Puerto Madryn

The undoubted highlight of the whole Atlantic Coast in Patagonia is the splendid array of marine wildlife on Península Valdés, best visited from Puerto Madryn. This seaside town has a grand setting on the wide bay of Golfo Nuevo, and is the perfect base for setting off to Valdés, just 70 km east, as there are plenty of hotels and reliable tour operators running excursions to the peninsula, including boat trips to see the whales. During the breeding seasons (broadly speaking, September to December) you can see whales, penguins and seals at close range, or go diving to explore life underwater. It's possible to stay on the peninsula if you hire a car, with several estanciasright in the middle of the wild nature, and conventional hotels at the small popular resort of Puerto Pirámides. Puerto Madryn is a good place to enjoy the sea for a couple of days, with lots of beachfront restaurants selling superb locally caught seafood.

Getting around

The city centre is easy to get around on foot, with many restaurants and hotels lined up along the seafront at Avenida Roca, and most shops and excursion companies on the streets around 28 de Julio, which runs perpendicular to the sea and past the town's neat little plaza, all contained within four or five blocks.

Best time to visit

Much of Península Valdés' wildlife can be enjoyed throughout the year, with sea lions, elephant seals, dolphins and many species of bird permanently resident. The bull elephant seals can be seen fighting for females from September to early November, and at this time too, killer whales can sometimes be sighted off the coast, staying until April. Penguins can be seen from September to March, and the stars of the show, the southern right whales, come to these waters to breed in spring (September to November).

Tourist information

Tourist information at www.madryn.gov.ar.

Background

Puerto Madryn was the site of the first Welsh landing in 1865 and the town is named after the Welsh home of the colonist, Jones Parry. However, it wasn't officially founded until 1889, when the railway was built connecting the town with Trelew, to enable the Welsh living in the Chubut Valley to export their produce. The town is a modern, relaxed and friendly place, and hasn't been ruined by its popularity as a tourist resort, with a large workforce occupied by its other main industry: a huge aluminium plant (which you can visit by arrangement through the tourist office).

Sights

You're most likely to be visiting the town to take an excursion to Península Valdés , and it's certainly worth spending at least a day enjoying the wildlife there. During the right season, you can also spot whales directly from the coast at the long beach of Playa El Doradillo, 16 km northeast, along the ripioroad closest to the coast.

In the town itself, the real pleasure is the sea, and it's a pleasant first day's stroll along the long stretch of beach to El Indio, a statue on the road at the eastern end of the bay, marking the gratitude of the Welsh to the native Tehuelche people whose shared expertise ensured their survival. As the road curves up the cliff here, there's the splendid EcoCentro www.ecocentro.org.ar, an inspired interactive sea-life information centre that combines an art gallery, café, and fabulous reading room with comfy sofas at the top of a turret. The whole place has fantastic views of the bay.

Just a little closer to town, perched on the cliff, is the tiny Centro de Exposición de Punta Cuevas, of interest if you're tracing the history of the Welsh in Patagonia. It's little more than a couple of rooms of relics near the caves and basic huts on the cliffs where the settlers first lived, but enthusiastic guides make the visit worthwhile. A more conventional museum, with displays on local flora and fauna, is the Museo de Ciencias Naturales y Oceanográfico.

Around Puerto Madryn

Península Valdésis the main attraction, with whale-spotting boat trips leaving from Puerto Pirámides, on the southern end of the peninsula. There's more marine life on the coastline - and both are included in one organized tour from Puerto Madryn. There are also sea lions at the Punta Loma Reserve, 15 km southeast of Puerto Madryn, open during daylight hours and best visited at low tide in December and January. Access is via the coastal road from town and, like the road to the north, makes a great bike ride; allow 1½ hours to get there. Puerto Madryn is also Patagonia's divingcapital, with dives to see wildlife and many off-shore wrecked ships, together with all kinds of courses from beginners' dives to the week-long PADI course on offer from tour operators, such as Puerto Madryn Buceo. You can also hire mountain bikes and windsurfs here, from many places along the beachfront.

There are several estancias on the peninsula which allow you to really appreciate the space and natural beauty of the land, and give you much more access to some of the most beautiful places, with great wildlife to observe. Ask the tourist office for their leaflet and advice. Day trips can also be arranged, which might include wildlife trips with anasado, and perhaps horse riding.