Day trip to Villa Florida: route and best stops

Villa Florida is 161 km south of Asunción on Route PY01 (ABC Color⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠), so a day trip is possible, but it is a long day: a good share of it goes on the road. Leave early and you get a morning on a Tebicuary river beach, a fish lunch and the riverfront with its giant cross at sunset. If you want to enjoy the river without watching the clock, stay one night.

How do you get to Villa Florida?

• By car: take the PY01 towards Encarnación; the town sits roughly halfway between the two cities (Wikipedia⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠). Leave before 7:00 so you arrive with the whole morning ahead.
• By bus: buses from the Asunción bus terminal to Encarnación or San Juan Bautista leave about every 30 minutes and stop in Villa Florida (Wikipedia⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠). Ask to be dropped in town and check return times as soon as you arrive.
• Information: the regional office of Senatur, the national tourism ministry, answered on 083 240-209, daily 7:00–19:00 (ABC Color, 2024⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠).

Morning: Camping Paraíso beach

The best-known beach, on the Tebicuary river, about two kilometres from the town centre and well signposted (ABC Color, 2022⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠; ABC Color, 2025⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠).

• Facilities: sand, camping and barbecue areas, toilets, drinking water and electricity (ABC Color, 2024⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠; ABC Color, 2025⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠).
• Safety: coast guards patrol the beach and there is a marked safe swimming zone (ABC Color, 2022⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠). Only swim inside it.
• Hours and entry: on 1 January 2025 it was open 24 hours, with the gate opening at 7:00 (ABC Color⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠). In 2019 entry was about G. 10,000 per person (Última Hora⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠); ask for the current price at the gate.
• Watch the river: in early 2024 a Tebicuary flood covered the beach (ABC Color⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠). Before leaving, call Senatur or check the town's social media to see if it is open.

Midday: a river-fish lunch

Villa Florida's strength is river fish: fish broth (caldo de pescado), breaded surubí, surubí steaks, empanadas and fish chupín stew; there are also pizzerias and Paraguayan dishes (ABC Color, 2022⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠; Wikipedia⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠). For reference, in 2019 a breaded dorado or surubí cost G. 35,000 and the broth G. 25,000 (Última Hora⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠). Restaurants fill up on summer Sundays, so eat early.

Afternoon: the riverfront and the 31-metre cross

• Tebicuary riverfront (costanera). For walking or cycling along the river (ABC Color, 2022⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠).
• Pier and cross lookout. A 31.2 m Cross of Christ with a pier and lookout (ABC Color, 2022⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠), finished in 2020; it is the spot for sunset (Wikipedia⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠). On a day trip, make it your last stop before heading back.
• Boat or canoe trip. You can rent one to fish or explore the river at affordable prices, but you must register with the Prefectura Naval, the river authority (Última Hora, 2019⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠).

If you stay the night

One night changes the trip: an unhurried beach morning and a drive back after lunch.

• Centu Cué: on the Tebicuary, about 11 km south of town (Wikipedia⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠), with a large camping area and cabins for up to five people (ABC Color, 2024⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠).
• In town: there are tourist inns, guesthouses and hotels (ABC Color, 2022⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠). Ask the Senatur office for options.
• Museo Cabañas: in the former estancia of General Atanasio Cabañas, 12 km along the road to Caapucú (Wikipedia⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠). Ask Senatur whether it is open before you go.

When should you go?

• Summer: beach season. For eight months of the year temperatures sit between 25 and 35 °C (Wikipedia⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠): sunscreen, a hat and shade at midday.
• Fishing: fishing is not what it was in the 1970s because of overfishing (Wikipedia⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠). In 2024 the fishing zone reopened on 20 December when the closed season ended (ABC Color⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠); closed-season dates change, so check them before packing a rod.
• 8 December: the patron saint festival of the Immaculate Conception (Wikipedia⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠).
• New Year: about a thousand people entered the beach on 1 January 2025 (ABC Color⁠⁠ (opens in a new tab)⁠). For a quiet visit, avoid public holidays.