As one of the longest counties in the world, Chile is filled with a wide array of places to visit. From its varied indigenous cultures to its otherworldy landscapes, you’re sure to be enthralled by Chile. Since travelling from one end to the other takes time and planning, we’ve created a list of what we think are the best places to visit.
Since our preferences may not match yours, the order you choose may be different, but we’re sure which ever you pick will make a trip to remember.
Click on the link to go directly to our Travel Tips for Chile.
You can find our top places in Chile, as well as others, in the map below. It is an interactive map, so click on a marker for a link to our post from that region.
1. Rapa Nui (Easter Island)
The island of Rapa Nui (Easter Island) is one of the world’s most isolated and mysterious spots. Stories of its enigmatic statues have put it on many people’s travel wish lists. After visiting Rapa Nui ourselves, it quickly became our favourite place to visit in Chile.
There are so many things to see on Rapa Nui (Easter Island) that we presented it in three posts. Click on the links to read What To See in Hanga Roa, Rapa Nui’s Famous Sites: Ahu Tongariki and Rano Raraku Quarry, and Rapa Nui’s Anakena Beach and Orongo.
2. San Pedro de Atacama
Once you first set foot on the Atacama Desert, you’ll think you’ve stepped into another world. Its many volcanoes, mineral lakes, colourful canyons and salt flats create some of the most surreal landscapes you’ll find in northern Chile. Adding to the scenery is an array of wildlife, including flamingos, vicuñas and guanacos. With so much to see, planning a trip to this vast land can be daunting. We created an overall guide with details of the various sites over several so you can visit Atacama too.
For a guide on the Atacama click on the link for our post A Complete Guide To The Atacama. You can read about the many sites in our posts: Atacama’s Piedras Rojas, Chaxa and Altiplanic Lagoons, Atacama’s El Tatio Geysers, Rainbow Valley and Baltinache Lagoon, and Biking in the Atacama: Garganta del Diablo and Valle de la Luna.
3. Torres del Paine
Patagonia has harsh, unpredictable weather, but that only seems to add to its spectacular, rugged landscapes. Torres del Paine National Park in Chile is one of the most popular trekking destinations in this region, and after you see these views, you will understand why. With many hikes to choose from, we created guides for two: The O Circuit and Torres del Paine Base.
Click on the links to read out guides: Torres del Paine Hiking Guide and Trekking the O Circuit in Torres del Paine.
4. Valparaiso
Appearing as a patchwork quilt, spread across the many hills, Valparaiso’s vibrant neighbourhoods make it Chile’s most colourful city. Not far away is the popular beach destination, Viña de Mar. The two cities combine to make the perfect destination for your next trip to Chile.
To find out more about this colourful city, visit our post A Guide to Valparaiso and Viña de Mar.
5. Chiloe Archipelago
Located on Chile’s western edge, near the divide between the Lake District and Patagonia, you’ll find the fascinating Chiloe Archipelago. Two sites bring most visitors to the Chiloe Archipelago: its UNESCO-designated wooden churches and its stilt houses (palafitos), and we’d love to show you both.
You can read about the churches in our post UNESCO Wooden Churches on Chiloe Archipelago, and the stilt houses in our post Stilt Houses in Castro on the Chiloe Archipelago.
6. Lauca National Park
In Chile’s remote north is a pristine wonderland, waiting to be explored. Lauca National Park has so many picture-perfect scenes of volcanoes, mineral lakes, and unique wildlife that you will quickly fill your camera’s memory card.
Find out more about this special park in northern Chile in our post Lauca National Park: A Pristine Wonderland. We also posted about the nearby town, Putre. You can read about it in Putre in Chile’s Remote North.
7. Punta Arenas and Magdalena Island
Located near the middle of the Magellan Strait, Punta Arenas is a common tourist stop in Chile’s Southern Patagonia. From exploring its maritime history to walking on Magdalena Island with thousands of penguins, a trip south the Punta Arenas is worthwhile.
You can read about the city and its maritime history in our post Explore Punta Arenas and the Magellan Strait. Find out how to spend a day with thousands of penguins in our post Walking with Penguins on Magdalena Island.
8. Santiago
Most visitors to Chile only use Santiago as an entry point to visit the country’s more famous sites and bypass the city altogether. Instead of doing that, we decided to spend a few days in Santiago to see what it has to offer. While it is not as flashy as other South American cities, we found wonderful attractions, both in its historic centre and the surrounding neighbourhoods. Because of that, we think Santiago deserves a couple of days on your next trip to Chile.
