La Esmeralda, Uruguay

La Esmeralda is a beach town and seaside locality in Uruguay, Rocha Department.LocationThe town is located on the southeast side of Route 9, about northeast of the capital Montevideo, northeast of the resort city of Punta del Este, and southwest of Chuy.HistoryThe story of the area began with afforestation of sand dunes in 1949. Then, in the 1970s, the owners of the afforested areas, seeing its potential in tourist business, divided the land in solares (undeveloped plots) intended for the construction of summer homes.Although this is still an unspoilt resort, in recent years there has been a gradual but steady increase in tourist business development. In last years, the construction of a casino and five-star hotel is planned.GeographyLa Esmeralda is located in La Angostura, isthmus of only 3000 meters wide, between the Laguna Negra and the South Atlantic Ocean on Rocha Department Wetlands, area declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1976. Just a few miles from the seaside locality are important tourist spots like La Pedrera, Valizas, Cabo Polonio, Punta del Diablo, the Fortaleza de Santa Teresa, La Coronilla, the Fuerte de San Miguel and the city of Chuy.