Tubarão to Punta del Diablo, Uruguay is about 543 road miles (874 km): roughly 11 h 38 min at the wheel if you don't stop. You cross from Brazil into Uruguay at about mile 515.
- Level 4: Do Not Travel in Brazil: informal housing developments (favelas, vilas, comunidades or conglomerados).
Full advisory: Brazil, Uruguay. Advisory issued: Brazil August 31, 2026; Uruguay July 28, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Brazil: “Drivers must have their daytime running lights on during the day and headlights on at night on Federal Highways.”
- Uruguay: “Several of the main highways are particularly accident-ridden.”
| Total distance | 543 mi (874 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 11 h 38 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-101 → BR-290 → BR-116 → BR-392 → BR-471 |
| Border crossing | about mile 515, Brazil → Uruguay |
| Regions on the route | Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul, Rocha |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 21.7 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Border crossing: what to bring for Uruguay
The route crosses at about mile 515, from Rio Grande do Sul into Rocha. Plan on two checks on each side: immigration for your passport and customs for the car.
| Entering Uruguay (U.S. citizens) | No visa needed for visits of 90 days or less. Passport: must be valid for 6 months beyond your arrival date. |
|---|---|
| Driving in Uruguay | You can drive on your U.S. license. |
| Entering Brazil (U.S. citizens) | Visa required: apply and get approved before you travel; travelers without visas can't enter. Passport: must be valid for one month at entry, with a blank page for each stamp. |
| Driving in Brazil | If you'll stay more than 180 days and drive, carry an Inter-American Driving Permit with your U.S. license. |
| Rental car | Cross only if the rental company authorizes it in writing and gives you the papers for the border; ask before you book. |
Sources: U.S. State Department, Uruguay (updated August 13, 2026); U.S. State Department, Brazil (updated August 06, 2026). Checked October 10, 2026; rules change, so confirm before you go.
What the drive from Tubarão to Punta del Diablo is like
BR-471 (137 mi) and BR-101 (133 mi) carry about 50% of the 543 miles. The first 515 miles are in Brazil; the last 28 are in Uruguay. It runs through 3 regions: Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul, Rocha. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Tubarão and Punta del Diablo
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Santa Catarina |
| BR-101 | 1–134 | 133 | Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul |
| connecting roads | 134–137 | 3 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-290 | 137–195 | 58 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-116 | 195–290 | 95 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| local roads | 290–350 | 60 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| connecting roads | 350–352 | 2 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-392 | 352–378 | 26 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-471 | 378–515 | 137 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| local roads | 515–543 | 28 | Rocha |
- Mile 81 of this route: Santa Catarina → Rio Grande do Sul (region line)
- Mile 515 of this route: Rio Grande do Sul → Rocha (international border)
Places worth a stop between Tubarão and Punta del Diablo
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Morro de Osório Protected Area (mile 138), Museu Municipal Agostinho Martha (mile 182), Parque Histórico General Bento Gonçalves (mile 291)
- Nature and outdoors: Guarita State Park (mile 85), Itapeva State Park (mile 85)
- Museums and history: Museu Municipal Agostinho Martha (mile 182), Museu do Trabalho (mile 198), Parque Histórico General Bento Gonçalves (mile 291), Catedral São Francisco de Paula (mile 355)
Guarita State Park
Officially Parque Estadual José Lutzenberger, Guarita State Park in Rio Grande do Sul protects a promontory on the South Atlantic Ocean.
Itapeva State Park
Itapeva State Park is a protected area managed at the state level in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, one of the parks in the state system.
Morro de Osório Protected Area
Created in 1994, the Morro de Osório Environmental Protection Area is a municipal conservation unit of Osório, Rio Grande do Sul, originally covering about 6,896 acres.
Museu Municipal Agostinho Martha
At Rua Nossa Senhora dos Anjos 547 in central Gravataí, the Agostinho Martha Municipal Museum covers local history and art; it was created in 1974 and organized in 1981.
Porto Alegre Public Market
Porto Alegre's oldest public market, the Public Market downtown is a historic landmark and meeting point with many coffee shops and restaurants.
Museu do Trabalho
Founded in 1982 on Rua dos Andradas in Porto Alegre, Museu do Trabalho is a private museum and cultural center with machines, photographs and documents on the lives of companies and workers.
Parque Histórico General Bento Gonçalves
Created by state decree in 1972 and linked to Rio Grande do Sul's culture department, this historic park stands on the old Sesmaria do Cristal, land once granted to the father of Farroupilha leader Bento Gonçalves da Silva.
Catedral São Francisco de Paula
Seat of the Archdiocese of Pelotas, the Catedral Metropolitana de Pelotas is a Catholic church in Rio Grande do Sul dedicated to Saint Francis of Paola.
Parque Nacional Laguna Negra
In Rocha department, Laguna Negra National Park protects the waters of Laguna Negra, the Potrerillo de Santa Teresa biological station and part of Santa Teresa National Park north of Route 9.
Arriving in Punta del Diablo
Santa Teresa National Park
Santa Teresa National Park on Rocha's coast was created to frame the colonial Santa Teresa Fortress; its grounds hold more than two million planted trees from five continents, a greenhouse and native wetland and woodland wildlife.
More drives to Punta del Diablo
- La Paloma to Punta del Diablo
- Nueva Helvecia to Punta del Diablo
- Colonia del Sacramento to Punta del Diablo
- Tacuarembó to Punta del Diablo
- Rivera to Punta del Diablo
- Salto to Punta del Diablo
More drives from Tubarão
- Tubarão to Itanhaém
- Tubarão to Ourinhos
- Tubarão to Paranapiacaba
- Tubarão to Campo Mourão
- Tubarão to Santana do Livramento
- Tubarão to Jaguarão
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Tubarão to Punta del Diablo, Uruguay?
About 11 h 38 min of driving without stops, over 543 miles.
How far is Punta del Diablo, Uruguay from Tubarão by car?
About 543 miles (874 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.
Where does the Tubarão to Punta del Diablo drive cross the border?
At about mile 515, from Brazil into Uruguay.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Tubarão into Uruguay?
No visa needed for visits of 90 days or less. Passport: must be valid for 6 months beyond your arrival date. You can drive on your U.S. license. (U.S. State Department, updated August 13, 2026.)
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Tubarão to Punta del Diablo drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Uruguay Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Tubarão to Punta del Diablo use?
In order: BR-101, BR-290, BR-116, BR-392 and BR-471. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Tubarão and Punta del Diablo?
Closest to the road: Morro de Osório Protected Area (environmental protection area, mile 138, 0.9 mi from the route); Museu Municipal Agostinho Martha (museum, mile 182, 0.6 mi from the route); Parque Histórico General Bento Gonçalves (museum, mile 291, 0.5 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.