By road, Maldonado and Bella Unión are about 452 miles (727 km) apart, or roughly 9 h 10 min of driving.
Full advisory: Uruguay. Advisory issued: Uruguay July 28, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Uruguay: “Traffic fatalities are high in Uruguay.”
| Total distance | 452 mi (727 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 9 h 10 min |
| Main roads, in order | I-B |
| Departments on the route | Maldonado, Canelones, San José, Flores, Río Negro, Paysandú, Salto, Artigas |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 18.1 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
How the Maldonado to Bella Unión drive plays out
I-B (18 mi) carries about 4% of the 452 miles. It runs through 8 departments: Maldonado, Canelones, San José, Flores, Río Negro, Paysandú, Salto, Artigas. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Maldonado to Bella Unión, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–9 | 9 | Maldonado |
| I-B | 9–27 | 18 | Maldonado |
| connecting roads | 27–28 | 1 | Maldonado |
| local roads | 28–44 | 16 | Maldonado, Canelones |
| connecting roads | 44–45 | 1 | Canelones |
| local roads | 45–56 | 11 | Canelones |
| connecting roads | 56–57 | 1 | Canelones |
| local roads | 57–89 | 32 | Canelones |
| connecting roads | 89–93 | 4 | Canelones |
| local roads | 93–452 | 359 | Canelones, San José, Flores, Río Negro, Paysandú, Salto, Artigas |
- Mile 34 of this route: Maldonado → Canelones (department line)
- Mile 103 of this route: Canelones → San José (department line)
- Mile 152 of this route: San José → Flores (department line)
- Mile 215 of this route: Flores → Río Negro (department line)
- Mile 268 of this route: Río Negro → Paysandú (department line)
- Mile 360 of this route: Paysandú → Salto (department line)
- Mile 415 of this route: Salto → Artigas (department line)
Places worth a stop between Maldonado and Bella Unión
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Reserva de Flora y fauna Dr. Rodolfo Tálice (mile 184), Termas del Guaviyú (mile 332), Termas del Daymán (mile 360)
- Nature and outdoors: Cerro Pan de Azúcar Native Wildlife Breeding Station (mile 19), Reserva de Flora y fauna Dr. Rodolfo Tálice (mile 184), Termas del Guaviyú (mile 332), Termas del Daymán (mile 360)
- Museums and history: Iglesia de Cristo Obrero y Nuestra Señora de Lourdes (mile 56), Museo Departamental de San José (mile 122), Nuestra Señora del Rosario y San Benito de Palermo, Paysandú (mile 293), Museo del Centro Cultural Casa Horacio Quiroga (mile 364)
Cerro Pan de Azúcar Native Wildlife Breeding Station
Near Piriápolis in Maldonado, this breeding station for native wildlife on Cerro Pan de Azúcar is surrounded by native vegetation and offers guided visits, including a native wildlife trail and a path up the hill.
Iglesia de Cristo Obrero y Nuestra Señora de Lourdes
Since 2021, UNESCO has counted Eladio Dieste's Church of Christ the Worker among its World Heritage Sites. The engineer's brick church in Estación Atlántida was inaugurated in 1960 and is known for its undulating walls and roof.
Museo Departamental de San José
Set in central San José de Mayo, the Museo Departamental de San José is a history and fine arts museum that also runs a library, archives and cultural programs.
Reserva de Flora y fauna Dr. Rodolfo Tálice
Off Route 3 near Trinidad, the Dr. Rodolfo Tálice Ecopark (Reserva de Flora y Fauna Dr. Rodolfo Talice) is a fenced wildlife reserve where axis deer, greater rheas and pampas deer roam free alongside other species.
Nuestra Señora del Rosario y San Benito de Palermo, Paysandú
Paysandú's Catholic parish church of Our Lady of the Rosary and St. Benedict of Palermo was named a minor basilica in 1949 and remains an active parish of the city.
Termas del Guaviyú
Next to Guaviyú Creek at kilometer 432 of Route 3 in Paysandú department, Termas del Guaviyú is a hot spring complex in northwestern Uruguay.
Termas del Daymán
Termas del Daymán is a hot springs center on the banks of the Daymán River, about 10 kilometers from the city of Salto.
Teatro Larrañaga
Teatro Larrañaga is the main performing arts venue in the city of Salto, Uruguay.
Museo del Centro Cultural Casa Horacio Quiroga
In Salto, the Museo del Centro Cultural Casa Horacio Quiroga (Casa Quiroga) tells the life and work of writer Horacio Quiroga inside a house that was one of his family's summer homes.
More drives to Bella Unión
- Paysandú to Bella Unión
- Florida, Uruguay to Bella Unión
- Minas to Bella Unión
- Montevideo to Bella Unión
- Rocha to Bella Unión
- Trinidad, Uruguay to Bella Unión
From Maldonado to other places in Uruguay
- Maldonado to Nueva Helvecia
- Maldonado to Colonia del Sacramento
- Maldonado to Carmelo
- Maldonado to Tacuarembó
- Maldonado to Rivera
- Maldonado to Artigas
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Maldonado to Bella Unión?
About 9 h 10 min of driving without stops, over 452 miles.
How far is Bella Unión from Maldonado by car?
About 452 miles (727 km) on the Wayro route. Other map services may show a few miles more or less, depending on where they start and end in each city.
Is it safe to drive from Maldonado to Bella Unión?
The U.S. State Department rates Uruguay Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
What are good stops between Maldonado and Bella Unión?
Closest to the road: Reserva de Flora y fauna Dr. Rodolfo Tálice (botanical garden, mile 184, 0.1 mi from the route); Termas del Guaviyú (hot spring, mile 332, 0.5 mi from the route); Termas del Daymán (hot spring, mile 360, 0.3 mi from the route). All stops are described above.
How we put this guide together
Wayro calculates the route from OpenStreetMap road data; mile numbers are positions along this route, not highway markers, and "from the route" distances are straight-line, so the real detour depends on access roads. Stops are chosen from parks, natural sites, museums, historic sites and attractions close to the route: at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place descriptions are written by the Wayro team from official park, museum, tourism and government websites and other published sources. Safety levels and entry rules were checked against the U.S. Department of State on October 10, 2026. Conditions change, so check the linked sources before you travel.
Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors.