ATTRACTIONS

Puerto Madryn is the "pearl on the sea" of Chubut. It is also a relaxed rural but progressive little town. It is an abundant, peaceful retreat where one can discover all Patagonia's beauty - a space combining plateaus and ocean, birdlife and the lovely southern right whale.

Its exclusive emplacement on the shores of Golfo Nuevo, added to a moderate and favorable climate, enables the practicing of all of the ocean sports in spring, summer and fall, including: fishing, motor-boating, water skiing, swimming and, especially, underwater activities.

The shores of Península Valdés are one of nature's advantaged sites.

On Puerto Madryn's polished latticework of streets one may see some comfortable and tasteful architecture.

The constructed area is delimited by hills and dunes. Its long coastal boulevard, ample paved streets and beautiful seafront walks are features showing that it is a progressive, modern city.

The opening of a local aluminum manufacturing plant obliged the authorities to situate the industrial area north of the city, and as a result of the building of the ore shipping jetty, the Las Piedras beach became practically inoperative for the public, and the northern part of the coastal boulevard was cut off.

As from the seventies, what is known as the volatile growth of Puerto Madryn began: in less than ten years the population tripled, industrial settlements multiplied and the city spread to accommodate families coming from all over the country and abroad.

This city forms part of the Patagonian coastal "corridor" or strip, together with the cities of Trelew, Gaiman, Rawson and San Antonio Oeste. The whole region has broad beaches and abundant marine fauna.

Its combination of beaches, sea, rocky slopes, flora, fauna and deserts that run away to the horizon are signs left over from the times when oceans covered almost all the area, and the land felt the heavy tread of dinosaurs.

This is an important tourism centre with countless attractions for its visitors.