Uruguay Travel Guide

Uruguay is located in southeastern South America, on the east bank of the Uruguay River and the La Plata River, bordering Brazil in the north, Argentina in the west, and the Atlantic Ocean in the southeast. Independence from the Brazilian Empire on August 25, 1825. Most of the territory has flat terrain and developed agriculture and animal husbandry. Uruguay is known as "Switzerland in South America" because of its beautiful natural scenery and stable social environment, and its bank secrecy system is similar to Switzerland, which previously implemented bank secrecy system. It is also known as "Diamond Country" because it looks like a gem and is rich in amethyst. Uruguay's economy is mainly based on exporting agriculture. In the early 20th century, it once became a wealthy country in South America because of exporting a large number of agricultural products to Europe and other places.

The best time to travel Uruguay is suitable for traveling in all seasons. Uruguay's climate is mild and pleasant. Summer is from January to March, with temperatures of 17 to 28℃, and winter is from July to September, with temperatures of 6 to 14℃. Annual precipitation increases from 950 mm to 1250 mm from south to north.

Local notice: Uruguay's official and common language is Spanish. Residents near the border generally speak a mixture of Spanish and Portugal. The local population is approximately 3,318,535, of which 88% are white, 8% are mestizo, 4% are black, and there is also a very small number of American Indians. The diversity and complexity of ethnic groups have led to the complexity and diversity of language use. There will also be subtle differences in accents or vocabulary used in different regions. Spanish belongs to the western branch of the Indo-European Romance family, also known as Castilian. There are also many local languages such as Catalan and Basca. There are a total of 5 languages. Spanish is spoken by more than 250 million people around the world. It is the third largest language in the world, mainly spoken in Latin American countries. Spanish pronunciation is often accompanied by trill, which is difficult to learn.

Visa Notes Uruguayan visas are divided into short-term business visas, short-term travel visas, and short-term family reunion visas. The issuance of the above three short-term visas is subject to authorization from the Uruguayan Immigration Service (visa refunds). It is recommended to start the application process at least one month in advance of travel. Any authorization issued by the Uruguayan Immigration Service is valid for 60 natural days. Once it expires, the entire application process needs to start from scratch. A short-term visa is about US$43. Payment needs to be made in RMB cash. The specific rate is calculated based on the actual exchange rate between the US dollar and the RMB.

From the date of issuance of the Uruguay short-term visa, the holder must enter the territory of the Eastern Republic of Uruguay within 60 natural days. You can stay for 90 natural days from the date of entry. Under normal circumstances, multiple entry visas are issued, that is, multiple entry and exit visas can be issued within 90 natural days. If the holder really needs to extend his stay in Uruguay, he or she can apply for an extension of up to 90 natural days at the Uruguayan Immigration Bureau. The extension needs to be processed directly at the Uruguayan Immigration Bureau after the applicant enters the country.

Entry instructions You must have a valid visa or residence permit to enter Uruguay, otherwise you will be deported. After entering the country, keep the entry registration card filled out at the time of entry (submit it to the Immigration Bureau at the time of exit). If you need to apply for a visa extension, you can go to the Immigration Bureau to apply for it, but you must have a sponsor.

Crews holding seafarer's certificate and personnel working on fishing boats cannot enter or leave Uruguay by plane with their seafarer's certificate alone; when crew members return home, they will go to the embassy to renew their travel permit and cancel their seafarer's certificate with their seafarer's certificate and company certificate.

The entry card should be filled out carefully before entering the country. If you have difficulty filling it, you can ask the flight attendant to assist in filling it out.

Exit Instructions Uruguay's departure tax refund rate is up to 14.4%. The airport tax refund process is as follows: 1. Purchase of tax refund items: After overseas passengers purchase tax refund items at the tax refund shop and need to apply for tax refund, they should request the "Overseas Passenger Shopping Departure Tax Refund Application Form" and sales invoice from the tax refund shop.

2. Customs verification confirmation: When foreign passengers leave the country at the port of departure, they should take the initiative to declare to the customs with the tax refund items, the "Overseas Passengers Shopping and Departure Tax Refund Application Form", and the sales invoice of the tax refund items and accept customs supervision. After the customs verification is correct, it will sign and sign the overseas passenger's purchase and departure tax refund application form.

