This describes the type of life preservartion in José Ignacio:

Jose Ignacio Village, located 42 km East of Punta del Este, was a quiet and small town of picturesque local people , fishermen and divers , cut off from civilization by two wonderful lagoons without a bridge, supplied with rain water and by water carrier pushed by horse, lighted by lanterns and Aladdin lamps, besides its emblematic lighthouse.

Today it has developed in harmonic conditions which do not risk the most precious value of this privileged spot by nature and preserving: the beaches, rocks, dunes, lagoons, the forest and all the construction and urbanization details which make this place unique in the world, meeting point for regional jetsetters, stars, models and millionairs looking for a quiet and isolated vacation out of focus and cameras.

The place keeps a profusion of memories which raked up images not so far away in time: the parade of memories began with:

• the huge sand dunes at the beach which was named del Barco because the ship Renner had run aground (still complete in 1978) with an important tomato cargo and some crockery, which ate its hull year by year ...

• the variety of stones and shells in the beach de las Monjitas,  on behalf of a congregation´s summer house where then La Posada del Mar was built (later rented to Guess and Cream) turning every season the most trendy meeting place for young people...

• the quixotic figure of don Anibal , who arrived riding his horse with the load of a small water tank to fill wells and cisterns, when they dried out or threatened to run out...

• doña Cándida´s image –who in 2005 will turn 100 years old- when she still grew her orchard next to the church´s house...

• those of Cacho Pérez and his sharp portrait, fishing on the red stone...

• those of Nibio Machado , shaking cockles on the shores of Garzón lagoon...

• those of los Negros Urbín, playing cards where today is Francis Mallmann´s Los Negros...

• those of don Horacio giving away lemon rolls carrying the basket on his arms...

• those of Rosendo , carrying order´s to Riera´s(where today is Los Mejillones) when it was the only “post” service to get provisions in San carlos and in the mornings he took long lists including anything from a kilo of tomatoes to four blue buttons...

• those of trinchín, the attractive character who segmented his garden (the land where today is La Aldea) by means of obsolete fluorescent tubes and invited to interesting gatherings for being such an educated intellectual and art lover.

The first vacationers who set foot there, fought hard to protect the enviroment and the pleasent building construction. Among them, Jorge Enrique Hardoy, a worldwide famous urbanist and architect occupied an outstanding place, apart from many more who contributed to fund and then guarantee the actiones of Liga del Faro, neighbour´s association who has had and important role in the defence and care of the resort´s virtues. Neighbours have assumed that is only through active community participation,and through a joint vision construction , that feasible objectives mar be projected, favouring progress and development without comprimising environmental heritage sustainability which is the major common value. results, it will be very important and of course favourable that neighbours who have.

Entering the village there is a big sign indicating Max Speed 35 Km “Here, only the wind runs”.