The beach at La Coronilla is one of the least visited stretches of Uruguay's Atlantic coast — a long, wide arc of dark sand backed by dunes and a plantation of Monterey pines that were planted as a windbreak in the early 20th century. At most times of year the beach is almost completely empty, with only the occasional fisherman or local walker sharing the shore.
The Atlantic here has a strong undertow and the surf can be rough; swimming requires caution. The real pleasure is the walk — south toward the national park fence, or north past the pine forest where the dunes are highest. Sea lions sometimes haul out on the rocks at the northern end of the beach. In January and February Uruguayan families from Montevideo arrive in numbers, but the sheer length of the beach absorbs even summer crowds without feeling crowded.