There is so much to see in Santiago that it took two posts to show it all. You can find out more about this city in our posts Santiago’s Historic District and Santiago’s Hills and Colourful Neighbourhoods.
9. Pucon
The laid-back city of Pucon is perfectly placed by being on the shore of Villarrica Lake while under the watchful eye of the snow-capped Villarrica Volcano. Because of this position, Pucon can satisfy almost all visitors. From lying on the beach to hiking in the mountains, there are plenty of ways to explore nature. Located in Chile’s Lake District, Pucon has been a favourite Chilean escape for years, but word is starting to spread, making it popular with international tourists too.
Find out what makes Pucon so popular in our post Top Activites in Pucon in Chile’s Lake District.
10. Puerto Varas
Located on the shore of Lake Llanquihue and surrounded by volcanoes, it is easy to see why Puerto Varas is popular with tourists. In addition to these magical landscapes, its German heritage makes the city even more appealing. Placed at the southern end of Chile’s Lake District, Puerto Varas is a wonderful destination to add to your Chile itinerary.
Read more about Puerto Varas and nearby Puerto Montt, in our post Puerto Varas in Chile’s Lake District.
11. Elqui Valley
Located high in Chile’s Andes Mountains is the arid Elqui Valley, home to Chile’s pisco producers. Since it is located just above the colonial city of La Serena, we were able to explore the Elqui Valley one day and the streets of La Serena the next. Together, these two gave us a wide variety in scenery and history.
You can read about the Elqui Valley in our post Elqui Valley – Day Trips From La Serena.
12. Colchagua Valley
The fertile Colchagua Valley is one of Chile’s most prestigious wine regions. In addition to producing excellent wines, it also has a stunning setting in the shadows of the rugged Andes foothills. Both the wines and the views can be enjoyed on a visit to its main city, Santa Cruz.
Find out more about wine tasting in Colchagua Valley in our post Wine Tasting in Colchagua and Elqui Valleys.
Travel Tips for Chile
Transportation – When planning a trip to Chile, keep in mind that distances are very long because the country is as long as Australia and the US are wide.
- Flights – With these distances, it is helpful that domestic flights are quite inexpensive, not much more than a long bus trip. We almost hate to put this out there for fear it will change, but a trick we learned is that when booking on Latam Airlines, use the Chilean website. Prices are much cheaper than the US/English version. This may not be available outside of Chile, and you must keep it in Spanish.
- Buses – Chile has a good bus system. They are usually very punctual with departures, but their claimed arrival times seem to be a bit too optimistic. You can buy tickets online from most bus companies, and find tickets and schedules on http://www.kupos.cl or BusBud.
Money – It is mostly a cash-based economy, but credit cards are accepted at many touristy areas. US dollars are preferred in some hotels, but pesos and US dollars must be in good condition without tears or much wear.
SIM – We purchased a prepaid SIM card from Claro. For only $5 USD, we had 50 GB for one month. The local favourite company Entel, does not have prepay plans.
Safety – Chile is considered the safest country in South America, but there are places, such as downtown Santiago and Valparaiso, where you still need to be very careful, by not flashing jewelry or phones. Keep things in zipped pockets or small bags worn across your chest.
Accommodation – Chileans and resident foreigners pay a 19% VAT (IVA in Spanish). Tourists are exempt from this tax in most accommodations. Some hotels either don’t know this rule or aren’t used to tourists and may try to charge you the tax. It is in your best interest to arrive at your hotel knowing the price you are required to pay. Twice, we had long disagreements with our hotels, even though they describe the tax and exemptions themselves on their Booking.com pages. If you are staying in a smaller apartment or hotel, you will likely have to pay the VAT(IVA), but not at larger facilities. You can know in advance by reading the hotel’s policies page on Booking.com. If they have a section on the VAT, then they should not charge foreigners. If they do not have this section, they will probably charge you the 19% tax.
Visa – When you arrive, you will receive a small piece of paper from border agents. You must keep this with you and present it to the border guards when exiting the country. Hotels may ask to see it when determining if you are exempt from the 19% VAT.
To read more of our adventures in Chile, click here.
Coming Next – Cairo’s Top Historic Sites
For pictures from other blogs go to Gallery at monkeystale.ca.
To read about more of our adventures go to Destinations.
If you like what you read, please comment or share (with credit) using the links below.
We'd love to hear from you, please leave a comment.