3. Agency tax refund: Whether it is local shopping and local departure or local shopping and departure, the departure tax refund will be handled uniformly by the tax refund agency located in the quarantine area of the departure port where the departure procedures for overseas passengers are handled. After the tax refund agency checks the relevant information correctly, it will handle VAT refunds for overseas passengers.

Note that tourists who need tax refunds should arrange the tax refund time reasonably when leaving the country, because the airport tax refund team is always extremely large.

Notice

carry items Uruguay is a country of agriculture and animal husbandry. Agriculture and animal husbandry are the country's main economic industries. Therefore, quarantine inspection of animals and plants is very strict. According to Uruguayan customs regulations, passengers are prohibited from carrying the following items: 1) Plants, plant roots and related products, fruits and fresh vegetables, seeds and handicrafts made from seeds and plants, flowers, ornamental plants and potted plants.

2) Soil, fruit plants, horticultural products, forage, bonsai, etc., animal products and by-products, liquid milk, butter, eggs, cream and cheese, pets, birds, exotic specimens, bees, etc.

3) Any kind of meat, cold cuts and sausages, animal feed and veterinary biological products.

Duty-free items: Passengers who bring pets (dogs, cats) and wild animals into the country must have a pet health certificate issued by the relevant department of the country of origin of residence, stating the animal's rabies vaccination status and the animal's health status.

Financial control regulations: Relevant Ukrainian authorities do not want individuals to carry large amounts of cash in and out of Uruguay, up to a maximum of US$5,000. Otherwise, the customs can seize the money, investigate the source of the cash and the purpose of carrying it out of the country, and finally decide to confiscate it or impose a certain amount of fine.

There are currently no direct flights to South Africa in China. You can transfer to Europe first and then transfer to Montevideo.

Currency exchange The currencies in circulation in Uruguay include paper notes and coins. The code of the Uruguayan peso is UYU. In 1975, the country launched the currency reform. At present, the old and new currencies are common. The old peso of 1000 is equivalent to 1 new peso, and the new currency system is more common. In 2002, affected by the crises in Argentina and Brazil, Uruguay was forced to implement a freely floating currency exchange policy, which triggered a violent shock in the domestic financial market. The Uruguayan peso depreciated sharply, and the national risk index reached a record 1616 points.

Thanks to the efforts of the government, the exchange rate between the country's currency and the US dollar has recovered to some extent. Banknotes are issued in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000 and 2000 pesos. The coins were issued in denominations of 10, 20 and 50 cents and 1, 2, 5, 10, 50, 100, 200 and 500 pesos. The conversion of currencies is rounded to 1 new peso =100 cents.

It is recommended to exchange cash or traveler's checks at a bank or a common currency exchange table in large cities. Some hotels and airports also provide foreign currency exchange services, but the exchange rates are usually low. In Uruguay, ATMs are very popular and can be seen everywhere.

Consumption level Uruguay is a high-consumption country. The average price is similar to that of Beijing. The prices of milk and related products are very low. Milk only costs US$0.8 per liter and cheese is US$10 -15 per kilogram. Meat such as beef is cheap and of excellent quality. A can of Coca-Cola is $1. A burger is about 3 dollars. Wine is very cheap, you can buy it for US$5, but US$10 -20 is very good. Public transportation is developed, but the bus fare is US$1. If there are many people, it is appropriate to take a taxi, which costs about US$10 for 10 kilometers.

Uruguay's swiping environment is relatively good. Large shopping malls and hotels support swiping UnionPay cards, which is more affordable and convenient. Generally, the billboard at the entrance of the store will indicate which credit card can be used, but when swiping your card, you should also pay attention to preventing personal information from being leaked and other circumstances.

Communication and Network There are three main mobile phone operators in Uruguay: ANTEL, CLARO and Telefonica. The local mobile phone standard in Uruguay is in the GSM850/1900 band. You can get preferential prices from these three operators by using China Mobile's GSM service. It is also very convenient to purchase a phone card locally. Most hotels have international calls, but roaming charges are relatively high. At the same time, it is also recommended to use software such as Skype in areas with WIFI coverage to reduce communication charges, etc.

For GSM mobile data, ANTEL and CLARO are 0.03 yuan/KB, but Telefonica has not opened this service. You can also buy a 3G wireless network card in China and use it in Uruguay. It is sold on Taobao. Uruguay's Internet is relatively developed, Internet cafes can be seen everywhere, and the fees are not expensive. Some hotels, airports, restaurants, and cafes have WIFI coverage, which is more convenient.

