Sitting right on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, the busy city of Mar del Plata is home to Argentina’s most popular beaches. From Playa Popular and its packed boardwalk to Playa Waikiki and its great surfing, Mar del Plata has something for everybody.

Though the water here is often cold and not always sparkly clean due to the proximity to a commercial port, the wide sandy beaches more than make up for it. Playa La Perla and Playa Grande are both filled with balnearios, large open areas with sun loungers and beach umbrellas – sun-lovers head here mostly to work on their tan.

Farther away from the center, past the city lighthouse, there are a number of smaller beaches – though still very popular in summer, they are also quieter and a good place to escape to if noisy crowds aren’t your thing.