°F |
| November | 17.0°C / 62.5°F | 17.8°C / 64.0°F | 18.3°C / 65.0°F |
| December | 19.1°C / 66.4°F | 20.0°C / 67.9°F | 20.5°C / 68.9°F |
5-year averages (2021–2025). Min/Max are typical daily lows and highs, not record extremes. (Copernicus ERA5)
Punta del Este holidays
Where the Río de la Plata meets the Atlantic Ocean, Punta del Este is a resort city on a narrow peninsula in the department of Maldonado, south-east Uruguay, about 130 km east of Montevideo. In the southern summer it fills with visitors from Uruguay, Argentina and Brazil.
Beaches
The two sides of the Punta del Este peninsula have different seas. Playa Mansa, on the west side facing the bay of Maldonado, usually has calm, gentle water that suits families and is known for its sunsets. Playa Brava, on the east side, faces the open Atlantic, with more waves and wind, and is where the giant hand sculpture emerges from the sand. The beaches are known by their "parada" numbers, the bus stops along the coastal road. The sea temperature on this page is measured off Playa Brava on the Atlantic side.
Things to do
La Mano, or Los Dedos, by the Chilean artist Mario Irarrázabal, has stood on Playa Brava since 1982. In Punta Ballena, about 15 km west, Casapueblo is a white, hand-built complex by the Uruguayan artist Carlos Páez Vilaró that houses a museum and a hotel above the sea. In the harbour, sea lions wait by the fish stalls, boats go to Isla Gorriti and around Isla de Lobos, home to a large sea lion colony, and the lighthouse rises over the peninsula. To the east, a wave-shaped bridge leads to La Barra and on to José Ignacio.
Weather and best time to visit
From September to October the sea at Punta del Este gains about 3 °C (5 °F), its biggest monthly rise of the year.
In Punta del Este, the high season runs from Christmas to the end of February, with January the busiest month and prices at their highest. March and early December are quieter and still warm. Winters are cool, windy and often grey, many restaurants and shops close, and southern right whales pass along the coast, mostly between July and November.
Hotels and where to stay
The Punta del Este peninsula has hotels, apartment towers and restaurants within walking distance of both seas. San Rafael, behind Playa Brava, is residential and green, and La Barra, Manantiales and José Ignacio to the east are known for boutique hotels and nightlife.
Signature hotels: Enjoy Punta del Este · The Grand Hotel (San Rafael)
Airport and getting there
Laguna del Sauce International Airport (PDP), about 20 km west, has flights whose number grows in the southern summer. Carrasco International Airport (MVD) in Montevideo is about 120 km away, roughly an hour and a half by car, with frequent buses to Punta del Este. From Buenos Aires, ferries cross the Río de la Plata to Montevideo or Colonia, with bus connections onwards.