The Bariloche beaches are presented as an ideal setting to relax and enjoy the landscapes that surround the transparent waters of lakes, mountains and lenga forests.
Most of the beaches are characterized by being quiet, exclusive and they offer an infinite number of activities, from drinking or eating something in their paradores to doing nautical activities such as kayaking, kitesurfing, windsurfing or canoeing.
The most beautiful beaches of the Capital of the Lakes are located on the shores of the lakes Nahuel Huapi, Mascardi and Gutiérrez. All are characterized by their blue and crystalline waters, but also by their low temperatures that hover between the 13 ° and 16 ° C.
Another characteristic of these beaches is that most are not sand, but small stones polished by the water, so you will see that most people use sandals to walk along the coasts.
Next I leave you a selection of the 10 best beaches to enjoy the sun:
The most beautiful beaches of Lago Nahuel Huapi
The Nahuel Huapi is a Lake of glacial origin , so you will notice that its waters are of an intense crystalline blue color . It has an area of 557 km². It stands out for its depth and for the variety of beaches it has on its different coasts. In them you can perform all kinds of nautical activities and walks, while enjoying wonderful landscapes of the hills and forests.
Here are the Most popular beaches of this Lake:
Playa Bonita
Found at 8 kilometers from the center, it is the beach most chosen by the people of Bariloche. It is relatively long of small stones (pebbles) and grit. Its transparent and deep waters make it one of the most popular. It has a good infrastructure to spend the day: public baths, bars, kiosks, restaurants, kayak and canoe rental sectors. There is also a windsurfing and diving school. If you go with children, they have lifeguards all day long.
From Playa Bonita you can navigate in Kayak or canoe to Huemul Island, which is 1200 meters from the coast. Another very nice walk is to go paddling to Gallina Island (900 meters).
From this Nahuel Huapi beach you can see the Huemul islands, Hen and Victoria. In the background to the left the Andes mountain range stands out. In summer, the water temperature varies between 10 ° and 13 °, while in winter it ranges between 6 ° and 8 °.
On summer days In addition to being able to enjoy incredible views from the coast, there are also inns and bars that usually play music to create a relaxed and relaxed atmosphere.
A Playa Bonita You can access
renting a car and heading south along Avenida Ezequiel Bustillo to kilometer 8 or in
bus with lines 10, 20 and 21 that pass through the city center.
Bahía Serena
It is a 15 minute drive from the city center. It is a bay with fine sand, calm and warm waters compared to the rest of the beaches. In summer it has an average temperature of 15°. It also has shallow areas which makes it perfect for the little ones. It has three lifeguards who work from 2 in the afternoon to 8 at night.
It is a of the smallest beaches in Bariloche, it has 200 meters of coastline. You can also eat a few meters from the lake at the Bahía Serena restaurant, which specializes in homemade pasta but also offers salads, sandwiches, trout and seafood (includes starter, main course and drink).
At the southern end of the beach, kayaks and boards are available to rent to practice stand up paddle , a new sport that is all the rage among the youngest.
Playa Melipal
It is only 5 kilometers from the city along Bustillo Avenue. It can be reached by car or by buses that leave the center (all of them pass along the waterfront). The landmark of the descent to the lake is a gas station and a local supermarket. It is a narrow and very picturesque beach, with rocks ideal for the kids to have fun climbing.
Melipal is covered with small stones, it is ideal for picnics and enjoying a great view of the lake. On the other side of the road, you can find many stores (kiosks, warehouses, pharmacies), restaurants and a gas station , where you can stock up on take-out supplies to the beach.
Playa Centenario
A few meters from the mouth of the Ñireco River is the Centenario Beach , it is one of the largest and busiest in Bariloche . It is located in what is known as the Ñireco neighborhood 1.5 kilometers from the shopping center. It is an excellent option to visit even on foot, since the route to get there is simple and very beautiful.
Its characteristic is that you can observe the city center from the beach and have the Cathedral of Our Lady of Nahuel Huapi as a point of reference.
Centenario Beach is usually a place visited by the residents of Bariloche. It is ideal to go to spend a while without having to stray too far and to have the Nahuel Huapi lake very close. There is a concrete path that allows you to descend to the shore. During the afternoon you can see people practicing windsurfing and kitesurfing.
It also has several services such as tower for lifeguards, lounge chairs, benches and a healthy plaza with different machines for physical exercise.
Playa del Toro
La Playa del Toro is characterized by its exotic volcanic sand and the tranquility of being located on an island. In addition, a few meters from the coast you can see among the rocks cave paintings made by the original peoples that inhabited the area.
Playa del Toro is located On Victoria Island, to get there you need to go to Puerto Pañuelo, on the shores of the picturesque Llao Llao peninsula (20 km from downtown Bariloche), and take one of the boats to Puerto Anchorena. They are approximately 30 minutes of navigation. During the tour you will be able to see impressive landscapes of the mountains that surround the lake and the blue water that contrasts with all the vegetation.
