As a pale skinned, sun deprived resident of the Northern Hemisphere arriving in Argentina for the end of the summer season, I was eager to jump off my bus in Puerto Madryn and head straight to the beach. My biggest recommendation – don’t forget the sun screen! The sun and beautiful tanned locals welcomed me to their beach town with big smiles and friendly spirits.
A day at the beach is a day well spent when on the road. Like any beautiful beach, one can find sun bathers, volleyball nets, games of futbol (soccer for us up north), many sea shells hidden in the sand, and even some extra space to stretch out in Puerto Madryn. You won’t be fighting for towel space here. This beach is fun, yet relaxing. Active, yet lazy. Busy, but not overcrowded.
I have decided there are two types of beach people. Type number one – the lounger. The loungers seek out the beach for relaxation and rest. To these people nothing sounds better than a nap under the sun and an effortless tan. As a lounger you are in luck. There are many cozy spots to curl up with a book or to do some people watching. Feeling a little parched? Just give the universal drink signal to one of the locals walking around yelling “gaseosas! agua!” and within no time they will be at your side offering their services.
Reading, sleeping, eating, drinking, and even shopping can be done without ever moving from your towel. Drinks, popcorn, and toasted nuts are readily available, as is jewelry. Yes the locals even pull out their carts of jewelry and walk along the maze of towels to display their products made from all local materials.
Then there is type number two – the zipper, as I like to call them. These people can’t seem to sit still and look for a completely different beach experience. Of course the first thing they do is head straight for the ocean, running with all their might to meet that big wave head on. They may zip back to their towel for a quick break or to say hello to the loungers back where they ditched their things, but in no time they are off again.
The water alone provides plenty of activities, but if these people are looking for more, their options are endless. Kayaking, wind surfing, sand surfing, whale watching tours, snorkeling, and even scuba diving businesses line the board walk. As in any part of Argentina, a game of futbol is always going on and one can easily recruit a group of people to join in on a volleyball game.
At the end of the day it is amazing that both the loungers and zippers can be equally as exhausted. Regardless of which activities you choose, the sun has a way of draining every ounce of energy from your body. You’ll have a long siesta or night of sleep to look forward to, and another beautiful day the next morning.
I can only imagine one reason that someone would not look forward to a Puerto Madryn beach day. Sunburn. Let’s go back to my earlier recommendation – bring your sunscreen. Take advantage of this magic in a bottle and the hours will fly by with no consequences in the near future.
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