Puerto Madryn Travel Secrets: Patagonia’s Best Hub for Marine life

Puerto Madryn on Patagonia’s Atlantic coast offers dramatic landscapes and close-up encounters with the sea’s most majestic marine life.

One of Argentina’s four major cruise ship ports, ‘Madryn’ as locals call it, sits 1,400 km (870 miles) south of Buenos Aires, serving as the gateway to Chubut’s stunning coastal wonders.

Why Visit Puerto Madryn?

Nearby is the Valdés Peninsula, a Unesco World Heritage site and protected wildlife reserve teeming with whales, orcas, sea lions and nearly 200 species of birds.

Whale watching is the primary attraction, with the serene blue waters serving as a stage for the playful antics of over 2,000 Southern Right Whales.

It’s also a hunting ground for the more elusive Killer Whales.

Visiting penguins at Punta Tombo, a little further south down the coast is also a mandatory activity to get the full marine life experience.

This nature reserve is home to an estimated one million Magellanic penguins — the world’s largest colony.

Puerto Madryn is also the birthplace of Argentina’s numerous Welsh colonies, a fascinating chapter in Patagonia’s history that remains largely overlooked.

The pristine ecosystems surrounding Puerto Madryn were relatively undiscovered by international travelers until quite recently.

Since the turn of the last century, the enthusiastic murmurs of travelers have increasingly turned into a chorus singing Puerto Madryn’s praises.

Penguins at Punta Tombo

There are several penguin rookeries on Penisula Valdes but the largest colony of penguins, 170 km south at Punta Tombo can’t be missed.

Visitors can safely traverse the penguin migration path via a boardwalk above and wander the trails amongst thousands of penguins.

Returning from Punta Tombo are the quaint settlements of Gaiman and Trelew, offering cultural exploration and Welsh Tea for those intrigued by the region’s Celtic history.

Best Time to Visit

Each season on the South Atlantic brings with it a unique chapter of life for those passionate about the wonders of the natural world.

This peninsula has earned its reputation as one of the world’s premier locales to witness Southern Right whales in their natural habitat.

These gentle giants make their annual pilgrimage here from Brazil to mate, birth, and rear calves beginning in June.

The dramatic hunting antics of Killer Whales beaching themselves with the tides to feast on sea lion pups take place from February to May.

Here, travelers can also hang out with the chilled-out Magellanic penguins from September to April.

You can even swim with playful sea lions or perhaps glimpse the mysterious orca— both species are around the area all year.

Two Easy Ways to Go Whale Watching in Puerto Madryn:

1. ✅ Book a full-day tour with lunch that includes transport from Puerto Madryn to Penisula Valdés

➡ Small group Penisula Valdes Whale Watching Tour

2. 🅿️ DIY — rent a car and make your way to Puerto Piramides.

Read more here about ➡ renting a car and driving in Argentina.

Make sure you know how to drive a stick shift because that is usually all that is available.

While traversing the Valdes Penisula on land it’s not uncommon to spot guanacos, armadillos, rhea (South American ostrich), foxes, maras (a large Patagonian hare), and skunks.

Puerto Madryn’s Beachside Promenade

Surrounding areas, including the Valdes Pennisula, may be Puerto Madryn’s number one attraction but take some time to enjoy the long rambla, or promenade along the sandy white beach.

Puerto Madryn’s promenade stretches 7.6 km (4.7 mi) along the coast of the Golfo Nuevo from the Piedra Buena pier to the Monument to the Tehuelches, making it ideal for leisurely walks or bike riding.

Whales are so numerous in these waters, that it’s not uncommon to spot them while strolling the promenade.

The city expanded the pier in 2022 and a new shopping center with boutique fashion outlets was built to appeal to cruisers with money to spend.

Puerto Madryn’s Beaches

By late summer when the New Year rolls around, the whales are mostly gone, but tourists aren’t.

Puerto Madryn receives more domestic tourists looking for a spot in the sun during Argentina’s summer holidays.

The town boasts seven beaches total, spreading out consecutively from along the Golfo Nuevo.

Playa Paraná is an expansive rocky beach with one of many shipwrecks along this coast resting in its grave on the shoreline.

Playa Kaiser is the first beach heading south of the city where you may see gauchos on horseback along the shore, people kite surfing, and even people parked in RVs, living the #vanlife in Argentina.

The shoreline is vast, and when the tide is low, there can be several blocks of sandy stretch before reaching the water’s edge.

