Stretching along the wide lip of the Nuevo Gulf, Argentina’s Puerto Madryn offers spectacular ocean views, a vibrant restaurant culture, and an array of outdoor sports. A variety of beaches to beckon to holidaymakers, including the town beach, lined by bars and often hosting concerts; the pristine El Doradillo where visitors can spot whales; and the quiet Playa Parana pebble beach. Seals, dolphins and whales flourish in the waters, and can be seen in a variety of ways: from the shore, as part of boat tours to islands, or up close as part of scuba-diving expeditions. The many adventure sports on offer here include kayaking, boating, diving, kiteboarding, windsurfing, water skiing, hiking, sandboarding and cycling.An abundance of superb restaurants serve traditional Argentine cuisine like steak or lamb, as well as fantastic seafood and Italian dishes.
A sweeping expanse of 360 000 hectares on the Atlantic Coast just off central Argentina, UNESCO-listed Peninsula Valdes is an arid and barren landscape connected to the mainland by the narrow isthmus of Carlos Ameghino. The terrain may be harsh, but its shores and protected ocean bays support a profusion of marine life, a key breeding site for the endangered southern right whale, as well as the southern elephant seal, southern sea lion and Magellan penguin. In addition to gulfs and rocky cliffs of up to 100 metres in height, there are shallow bays and shifting coastal lagoons with extensive mudflats, sandy and pebble beaches, and small islands.
