When it comes to off-the-beaten-path destinations, it doesn’t get much more off-the-beaten-path than this tiny hamlet, which has no electricity, running water, or Wi-Fi—and that’s exactly how the locals want it.
Cabo Polonio has a population of fewer than 100 people who live in small rustic cabins and houses. There is only one store in town, a few posadas (rustic inns that cater to summer visitors and serve meals by candlelight or oil lamps), a shack selling surprisingly good food, and a lighthouse that is the only structure connected to the power grid. And all of this in a stunningly beautiful, rugged setting where grassy dunes and massive boulders wash into the cold sea.
Because there are no roads into town, getting to Cabo Polonio is part of the adventure. The only way to get to the village is by 4WD vehicle or hiking seven kilometers from the highway through treacherous and ever-changing dunes.
The sighting of a large colony of sea lions in their natural habitat is one of the highlights of a visit to the Cabo Polonio National Park in Rocha, east of Uruguay. They usually congregate on the rocks near the Cabo Polonio Lighthouse, and during parturition, the females seek refuge with their young on nearby islands.
The remains suggest that sea lions have existed since ancient times, possibly since the Pleistocene (a million years ago).