Playa Pajas Blancas, Public beach in western Montevideo, Uruguay.
Playa Pajas Blancas is a public beach on the western side of Montevideo along the Rio de la Plata shoreline. The sandy coast runs alongside a 300-meter waterfront promenade where visitors walk and take in the riverside landscape.
The French Lernou family named the area after white reeds and wild grasses that grew across their land until the early 1900s. This naming reflects how natural features once dominated the landscape before development arrived.
Local artisanal fishermen work here daily, reflecting how fishing remains woven into the community's identity and daily rhythms. You can observe their boats and nets along the shore, connecting people to the water in an unhurried way.
The beach has accessibility features including wooden boardwalks to reach the sand and guide rails for safer walking. Lifeguards patrol the area during warmer months, making it a safer choice for swimming then.
A former grand hotel from the 1920s still stands near the beach, marking when the location drew wealthy visitors from Uruguay and Argentina seeking leisure and social gathering. The building serves as a physical reminder of how the area has changed over time.
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