La Mano was made in 1982 by a Chilean artist named Mario Irarr谩zabal. He sculpted five huge fingertips poking up through the sand at the edge of Brava Beach, as if a giant were buried just under the surface waving hello. The fingers are made of concrete and metal, and each one is about 3 metres tall - taller than most living rooms.
Punta del Este sits on a thin point of land between two beaches that feel very different. Brava Beach, on one side, faces the open Atlantic Ocean and has big crashing waves where surfers come to ride. Mansa Beach, on the other side, faces back towards the calmer river water and has gentle little ripples - perfect for younger swimmers.
In summer, Punta del Este fills up with families. They come from all over Uruguay, Argentina, Brazil and beyond. The town has a busy harbour where you can watch sea lions stretched out on the rocks sunbathing right next to fishing boats, completely unbothered by the people walking past.
Out at sea, just off the coast, are two small islands called Isla de Lobos and Isla Gorriti. Isla de Lobos means 'Wolves Island', but there are no wolves there - the 'wolves' are actually one of the biggest colonies of South American sea lions anywhere in the world. About 200,000 sea lions live on that one rocky island.