Playa Mansa, Beach in Punta del Este, Uruguay.

Playa Mansa is a beach on the western side of Punta del Este peninsula, extending along the Río de la Plata with golden sand and calm waters. The shoreline is lined with the Rambla Claudio Williman promenade, where hotels, restaurants, and food stands sit directly along the waterfront.

The beach marks where explorer Juan Díaz de Solís landed on February 2, 1516, during his expedition to the Río de la Plata region. This early European arrival shaped the area's development in the centuries that followed.

The name Mansa, meaning gentle in Spanish, comes from the calm waves that distinguish this beach from the rougher Playa Brava on the ocean side. Families with children and older people choose it for that reason, and in summer lifeguards watch over the shallow water. The beach is also where the 500th anniversary of Juan Díaz de Solís's landing was reenacted in 2016.

The beach is split into three marked stops along the Rambla Claudio Wiliman: Parada 1 has fine sand with blocks and a gentle slope, Parada 3 holds the fishing club pier, and Parada 7 has medium sand and a gradual drop-off. Gorriti Island lies offshore in front of the beach. Lifeguards are posted in summer.

The position of Gorriti Island and the peninsula creates a natural barrier that reduces ocean currents and keeps swimming conditions consistently calm. This means the water stays surprisingly shallow and safe even when weather stirs up rough seas beyond the point.