Punta del Este, Uruguay, has two long beaches – the Brava and the Mansa – lined with high rises. It’s the centre of glamour magazines and cheesy TV shows during the summer and heaving with tourists in January and February. Have a wander around that old part of peninsula above the port – it’s a very different Punta from the highrise lined rest of the coast. By “old” I mean solid inter-war buildings, nothing colonial. There the buildings are mainly houses and some low-rise apartment blocks. The port is also charming with a yacht club and several restaurants. Walk to the port and walk along the piers to see the local fish sellers working and huge seals basking next to the yachts. Punta del Este is a great vantage point for whale-watching. You can take a boat out to view Isla Gorriti, packed with seals.