Hailed as “South America’s unsung hero” by Forbes, and included in The Lonely Planet Top Ten Tourism Countries For 2020, Uruguay is finally coming into the spotlight. Departures Magazine published a piece in January about the “Monaco of the South” specifically highlighting the Vik Retreats and including quotes by owners Alex and Carrie Vik – “The 12-room Estancia Vik, where guests can go horseback riding and enjoy a traditional South American asado, was their first hotel. They subsequently opened two hotels on the beach: Playa Vik and Bahia Vik, which just debuted four new bungalows, a wellness facility complete with a yoga studio, and an event space. Each bungalow was designed by a different artist. In the evenings, guests can climb the dunes and descend to the beach to watch the sunset over this wild stretch of Atlantic coast before heading over to Solera for wine and tapas.”