Monte Hermoso

Monte Hermoso owes its distinction to geography: the coastline here runs east to west rather than the usual north to south, which means the sun rises out of the water at one end of the beach and sets into it at the other, a claim few Atlantic resorts can make. The sand shelves very gently, so the water stays shallow and warms faster than elsewhere on the coast, which has made the town a favourite with families. Behind the beach are dunes and a pine woodland, and a lighthouse marks the point. Fossils are common in the cliffs and shore platforms nearby, including tracks and remains of Pleistocene megafauna, studied since Darwin passed through the region in the 1830s.

What you actually see

• Sunrise and sunset over water - the east-west coast that gives the town its reputation.
• The shallow warm beach - gently shelving sand favoured by families.
• The dunes and pine woodland - the planted forest behind the town.
• The fossil shore - Pleistocene remains and tracks in nearby cliffs and platforms.

When to go

December to March, when the water is warmest and services fully open; January is busiest. The shoulder months are quiet and pleasant. Winter is windy and cold, with the town largely shut.

Honest expectations

This is a family resort with modest infrastructure and little nightlife, which suits some and bores others. Wind is a constant on this stretch of coast. Fossil sites are protected, and collecting is prohibited.

Nearby

Bahía Blanca lies west; Sierra de la Ventana is inland to the north.