Punta del Este, Uruguay

Punta del Este isn't your typical Celebrity hot spot, on the other hand, it's the place where Celebrities come to hide from the paparazzi and still be surrounded by nature and friends. Usually Uruguayans aren't too interested in having their picture taken next to a famous person. I remember when Colin Farrel filmed Miami Vice in Montevideo (capital of Uruguay), he wasn't harassed at all. He even went to Punta and hung out at Moby Dick where he had a good time.

Here is a list of some of the people who frequent Punta del Este, you might have heard of them...

James Hetfield, lead singer of the group Metallica. I can’t say exactly where he stays but he comes here with his family in summer.
Naomi Campbell comes to Punta del Este every year! Apparently she hangs out at the nudist beach, Chihuahua.
Shakira owns a beautiful farm in Jose Ignacio.
Uma Thurman has visited Punta del Este.
Tara Reid has been seen suntanning at Punta del Este Beaches.
The President of Angola owns a fabulous house in Punta Ballena.
Ralph Laurent, Luciano Benetton and Julio Iglesias also own property in Punta del Este.
Oscar de la Renta is building a mansion in Jose Ignacio.
Dancing With the Stars Winner Brooke Burke adores Punta del Este and spends a lot of time here, and a lot more Celebrities come to this Place.

Punta is actually a reference to several located near each other. The main town of Punta del Este is on a small peninsula where the Río de la Plata meets the Atlantic Ocean. The town is connected to Maldonado, the capital of the Department of Maldonado. Punta del Este and its surrounding towns have over 50km (31 miles) of waterfront, stretching along both coasts. The majority of the city's major hotels are on the calmer river side. The sprawling Conrad Hotel and Casino complex dominates the riverbanks, and serves as a defacto social center even for those who aren't staying at the hotel. Sandy dunes stretch out along the Atlantic side, with rougher waves. The beaches on this side are less crowded. At night, as the tide gets stronger, you'll see many youths carrying surfboards and heading to catch the waves along the coastal highway Ruta 10. As a general rule, the farther you get from the center, the less crowded the beaches. Little of historical value is left anymore in this former fishing village, filled with high-rise hotels and condominiums, reminiscent of development in south Florida. The very heart of the peninsula still has a few historical buildings, such as the Faro or Lighthouse, churches, schoolhouses, and turn-of-the-20th-century buildings -- a reminder of earlier, quieter times, before mass development in the 1950s and 1960s forever changed the way of life here. The port is often jammed with yachts in the summer.

Like any place that gets a reputation and becomes a part of package tours, Punta has lost some of its higher-end clients, who have gone elsewhere to look for greater exclusivity. About 10km (6 miles) up from Punta del Este is the small town of La Barra. It looks more like a little town grown up on Ruta 10, which serves as its main street, lined with bars, small hotels, clubs, and art galleries. It's more expensive to stay here. Visitors who have been to California's Laguna Beach will see more than a passing resemblance. Many young beachgoers flock here; at night, in high season, teenagers throw tailgate parties, parking their cars along the road to drink, hang out, dance along the road's shoulders, and blare car stereos. It's never quiet in La Barra in high season.