If visiting Madryn, during the summer months, the beach is the hot spot for playing in waves, paddle ball, volleyball or sipping yerba mate and socializing.

The Atlantic waters can be cold, but Puerto Madryn’s shallow bay warms up the water by a few degrees.

It’s still not as balmy as Argentina’s ‘most beautiful beach,’ Las Grutas, three hours south though, so many just take a quick dip between sunbathing and round of mate on the beach.

Given the chilly embrace of the water, you might thank yourself for rocking a wetsuit if playing in the waves for any length of time.

Around sunset in the summertime, it seems like the whole town congregates on the beach, lending Puerto Madryn a friendly, small-town vibe.

A Rare Glimpse into Winter Whale Behaviors

From June through mid-September, over at Las Canteras beach, a short 15 km hop east of Puerto Madryn whales put on a show.

Because of the unique depth of the waters here, visitors can see these majestic creatures train their calves up close from the land.

Downtown

The center of Puerto Madryn branches out from the white sandy beachfront, bookended by the Patagonian steppe.

Straightforward neighborhood names such as ‘Inmigrantes‘ (Immigrants), “Los Galeses‘ (The Welsh) and ‘Conquista del Desierto‘ (Desert Conquest) evoke the the city’s early colonial and settlement history.

A laid-back town where conversations about school recitals take place across the bakery counter, it regularly receives surges of bewildered tourists from cruises trying to figure out why a cafe latte costs thousands of pesos.

Puerto Madryn’s Historic Buildings

Luckily no skyscrapers were ever built and few historic buildings remain, mostly around the pier area.

Swing by Casa Toschke, built in 1905, to check for live events. The city’s first school is now the Welsh Cultural Center.

Casa Pujol is an elegant chalet built in 1915. It now serves as the city’s Museum of Natural Sciences but it closed for renovation.

Steps from the pier is the 1912 Casa James, a roomy beer house.

The original railway station and station master’s house from 1913 also remain, with the station operating as a school.

The Chubut Trading Company (Compania Mercantil de Chubut) building also remains intact. It will hopefully reopen as a restaurant again soon.

Where to Get Coffee

Visitors in search of coffee will find the national coffee chain Havanna only two blocks from the pier.

Coffee connoisseurs may want to walk three blocks further along the promenade to find Casa Hulpe, one of Madryn’s best — and only — specialty coffee houses.

(See our handy coffee chart to figure out which coffee you want.)

What to Eat: Savoring Flavors of Coastal Patagonia

Puerto Madryn’s low-key culinary scene is influenced by both its seaside location and the Welsh influence here.

Between 2020-2022 and many small businesses here closed down but travelers are back and new restaurants are opening all the time.

Given its location by the Atlantic Ocean, Puerto Madryn offers a variety of fresh seafood dishes such as squid rings, mussels, and king crab.

A chilled Shrimp Cocktail is not to be missed — the Southern Atlantic prawns are huge, fresh and abundant.

Cazuela de mariscos is another local favorite — flavorful seafood casserole baked in a clay pot.

A non-seafood specialty of the region is Cordero Patagónico: Patagonian lamb slow-roasted over an open flame on a spit.

Undoubtedly the berries are delicious in Patagonia, and if you go in summer you will find wild berry bushes with fruit just waiting to be picked.

Where to Eat

Food truck: Nuestros Maricos (Our Seafood) is a popular food truck that appears along the frontage road, Alte. Brown, near Punta Cuevas, on the south side of town.

They specialize in seafood dishes such as squid rings, fried prawns, and seafood casseroles.

Restaurants:

Cantina el Náutico is a classic in Madryn. Opened in 1963, the cozy bistro is now run by the third generation.

The menu features shrimp cocktail, paella, seafood casserole, Basque-style grilled hake, and hand-cut french fries.

If you dine here, you will be in good company, as demonstrated by all the pictures of Argentine celebrities on the walls.

Nicanor Cocinero is probably the best restaurant in town.

This memorable restaurant is a whole experience. You may end up sharing a table, or even a bottle of wine.

Meals will have several courses of fresh homemade food. The menu depends on what’s in season and what Nico feels like cooking.

Tea Houses: A tradition of Welsh settlers, local tea houses serving cakes, scones, and ‘Torta Galesa,’ Welsh fruitcake made with a healthy amount of whiskey.

The teahouses are open during the merienda, especially in Trelew and Gaiman.

