Uruguay
Perhaps the perfect getaway from the hustle and bustle of the big city that is Buenos Aires. The added bonus? You get your 90-day visa renewed! I saved the hassle of having to head down to Argentinian immigrations or having to pay the fee for ‘overstaying’. Why wait in line at the immigration when you can work on those tan lines instead?
Duration of Stay
Firstly, figure out how long you plan to stay in Uruguay and more importantly, which parts of Uruguay you wish to visit. My advice? Spend a day in Colonia and the rest of your days in the capital, Montevideo. I spent a total of 5 days in Uruguay and it was a good amount of time to indulge in the sights and sounds of the country.
Visa
Be sure you have a valid visa to enter Uruguay if you require it! If you have the 90-day tourist visa like I do, be sure you haven’t exceeded your stay!
Tickets
Booking your tickets couldn’t get any easier. You have several options to do so! You could easily head to Corrientes to get your tickets but the best way would be to get your tickets online. Booking your ferry tickets online will allow you to check the ferry schedules and to plan your route. You can either book a ferry to Colonia then take a bus to Montevideo or you could simply book a direct ferry to Montevideo. The cheaper option would be to get your ticket to Colonia and then a bus to Montevideo upon arrival in Colonia. You should also anticipate a delay when travelling by ferry hence why it is best to get your bus ticket to Montevideo when you arrive in Colonia.
You have 2 options via ferry. Colonia Express, Buquebus and SeaCat. Head down to their website to find your preferred timings and book your tickets right there and then!
Travelling Time
It takes approximately 2.5 hours to get from Buenos Aires to Colonia by ferry and about 3 hours from Colonia to Montevideo by bus. Or you could take the ferry directly to Montevideo which will take you approximately 3 hours.
Cost
A return ticket by ferry to Colonia cost me 1120 pesos which is approximately 80USD. Bus tickets would range from 600-650 pesos return, around 45USD. It was most certainly worth it considering what I got in return!
Colonia del Sacremento
Colonia has been described as a picturesque town by numerous guidebooks and travel blogs. They weren’t kidding. Every corner you turn, every street you walk on and every oceanic view deserved a picture of its own. I pretty much had my camera everywhere I went. Listed as UNESCO World Heritage site, Colonia is worth exploring even if just for a day. Cobble streets, quaint cafes and beautiful sunsets are just some of what Colonia has to offer.
Montevideo
You would think that being the capital of Uruguay it would be a bustling city where everything moves at a fast pace and cars roam the streets at every hour. Well you’re in for a surprise! More so if you’ve just been to Buenos Aires. The city is a combination of old and new and is flanked by beautiful beaches! What surprised me most was the mode of transport in the city. Sure you get the usual buses and taxis but some of the locals even use horses to get around! Transporting vegetables is done on a horse cart. Many locals even opt for cycling rather than driving as a way of keeping the city ecofriendly. You can even rent a bike in the city and cycle on the ramblas that line the coast! Be sure to have your cameras ready!
The key behind a successful trip is planning. Plan to make sure you do everything and see everything you wish to see, and then leave everything else to fate. It was a great getaway and I really did love the relaxing pace in Uruguay. But I must say, being back in Buenos Aires feels like being back at home and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
