Las Grutas: Coast, Diving and Boat Excursions

Las Grutas lies on the coast of the San Matías Gulf, in the east of Río Negro Province and within the Área Natural Protegida Bahía de San Antonio. If you’re looking for a hotel in Las Grutas, it helps to first decide what you want to focus on during your stay: boat excursions, diving, coastal scenery or cultural experiences. The differences between the marine activities, landscape and promenade offer practical guidance.

Boat Excursions and Marine Wildlife

Boat excursions depart from Las Grutas year-round to observe the diverse marine wildlife of the San Matías Gulf. Excursions in the area around Las Grutas may offer sightings of sea lions and dolphins, among other animals. These possible wildlife sightings are part of the experience on the water, but no particular sighting is guaranteed.

Boat excursions also depart from San Antonio Oeste and Puerto del Este. Depending on the tide schedule and weather conditions, they follow the Gulf coast and offer the opportunity to snorkel in the warm waters of San Antonio Bay. Keep these conditions in mind when planning a specific trip.

Diving and the Underwater Park

All forms of recreational diving are offered in Las Grutas. Visitors can also take part in a traditional introductory underwater dive. In the Parque submarino de Las Grutas, a diving platform is located opposite the third Bajada, from which it is possible to take part in an introductory dive at a submerged rock formation. The dive site lies at a depth of 3 to 6 meters and is inhabited by numerous Patagonian underwater species.

The sea offers a range of activities: boat excursions provide opportunities to observe marine wildlife or snorkel, while the diving options include a specific underwater site. You can make one of these perspectives a focus when choosing where to stay.

Coastal Scenery Nearby

Piedras Coloradas lies 5 km south of Las Grutas, within the Área Natural Protegida Bahía de San Antonio. This unspoiled, peaceful beach is defined by a reddish Precambrian rock formation that is 500 million years old, as well as a system of large dunes. Activities listed here include sport fishing, snorkeling and sandboarding. The beach, rock formation and dunes give this coastal spot a different character from the diving and boat excursions that are a focus in Las Grutas.

La Rinconada, a quiet coastal spot 2 km away, lies north of Las Grutas. Piedras Coloradas to the south and La Rinconada to the north provide a geographic reference for the area around Las Grutas.

Culture Along the Waterfront Promenade

The Las Grutas waterfront promenade was built over the cliffs by artist Carlos Páez Vilaró. It is also home to an arts and crafts fair. Alongside activities on the water, design and crafts are part of the character of the town. The promenade brings these cultural aspects together with its striking location above the cliffs.

In the Wider Destination of Departamento San Antonio

Bahía de San Antonio is a coastal marine protected area at the northwestern end of the San Matías Gulf. Since August 1993, it has been part of the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network. In the wider destination of Departamento San Antonio, whale-watching season runs from mid-August through October. If you’re planning your trip specifically around whale watching, check the seasonal dates in advance.

The Museo Jacobacci in San Antonio Oeste is also part of the cultural landscape of Departamento San Antonio. It is housed in the historic home where engineer Guido Jacobacci lived and is the site of a natural science and anthropology museum focused on the Patagonian coast. Its halls are intended to house exhibits on geology, paleontology, marine biology, archaeology and local ethnography.

Discover more destinations: San Antonio Oeste, Playas Doradas.

Return to the wider travel guide: Departamento San Antonio.