Cabo Polonio

Cabo Polonio is a hamlet located in the eastern coast of Uruguay in the Rocha Department. It is located in one of the country's SNAP areas and is notable for its natural features. According to the 2023 census, it had a population of 128, but its population swells during the summer when it receives thousands of tourists.

Prior to Spanish colonisation, Cabo Polonio was inhabited by Indigenous Uruguayans who used the site to hunt the sea lion population concentrated on the islands off the cape. This practice continued during and after Spanish rule, and would lead to the establishment of the first homes on the cape for workers and their families in the 1800s. Despite continuous exploitation, the sea lion population continues to be the largest in Uruguay. Alongside the sea lions, Cabo Polonio is rich in natural features and is notable for its sand dunes. Cabo Polonio is also important for its number of shipwrecks, with the place taking its name from the captain of a ship shipwrecked in 1753.

Cabo Polonio has no roads leading to it and is located about 7 km from the main highway. It is accessible by walking through the dunes or by 4×4 vehicles. The region has no electricity or running water for the few houses of this town, and wind power and a few generators are used to power some of the posadas and grocery store. There is a lighthouse that gets power from the national grid. Residents obtain water from nearby water wells or collecting rain water.