Naturism in Uruguay: laws and customs
Updated October 24, 2026
Uruguay has just one beach where nudity is authorised: Playa Chihuahua, near Punta Ballena, used by naturists for sixty years. Elsewhere the law leaves no room for nudity.
At a glance
- Official naturist beaches and areasOnly Playa Chihuahua (Maldonado), authorised by the department
- Naturist staysAllowed
- Unofficial naturist beachesNot verified; nudity is only authorised at Chihuahua
- Naked in nature, away from peopleNot verified
- Regular beach, townNot verified: the code punishes obscene acts, it doesn't mention nudity
- Local bansNot verified
- ToplessNot verified
- Sauna without swimwearNot verified
- LGBTQ+ travellersNo legal risk
The country's only legal nude beach has been defended for decades; the problems are local.
What the law says
Article 277 of the Criminal Code punishes "public outrage to decency": anyone who commits obscene acts in a public place or one exposed to the public risks 3 months to 3 years in prison (IMPO, Código Penal art. 277). The code does not mention nudity, and no other law refers to nudity, modesty or decency.
Nudity is, however, explicitly allowed in one place only. The regulations of the department of Maldonado state that "in the Playa Chihuahua area, naturist practice (nudism) will be permitted, in accordance with internationally accepted practices" (Intendencia de Maldonado, Digesto).
Where you can be naked
- Playa Chihuahua, at Punta Ballena (Maldonado): according to El Observador it is "the only legal nude beach in Uruguay" (El Observador). Of about 600 metres of coastline, 500 have been nudist for over sixty years. It has 300 permanent residents and in summer around 3,000 people come, half of them from Argentina (BioBioChile / Clarín).
- Naturist stays: you'll find them in the list of naturist stays in Uruguay. They are all in Chihuahua.
Tolerated beaches and bans
The boundaries of the naturist area have been the subject of disputes. In 2012 a departmental resolution narrowed them, and the naturist association AUNNA protested that the area was being cut in half (El País). After the protests the intendente restored the previous limits, marked by signs: calle El Foque to the south, the El Potrero stream to the west, the dunes to the north (FM Gente). We have not read the text of the limits currently in force: on site, it's best to check the signs.
The local mood
In Uruguay nudity is legal in only one place, Chihuahua beach, recognised by the authorities and used peacefully for decades (Montevideo Portal, 2012). Outside it there is no legal space for nudity.
The problems are local: unclear boundaries, new clothed owners who would like to change the rules, voyeurs, and a reputation as a "promiscuous" place that residents would like to shake off (BioBioChile / Clarín, 2024).
Naturist associations
- AUNNA, Asociación Uruguaya Nudista Naturista: the Uruguayan correspondent of the INF-FNI, the international federation.
LGBTQ+ travellers
No legal risk: same-sex relations have been legal since 1934, and since 2009 same-sex couples have been able to adopt (ILGA).
This guide sums up laws and customs as we checked them on the date shown, citing the sources. It is not legal advice: rules can change.