Diana, Princess of Wales enjoyed a traditional Welsh teatime with Chubutense locals in 1995, only a year and a half before her untimely demise.

Puerto Madryn Cruise Port

Puerto Madryn is among the ports of call for cruises navigating the Patagonian channels through the Tierra del Fuego region of Argentina.

• Luis Piedra Buena Pier, Argentina’s first dedicated cruise ship pier, debuting in 1910 is where cruise ships moor. It’s only a short 200-meter walk along the pier to downtown.

• If there are more than two cruise liners at the above pier, ships will dock at Almirante Storni Pier 4.5 km outside of town. Shuttle buses to town are provided to passengers.

Changing Money/Money Transfer

Dealing with money in Argentina, and especially in smaller cities like Puerto Madryn can be a bit of an ordeal, so be prepared to make things go smoother.

To get the best exchange rate bring USD cash to exchange at the ‘Blue Rate.’

Where to Change Cash

An official money exchange house is open on the Luis Piedra Buena Pier when cruises land, which may be the most convenient option.

Check our Blue Dollar & Western Union Currency Convertor which has live rates, just to make sure you get somewhere close to the blue rate.

Locations for money change come and go since it is technically illegal, so ask around to be pointed to the nearest money exchange.

Dollars are hard to come by for locals in the area, so rates given for U.S. dollars are typically higher all over Patagonia than in Buenos Aires.

If you casually mention you want to change money, many small business owners will be willing to take the precious dollars off your hands.

Usually taking out the middle man this way is a win-win, just check the rate.

Western Union

• There are several Western Union locations nestled in downtown Puerto Madryn.

Beware they often will not have enough cash to pay out.

If you need to pick up a Western Union transfer here, don’t transfer a large amount and go on a weekday morning for your best chance for success. Also be aware that many businesses here close for the siesta, from about 2:00-5:00 p.m.

Credit Cards and ATMs

As with everywhere in Argentina, businesses don’t love accepting credit cards.

Additionally, the rate you will receive on your card or at the ATM could be up to 10-15% less than the Blue Rate.

In Patagonia make sure to carry USD cash to cut down on hassles and to have as a backup.

Hotels with Ocean Views  

Hotel Territorio on the south side of town at Punta Cuevas, Territorio has rooms with sweeping views of the Patagonian Sea and it gets wifi.

It is only two kilometers from the city center so it’s a pleasant walk along the beach to get into town.

Hotel Península Valdés in one of the tallest buildings in Puerto Madryn, right downtown near the pier, this hotel isn’t luxurious but it has views of the sea and costs under $100 most of the year.

Chepatagonia Hostel & Coworking offers dorms for those on a budget and reasonably cozy apartments complete with kitchens in the middle of the beach.

A great option for those traveling alone or who are in the area to work.

Puerto Piramides, Penisula Valdés — stay on the nature reserve itself for a couple of days, if possible.

There is a small fee <$10 to enter the reserve, check prices on the official webpage.

This tiny pueblo on the Peninsula is where the whale-watching boat excursions depart.

It’s the only place on the Peninsula that has a phone signal.

Make sure to make reservations far in advance, or else you can’t be picky about where you stay as housing and accommodation are severely limited in the small village.

Travel: Getting to Puerto Madryn from Buenos Aires

• Puerto Madryn is 800 miles south of Buenos Aires and most flights originate from Aeroparque Internacional Jorge Newbery (AEP).
• There are a few flights directly to El Tehuelche Airport (PMY) in Puerto Madryn per week.
• If coming from Buenos Aires, most direct (and less expensive) flights arrive in Trelew, situated roughly 60 km from Puerto Madryn.
• Long-distance buses connect Puerto Madryn with numerous Argentine cities while flights from cities other than Buenos Aires are scarce.
• You may have to plan carefully to work Puerto Madryn into a multi-destination trip although there are flights from here to Ushuaia and El Calafate in high season.

• Taxis are usually waiting right outside both the Puerto Madryn and Trelew Airports.
• Shared Transfers: For a more budget-friendly option pre-book a shared transfer from Trelew directly to your chosen accommodation Puerto Madryn.
• Car Rentals: Renting a car upon arrival in Trelew (check prices in pesos here) serves the dual purpose as transport from the airport and a means to explore its surrounding areas.
• Read about car rental requirements and driving in Argentina. Your mileage may vary 🙂 but it seems renting a car in pesos is a good way to save money.