Accommodation Information The accommodation environment in Uruguay is still very good, and there are many star-rated hotels here, so when you come here to travel, you can choose a very good hotel. The suggestion is to choose a relatively close one, such as Palm Beach Hotel. This hotel not only has a good environment, but also has a reasonable price. The main thing is that the service facilities are very good. You can walk to the attractions and feel very convenient to travel. I suggest that you may wish to book this hotel online in advance!

Dietary instructions Uruguayan people's diet is usually mainly Western food, with breakfast mainly consisting of bread, milk, cereals, and eggs; sandwiches, milk, coffee and canned food are generally eaten for lunch; most dinners are more important. Generally eat more fish, meat and vegetables. Beef is the main meat of Uruguayans. Uruguay is one of the world's major beef consumers. People cannot eat without beef. Uruguayans are experts in cooking a variety of stews and barbecues. There are many rotisserie shops on the street, where you can taste authentic Uruguayan barbecue. Uruguayan barbecue is different from Brazil. It uses fruit wood to roast on a grill and has a unique flavor. Uruguayan drinks Uruguay's light beer is called rubia, and dark beer is called negrao.

The local wines are both good and cheap. Even a bottle of Saint-Red Rose wine while eating a Châteaux Blinder steak will not be drunk. The local champagne is also worth a try. Brandy made from grape pomace is a good aperitif, and brandy made from sugarcane is equally good. Uruguayan people like to drink matai tea at ordinary times. They carry it with them when they go out and drink it while walking. Uruguay's authentic ethnic dish is churrasco, a delicious grilled steak, and another ethnic dish called parrillada. Most of its content is also beef. Don't miss this taste.

Shopping Instructions The store is open from 9:00 to 19:00 from Monday to Friday, and is closed from 12:30 on Saturday. Montevideo's main business district is located on the street between Plaza Ubertad and Plaza Independencia. There is also a flea market across the harbour that opens on two Sunday mornings. It should be remembered that you should not be ashamed to bargain when shopping.

Tips

* Except for citizens of the United States, Canada and many European countries who must hold passports and visas for a stay of less than 3 months), except for people from epidemic areas 14 days before coming to Uruguay, other people entering the country do not need an international immunization certificate. There are no restrictions on bringing in and out of currency.

.* Uruguay has convenient transportation. The capital has an international airport. It has a small land area and can be easily reached from land. There are also efficient bus services in major cities such as Montevideo, Colonia and Punta del Este, making it easy for tourists to get around. You can also travel around Uruguay by taxi or car.

* Uruguay is a country with good security and is not as volatile as countries such as Colombia, Brazil and Venezuela. In fact, Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay, is considered to be the "second safest city in the world" after Tokyo. The local crime rate is very low, and attacks on tourists have never been heard of.

* In order to avoid unexpected situations, tourists should be vigilant in crowded public places or sparsely populated places. It is basically safer for women to travel alone, but please try to avoid traveling alone on public transportation at night.

:: As a developed country with good medical facilities, Uruguay has no infectious diseases and dangers that require special attention. There is no need to inject a specific vaccine into Uruguay, but it is recommended to get vaccinated against hepatitis and typhoid.

* Sightseeing tourists who unfortunately go to local hospitals due to illness or injury will find that the local medical facilities are very sophisticated and complete, and the medical staff are all highly qualified professional training. In hospitals in the capital or other large cities, there is rarely a doctor who speaks English.

* The voltage in Uruguay is 220 volts, 50 Hz. Tourists who want to travel to Uruguay should pay attention to bringing their mobile phones or video camera charging converters, because the chargers here are different from those in China; they should also bring some cash with them and exchange them for coins commonly used in Uruguay in China first.

* Local tap water is safe to drink, but if you encounter situations that are not suitable for the environment, it is recommended to drink bottled water.

* If you need to change clothes during travel, the hotel generally provides a self-service washing machine and free washing powder to dry them after washing and drying them. Small pieces of clothing can be washed and dried by hand in the room.

* Hotels and restaurants charge more than 10% of the bill amount, and a 10% tip is expected; luggage is tipped by the piece; taxi tips are 10%, hairdressers are also 10%, coffee shops are 15%, and room service and museum guides are also charged.

* It is difficult to find toilets in Uruguay other than teahouses, bars and gas stations. The women's bathroom is called Elias or Damas, and the men's bathroom is called Ellos or Caballeros. There is no charge to go to the toilet, but a tip is expected in the women's bathroom.