Experience the magic of Carilo – an upscale beach town.

Carilo is one of my favorite places in Argentina and one that I have visited a few times over the years. Nestled among a man-made forest and just 360 km south of Buenos Aires city. It offers activities for people of all ages.

Cariló is a very small town and famous for its unspoiled beaches, forest, and wildlife.

The history of Carilo and the forest.

I mentioned before that the forest in Cariló is man-made. Many years ago large sand dunes graced the beach area. Hector Manuel Guerrero, started with the forestation in the early 1920’s.
Back then it was a farm called “Dos Montes”. On the farm were cattle that had a surface of almost 1,700 ha.

The farm faced several obstacles including lack of transportation. Farming on sand forestation proved difficult. The family decided to keep the forestation. They included fruit trees that attracted local bird species.Cariló got its name in 1935 from the Mapuche language that means “Green Dune”. By 1947, they planted more than 660,000 trees.

They built an estate house, called “Divisadero” or “Casa Grande” over a dune with a sea view and the forest behind it.

The forest in Cariló is a protected forest with many interesting plants and animals.

The sons of the founder named all the streets in Cariló after wild plants or trees. Other’s have local bird names. The forest is peaceful and it is a magical place to walk. I particularly love the smell of the pine trees. They cannot tar streets in Cariló and is against the law. In fact, they are normal sand roads. This is to preserve the authentic feel of this exquisite town.

What to do and see in Cariló?

I love walking along the shore and to enjoy the quiet seashore. Before people could do dune bashing with 4 x 4 or quad bikes but not anymore. I found it in stark contrast to the many controls that are in place to protect the forest yet people destroyed the plants, dunes, and sand

Visit the Paseo Epuyen, where you will find interesting shops and many restaurants. Enjoy the clean ocean environment with family and friends.

Golf enthusiasts will enjoy the Golf Club.

Walk around and admire the beautiful houses.

Carilo comes highly recommended. Accommodation is very expensive in this area. Make your base in either Pinamar or Villa Gessel to save costs.