Playa Brava is the Atlantic-facing beach on the eastern side of the Punta del Este peninsula, and it is where the resort's social life concentrates in summer. The surf here is real: currents run strong, waves break hard, and swimming can be challenging when the swell is up. The beach chairs and parasols are rented at a premium; the clientele tends toward the self-consciously fashionable.
La Mano sculpture stands on Playa Brava at the southern end of the beach, unmissable in every direction. Walking north from La Mano along the beach takes you past the high-rise apartment towers that define Punta del Este's skyline before the buildings thin out and the coast reverts to dunes. The beach extends for several kilometres and is progressively less crowded the further north you go. Strong swimmers will enjoy the waves; others may prefer Playa Mansa's calmer waters.