Hostels in Chuy, Uruguay

Chuy is a town on the border of Uruguay and Brazil. The main street is the actual border crossing: one side speaks Spanish and uses pesos, the other side speaks Portuguese and uses reals. You will need to get your passport stamped at the immigration office (both the Uruguayan and Brazilian offices are outside of the main city) if you plan on crossing the border! Chuy is an industrial town with a heavy transit hub. You can get your duty-free shopping done here on your way into Brazil and its likely you’ll see a lot of locals doing the same.

There are a few hostels in Chuy; remember that if you don’t have a passport stamp, you shouldn’t pick a hostel on the Brazilian side! Expect small but clean rooms at hostels here. Most people stay here as an overnight between buses to and from Brazil.

However, while the main city is a transit hub and shopping mall, the beaches just to the east of Chuy, Barrio del Chuy, are beautiful white sandy beaches. If you have some time to kill before your bus, definitely head out here for some relaxation. The beaches are popular with locals and Brazilians as well as tourists, but aren’t typically as crowded as the beaches to the north, in Brazil. There is also a picturesque lighthouse and you might spot some seals. You can find hostels out here if you prefer to stay outside of the main city for a few days!

West of Chuy are several forts, the Fuerte San Miguel and the Fortaleza de Santa Teresa, that date back to the early 18th century when the Portuguese built them to ward off the Spanish invasion. The Fuerte San Miguel is inland by about ten km, situated on top of a hill. The Museum of Military History is here. Fortalexa de Santa Teresa is located on the coast in the San Miguel National Park, at the beach on Playa la Moza.