Once you arrive at Puerto Anchorena When disembarking you have to go to the right, since the island is very large and about 200 meters you will find the wonderful Playa del Toro (signposted by signs), where you will be able to sunbathe while admiring the magnificent landscape and the imposing Hotel del Toro nestled in the rocks.
The recommended beaches on the Lago Gutiérrez
Another great place to rest and bathe is the Gutiérrez Lake. On its west shore you will find an area of ideal beaches to stretch your legs a bit and enjoy the scenery. You will also see some trails that go from the lake to the surrounding forests and end at the Cascada de los Duendes . A beautiful popular waterfall, where you will see several families enjoying splashes and games. Near the Cascada de los Duendes you will also find a path that takes you with a short walk to Lake Mirador.
In addition to enjoying the waters of the coast and sunbathing, many people come to Lake Gutiérrez to fish and do trekking activities. Here are the 2 beaches that you can visit:
Villa Tacul
It is located in kilometer 29 of the Circuito Chico road, passing Llao LLao. It is a beach surrounded by forests, with calm waters , in summers the temperature of its waters ranges between 13 ° and 14 ° C. On this beach, water sports are not allowed, only You can swim.
It is a beautiful place to enjoy and connect with nature, it is surrounded by forests of myrtles, lengas and coihues . In it you can discover small bays, access the Lago Escondido and the Bay of Trunks.
In Tacul you will see young people and families having picnics. They are also ideal waters for those who enjoy diving. The coast is covered with small stones that you will see that the children use to play endless "duckling" tournaments.
Villa Coihues
Los Coihues beach is located at the northern head of the lake, along the route 40 , about 15 kilometers from the center of Bariloche. To get to it, from the route you have to enter from the right and cross an old wooden bridge.
This beach is ideal to rest before continuing on the way to other southern sands. In front of the coast you can visit an incredible paleontological museum with dinosaur eggs, models, fossils and the entire history of the geological evolution of Patagonia.
The beach is surrounded by coihue forests and its waters are ideal for swimming because they are the warmest in the region, since the main contribution is not the melting of winter snows, but of rains winter and spring.
The chosen beaches of Lago Moreno
Lake Moreno is of glacial origin. One of its peculiar characteristics is that it is divided into two portions of similar dimensions, the so-called Lago Moreno Oeste and Lago Moreno Este. Its waters are warmer than those of the other lakes in the area.
It has several beaches, some of them are easily accessible via paved roads. On its coasts there are two small tourist towns: Colonia Suiza and the Villa Llao Llao. Lake Moreno is the only one where you can fish all year round (always with a fishing permit).
From the beaches of this lake you will be able to enjoy incredible views of the López and Goye hills , among other features and activities that I detail below:
Bahía Moreno Oeste
This Bay is located Adjacent to the Small Circuit bridge that divides both halves of the lake, it is a place chosen by those who like to do water activities such as swimming, stand up paddle boarding, kayaking, sailing, and excursions by boat or boat.
It has a parador to enjoy a beautiful sunset, accompanied by a Very cold craft beer and for those who like a good Patagonian flavor they offer sandwiches with different regional meats.
To get to this beach you can do it
renting a car and heading down Avenida Bustillo for 30 minutes to the coast, or you can take one of the
buses that pass through the city center to Colonia Suiza.
Playa del Viento
Because of its location, it is one of the most popular by residents for the practice of kitesurfing and windsurfing. The waters of this beach are temperate and range from 14° to 16° C . The coast is covered with rounded but large stones, so it is advisable to wear comfortable sandals for walking. They have lifeguards from morning until 6 in the afternoon.
The Wind Beach is located at the height of the kilometer 14 of Av. Bustillo, you can access by car to the west by a gravel road that will lead you directly to a parking lot.
The wave-like beaches of Lago Mascardi
The
Mascardi Lake has public beaches with fine sand, where many people go to enjoy the sun, have picnics and even camp for the night. Nautical activities are also allowed so it is common to see people in canoes or doing
kayak excursions.Another advantage of the coast of this lake is that being small, its waters are warmer, around 15 ° C. Another plus is that if you go with children or adults, they have lifeguards throughout the day.
The Mascardi is a V-shaped lake located within the Nahuel Huapi National Park. One of its arms is aligned in a north-south direction (the Catedral arm), while the other is oriented in an east-west direction (the Tronador arm). Close to the vertex of the two arms is Isla Corazón, which can be accessed from the beaches by boat.
At the northern head of Lake Mascardi is find the
Relmu Lafquen campsite run by the Mapuche Wiritray community. This place is reached by skirting the cathedral arm along Route 40 South. You can also get to this campsite on the
line 50 of public transport. The beach at the Relmu campsite is very beautiful due to the surrounding vegetation and because it is sheltered, which gives it a certain tranquility.
The Mascardi Lake is reached by taking Route 40 south, heading towards El Bolsón and traveling approximately 30 kilometers from the city.