Los Dedos Playa Brava (La Mano en la Arena)

Brava Beach, with the colloquial name Playa de los Dedos, or Beach of the Fingers, is a beautiful beach that attracts a mostly young crowd. With warm golden sand, mouth-watering food stands and rough Atlantic waters, many people who come here choose to relax on the beach instead of getting wet. However, those who enjoy surfing can’t get enough of the beach-break waves. Moreover, it’s a popular place to watch the sunrise.

The beach gets its unique name from the enormous sculpture of five cement fingers that appear to be rising from under the sand, most commonly called La Mano or The Hand. However, because the piece of art resembles a sleeping giant awakening from a long underground slumber, the official title of the piece is actually Hombre Emergiendo a la Vida, or Man Emerging to Life. The piece was meant as a signal for help from a drowning swimmer, as well as a reminder to be careful in the rough sea, giving the piece of art another name, El Monumento al Ahogado, or Monument to the Drowned. Whichever name you choose to call it, the sculpture is an important icon of Punta del Este.