What beach warning flags mean in Uruguay

Wondering what the lifeguard flags in Uruguay mean? Beach warning flags may vary in different parts of Uruguay but generally the code is:

green – good bathing conditions

yellow – bathe with caution

red – don’t go in the water

black, maybe with lightning – electric storm (occasionally appropriated when lifeguards go on strike!)

red with a green cross – unsanitary bathing conditions (for example, algae)

red with the word ‘Peligro‘ written on it – peligro means danger. Don’t go in the water in this area.

Holiday like a local. Get all the essential info you need in The Guru’Guay Guide to Uruguay: Beaches, Ranches and Wine Country.

Photo: Guru’Guay

Where are the best beaches in Uruguay?

A secret from North Americans and Europeans, Uruguay’s best beaches have been beloved by Argentinians and Brazilians for years.

Las Cárcavas – exclusive ocean front lots close to José Ignacio

Las Cárcavas is a beach-front real estate development of exclusive sustainable ranch-style lots on the coast, close to José Ignacio, Uruguay.

Atlántida – beachtown & UNESCO heritage site

Fine white sands, pines, 2 mysterious structures—an eagle head & a UNESCO Heritage church. The Uruguay beach of Atlántida is just 30 mins from Montevideo.

5 amazing beaches in Rocha, Uruguay

Without a doubt, Rocha has some of the very best beaches in Uruguay. And they’re almost totally deserted for virtually ten months of the year.

Not just great culture. Montevideo has 10 fine beaches

The capital of Uruguay has beaches with fine white sand, great for paddling or swimming, kitesurfing, with fairgrounds, and wheel-chair access.

José Ignacio: Tiny Uruguay town turned world’s hot beach spot

First Argentina’s rich & beautiful, then the Hearsts and Rockefellers. Just how did a rocky Uruguay peninsula with dirt roads become a jewel of the jetset?

Punta del Diablo – where hippie meets hip

A fishing town with dirt roads is one of Uruguay’s most popular beaches. Is it the brightly-painted cabins, sweeping unspoilt beaches or the hippie-chic?

Cabo Polonio – Lost island in a sea of dunes

Deserted beaches, rocky islands heaving with baying seals & tiny colourful shacks. Cabo Polonio, Uruguay is unforgettable.

José Ignacio – a billionaire playground with valet parking signs in the sand

Elon Musk and a Murdoch Jr have owned houses in tiny Jose Ignacio. But we’re still at the beach, in Uruguay. So streets are unpaved and service unhurried.