Las Grutas Beaches

Did you know there is a sea resort in Patagonia, on the Atlantic Ocean which has got the warmest waters in Argentina? Come and discover Las Grutas with us. Know how to get there and its attractions.

Las Grutas is a beach resort located in the Atlantic coast of the province of Río Negro, only 15 Km. from San Antonio Oeste, district it belongs to. Its history is a short one but full of present.

It is said that the first house in Las Grutas was built in 1939 by people from San Antonio Oeste. But only in 1964, after the allotment of the land, this beach village started to spread widely. In the 80's it got a great backing from the investments coming from people from different cities of the region and then the official support with the arrival of the essential services such as water supply, electricity, etc.

The name comes from the caves undermined by the sea in the cliff.

Its beauty resides in a beach sheltered by the cliff, and mainly the warmth of its waters, which can reach 25 degrees Centigrade in some areas.

No doubt it's the hottest beach village on the Patagonian coast. Its growth in the last years has been huge. It already looks like a small city. With an infrastructure installed according to its visitors, Las Grutas is a paradise for those who love long days of beach and sun.

Its main attractive consists of its magnificent beaches, white sand and deep blue, transparent waters, which are the warmest in Argentina.
Being in the very heart of San Matías Gulf, and having medium sized cliffs, this place has little or no wind at all, something incredible for Patagonia. The width of the tides, the system of circulation of the coast currents, the high temperatures in summer and the scarce rains are contributing factors to this phenomenon.

From here you can take excursions to Sierra Grande, to visit Playas Doradas, the Port of San Antonio Este, with unique beaches also, or San Antonio Oeste with its small fishing port. Also, you can practice water sports (like underwater swimming) or renting horses to make your own tour along the beaches near central Las Grutas.

Distances in Km

Buenos Aires: 1130
Bahía Blanca: 455
Rosario: 1300
Córdoba: 1200
Mendoza: 1330
Bariloche: 957
Viedma: 180
Río Gallegos: 1480

How to get there?

By Car:
From Buenos Aires you have two options: Ruta 3 directly to San Antonio Oeste, passing by Bahía Blanca and Viedma. Or, you can go by Ruta 3 up to Azul, Ruta 76 then Ruta 51, up to Bahía Blanca and again Ruta 3 passing by Viedma.
Buses:
Some of the companies that go to San Antonio Oeste and Las Grutas are:
T.A.C.: In Buenos Aires: 54-11-4313-3632. In San Antonio Oeste 54-2934-421674

El Pingüino: In Buenos Aires: 54-11-4315-4438. In San Antonio Oeste: 54-2934-421580

Don Otto: In Buenos Aires: 54-11-4311-0948. In San Antonio Oeste 54-2934-430430

El Cóndor: In Buenos Aires: 54-11-4313-1700. In San Antonio Oeste: 54-2934-421580

San Antonio Oeste's Bus Station: 54-2934-421580

Las Grutas' Bus Station: 54-2934-497190

We strongly recommend to contact them to have up-to-date information about fees, services and promotions.

Train:
SEFEPA is the railway company belonging to the province of Rio Negro, and covers its whole territory from east to west, from Viedma to Bariloche, passing by San Antonio Oeste. There are different services and fees. We suggest you to visit www.trenpatagonico.com.ar

Airplane:
Airport Saint Exupery is located between Las Grutas and San Antonio Oeste, there is only one company operating at the moment, L.A.D.E. with a few weekly flights. Another alternative is to fly up to Viedma with Aerolineas Argentinas and then take the train or a bus.

Lodging

Las Grutas is an important tourist center and it has a wide assortment of hotels, ranging from 1 to 3 stars. There are also excellent Apart Hotels, some of them with the time share system. It is very common renting houses or flats per day, week, fortnight or monthly. You will find a full list in our lodging database.

Campsites are very well equipped and many of them are located at the very heart of Las Grutas.

Excursions

From Las Grutas/San Antonio Oeste you may take many excursions, the most requested are Puerto Madryn, Puerto Pirámides and Punta Tombo. As well as the Sierra Grande beaches, ports of San Antonio Oeste and Este, Cañadón de las ostras and Salina del Gualicho in the patagonia steppe. You can also do a Scuba diving baptism or do some Agrotourism in General Conesa.

Eating out:

Las Grutas itself is not very big and everything is at reach around a few blocks from where you will be staying, you can walk around and see the different food offerings. Notice that the specialties are fish and sea food, mainly "pulpitos" (small octopuses).