The city of Puerto Madryn lies on the shores of Golfo Nuevo in one of the most sheltered places on the Patagonian coast. Founded by Welsh settlers in 1886, the city's deep-water port and abundant nature reserves make it one of the most popular cruise destinations in Argentina, while its rugged coastline also attracts water sports enthusiasts, particularly windsurfers who enjoy defying the strong Patagonian winds. Highlights include the Natural Science and Oceanographic Museum, in a beautiful heritage building overlooking the harbor, which houses numerous displays of Patagonian flora and fauna, including a whale skeleton and a fascinating exhibit about giant squids. For nature lovers, the big draw is the Valdés Peninsula, an important nature reserve listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its diverse wildlife. Guided tours of the reserve are a must, and visitors normally leave having seen everything from right whales (here to mate and calve), along with elephant seals, sea lions, and orcas. It's also an important breeding ground for migratory shorebirds, in particular Magellanic penguins.
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