Other Destinations in Chile > Chile Experience

Advantages: An out of this world experience.
Disadvantages: It's a bit far but most certainly worth it.

The Torres del Paine National Park lies to the extreme south of Chile, in the Chilean Patagonia. To be precise, in the XII Región of Magellan and Chilean Antarctica (Chile is divided into 12 regions). The province is known as "Ultima Esperanza" (Last Hope). Hope is not a word I would use. Reality is more like it. Hopeful Reality. Or perhaps Realistic Hope. I am afraid Patagonia has stolen my senses, and senses I did not have a lot. So do forgive ...
...left it somewhere there, wandering the Patagonian plains, lakes, forests and mountains. It is an area roughly 242,242 hectares large and was officially declared a National Park in 1975, and from this date to today, has been administrated by the National Forestry Service of Chile (Conaf). On the 28th of April 1978, the United Nations recognised it as a World Biosphere Reserve. Thank Goodness! This has enabled many endangered species to recover and ... Read review

Advantages: Better terrain than El colorado
Disadvantages: Further away from the hostels

...coloured shirt. The area. La Parva, El Colorado and Valle Nevado are as connected as Meribel, Courcheval and Val Thorens in France. In this comparison, La Parva would be Courchevel, off to the left side of a combined piste map and away from the slightly more crowded central resort of El Colorado. As in France, you can ski all 3 areas on the same pass, and it will take you more than a couple of days to do so. Off the slopes, however, the comparison ...
...Accommodation Accommodation in La Parva is limited and hard to find out about. There is almost nothing in the way of big apartments or hotels in either El Colorado or La Parva, most of the property is either chalet style buildings which I suspect are owned by wealthy Chileans or the original Andean stone/wooden buildings. I have never stayed in La Parva, which as far as I know has no budget accomodation. If I was going with my family now, and wanted ... Read review

Advantages: local people and activities
Disadvantages: not very well known

...even in cold London is La Serena; a seaside town in the north of Chile. It is the second oldest town in Chile and at only 5 hours drive from Santiago is a must visit place of the country in my opinion. Although known as a tourist place to the locals it is not as well known by foreigners as say the Atacama desert or Santiago center. La Serena meaning the serene one, has lots to offer travelers as well as Chileans. It has a mixture of both old and ...
...and Americanization. When in La Serena it is easy to find your way around as the town is very traveler friendly and has a range of maps and tourist information around. With a taxi costing as little as 300 pesos a ride, which is about 30p it is very affordable to get to know this gorgeous place. La Serena cators for all ages and for all interests. For the young it has a beach front full of nightclubs and amusements. Including a funfair on the beach ... Read review

Advantages: Totally different to any european/N american ski resort
Disadvantages: Totally different to any european/N american ski resort

...ski resorts of La Parva, El Colorado and Valle Nevado. All 3 resorts are connected (you can ski between them if you have the right pass) and there are plenty of runs and some world-class off-piste. You can make the trip up and down from Santiago in a day but its worth taking two days (at least) if you can ski or snowboard. As well as the resorts, there is a small town called Farrellones located next to the resort of El Colorado. You can walk from ...
...farellones and two bars in El Colorado, one at the main ski lift base, and another at the lower lift base. Be warned though, there is no European-style apres-ski culture in Chile. If you are out to get drunk there is a good chance you will be doing it with about 10 other tourists, whilst being watched by upwards of 50 chilenos. Not that this is any reason to hold back. There is a nightclub somewhere in between El Colorado and La Parva somewhere, ... Read review

Advantages: Stunning scenery and enough adventure to last a lifetime
Disadvantages: Huge distances and the developing transport system

As a volunteer English teacher in the very depths of Patgonia here I managed to explore the region fully, experiencing the culture and seeing the lives that enfolded before me each day. It was only by spending so long in this beautiful region that I fully discovered what Chilean Patagonia, let alone the rest of Chile, was about. As it is such a huge country that I can only begin to describe the beauty of this part of the country and what amazing ...
...with Coyhaique, the capital of the XI Region, about half way from between Santiago and the end of the world, Tierra del Fuego... Coyhaique: this town, of population 40,000, is a bustling centre of all activities in the XI Region. With easy access from Santiago Airport to Balmaceda Airport (1 hour drive - taxi buses are cheap and easy to find in the airport), Coyhaique is experiencing the tourist explosion. Its advantages are more than obvious: ... Read review