This Is Why We Travel | Rachelle for Bon Appétit Healthyish

Hang With the Penguins in Cabo Polonio, Uruguay

I almost don’t want to tell you that Cabo Polonio exists. Like a secret recipe or that one product we don’t mention from our skincare routine, there is a place that deserves its mysticism as much as its governmentally protected land status. On the southeastern edge of Uruguay, accessible only via an escorted 4x4 or on horseback through slapping saltbrush and rosemary-infused ocean breeze, the little hamlet feels equally post-apocalyptic and civil. One can order a cocktail, but there’s no electricity or running water and waves occasionally eddy through front doors. My first sensation was elation. Was this not heaven? My first thought, which I didn’t mean to say out loud but apparently did, was: “Why would anyone wear clothes here?” You may see whales or a lost little penguin on the beach. You’ll definitely meet the thousands of sea lions protecting the roiling peninsula that attracts surfers and wrecks ships. (“Cabo Polonio” is named for this feat.) Go. Stay for a day, a month, or indefinitely. – Rachelle Robinett, freelance writer

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