The beach curves gently along Golfo Nuevo, its tawny sand stretching beneath ochre cliffs that glow amber in the afternoon light. You'll hear the gravel crunch under your feet as you descend from the village, where a handful of dive shops and parrillas occupy converted fishing shacks. The water is bracingly cold—this is the South Atlantic, after all—but the real theatre unfolds just offshore, where southern right whales calve and nurse their young in the protected gulf waters.
“The only sandy beach in Península Valdés where you can swim, spot whales from shore, and access full-service tourism infrastructure in a single afternoon.”
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Elephant seals haul out on the northern end of the beach, their grunts and snorts punctuating the wind. You'll want to keep your distance; the bulls can weigh four tons and guard their harems jealously. The village itself—population roughly 700—exists almost entirely for visitors, with wetsuit rentals, whale-watching zodiac launches, and guides who know exactly where the orcas hunt in February.
The wind here is relentless, combing through the coirón grass on the headlands and kicking up sand devils along the tideline. Bring a windbreaker even on sunny days. The beach faces northeast, sheltered somewhat from the worst Patagonian gales, which is precisely why it became the peninsula's hub. After a day on the sand, you'll taste salt on your lips and feel the grit in your hair—the Atlantic makes sure you remember where you are.
