Chile @cruiseluxurious

CHILEcustom travel guide

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Table of contents

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1 Chile. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42Understand. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42Regions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62Cities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72Attractions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72Talk. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102Get in. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112Get around. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112Buy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122Eat. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132Drink. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142Sleep. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152Stay Safe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162Stay Healthy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162Respect. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172Contact. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172Quick Facts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

1 Useful info. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182Sunrise/Sunset. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182Useful phrases. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

1 References. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

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Chile Chile · Understand

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Chile

Chile

Understand

History

Chile has been populated since 12,000 BC. In 16th century,Spanish colonizers began to subdue the region of present day-Chile. The territory became a colony from 1540 until it finallygained its independence from Spain on February 12, 1818.

Chile was governed during most of its first 150 years of in-dependent life by different forms of restricted government,where the electorate was carefully vetted and controlled by theelite. Failure to address the economic and social disparities plusthe increasing political awareness of the less-affluent popula-tion led to a political polarization under Socialist President Sal-vador Allende.

Such events resulted in the 11 September 1973coup lead-ing to the military dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet.Pinochet’s 17-year regime was responsible for numerous hu-man rights violations and deep market-oriented economic re-forms. In 1990, Chile made a peaceful transition to democracy.

People

The people of Chile are called Chileans. The Chileans are main-ly a mixture of Spanish and Amerindian descent with small butsignificant traces of 19th and 20th century immigrants fromEurope. A strong correlation exists between the ancestry andethnicity with the socioeconomic situation of Chileans. Thereare notable differences observed between the lower classes ofhigh Amerindian ancestry and the upper classes of mainly Eu-ropean ancestry.

Chile is a multiethnic society. It is home to people of manydifferent ethnic backgrounds. Studies on the ethnic structureof Chile vary significantly from one another. As in other LatinAmerican countries, from the onset of Spanish colonizationand settlement, race mixing or mestizaje was the norm ratherthan the exception.

Culture

Mapuche Poncho

Giant Moai Statues on Easter Island

Chile is regarded as one of the most homogeneous nations inLatin America. Unlike many of its Latin American neighbors, ithas not experienced any strong regionalism nor conflicting re-gional identities partly due to its migration pattern. Since thelate 19th century, the northern and southern parts of the coun-try have been mainly populated by people coming from thecentral region thus, contributing to the country’s cultural ho-mogeneity despite the existence of distinct regional ethnicitiesand culture such as the Aymará Indians (near Bolivia), MapucheIndians (southern region) and some Polynesian cultural tradi-tions (Eastern Island).


Chile Chile · Understand

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Religion

According to a 2011 survey, 63% of the population was RomanCatholic and 15% of those surveyed declared to be Protestant.All the other religions comprised 4% and the people who wereindifferent regarding religion constituted approximately 25%of the population.

Economy

The economy of Chile is ranked as an upper middle incomeeconomy by the World Bank and is one of South America'smost stable and prosperous nations. It leads the Latin Ameri-can nations in human development, competitiveness, incomeper capita, globalization, economic freedom and low percep-tion of corruption. However, it has a high economic inequality.

In May 2010, Chile became the first South American countryto join the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Devel-opment (OECD) which is a leading international economic or-ganization comprising of countries espousing democracy andfree market economy.

Climate

The climate of Chile comprises a wide range of weather con-ditions across a large geographic scale. Making generalizationis difficult. Chile within its borders hosts major climatic sub-types. Its climate depending on the specific geographical loca-tion ranges from Desert (north), Semi-arid, Mediterranean, Hu-mid Subtropical (Easter Island), Temperate Oceanic (South) toSubpolar Oceanic (Central Chile).

In Central Chile, the country’s capital of Santiago has an aver-age monthly temperatures are about 19.5 °C in the summermonths of January to February and 7.5°C in the winter monthsof June to July. By contrast, in Concepción the average month-ly temperatures are somewhat lower in the summer at 17.6°Cbut higher in the winter at 9.3°C. Along the coast, the weatheris mild and dry, ranging from 16°C to 32°C during the summer.

There are four seasons in most of the country: summer (Decem-ber to February), autumn (March to May), winter (June to Au-gust) and spring (September to November).

Best Time to Visit

For visitors planning to visit during the summer, it is recom-mended to make the necessary bookings in advance. Braziliansand Argentines normally vacation during the summer frommid December until the end of February, mid July and the weekbefore Easter Sunday as these dates coincide with their schoolvacations. Consequently, prices during such dates are inflatedand popular tourists spots will be overcrowded with vacation-ers.

Visitors are encouraged to come during spring from lateSeptember to early December and from March to June as bothseasons have pleasant weather and the destinations are gener-ally less crowded. However, for those who are planning to visitthe capital city of Santiago, the summer season is considereda great time to do so as majority of the local people tend tohead out of the city for their vacation thus, dropping the ratesof most hotels.

Location

Chile and its unusual shape

Chile is situated in the southern part of South America, border-ing the South Pacific Ocean and a small part of the South At-lantic Ocean. Chile's territorial shape is most unusual. On amap, it looks like a long ribbon reaching from the middle ofSouth America's west coast straight down to the southerntip of the continent, where it curves slightly eastward. Chile'sneighbors are Peru and Bolivia (north) and Argentina (east).


Chile Chile · Regions

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Regions

Map of Chile with its color coded natural regions

There are 5 major natural regions in Chile each with its owndistinct vegetation, fauna and topography.

The Natural Regions:

The Far North/ Norte Grande: It mainly contains the Ata-cama Desert, one of the driest areas in the world. The kindsof fruits that grow well in the arid tropics thrive. However,the region's main economic foundation is its great mineralwealth.The Near North/ Norte Chico: It extends from the CopiapóRiver to just north of Santiago. It is a semi arid region whosecentral area receives an average of about 25 mm (0.98 in) ofrain during each of the four winter months and with traceamounts for the rest of the year. The higher elevations in theinterior sections are covered with shrubs and cacti of variouskinds.Central Chile/ Chile Central: It is home to the majority ofthe population, including the three largest metropolitan ar-eas of Santiago, Valparaíso and Concepción. The topogra-phy of central Chile includes a coastal range of mountainsrunning parallel to the Andes. Lying between the two moun-

tain ranges is the Central Valley, which contains some ofthe richest agricultural land in the country, especially in itsnorthern portion. The area just north and south ofSantiagois a large producer of fruits, including the grapes from whichthe best Chilean wines are produced.The South/ Sur de Chile: Although many lovely lakes canbe found in the Andean and coastal regions of centralChile,the south is definitely the considered the country’s lake dis-trict. The lakes in this region are remarkably beautiful. Thesnow coveredAndesform a constant backdrop to vistas ofclear blue or even turquoise waters. The rivers that descendfrom theAndesrush over volcanic rocks, forming numerouswhite water sections and waterfalls. The vegetation, includ-ing many ferns in the shady areas, is a lush green.The Far South/ Chile Austral: Although the area generallyis chilly and wet, the combination of channels, fjords, snow-capped mountains and islands of all shapes and sizes with-in such a narrow space makes for breathtaking views. Thefar south contains large expanses of pastures that are of-ten used for raising sheep, even though overgrazing is an is-sue in some areas. The area's other main economic activityis oil and natural gas extraction from the areas around theStrait of Magellan. This strait is one of the world's importantsea lanes because it unites the Atlantic and Pacific oceansthrough a channel that avoids the rough open waters offCape Horn.

In terms of governance, Chile is divided into 15 regions whichare the country's first level administrative division. Each regionis headed by an intendant (intendente) and an indirectly elect-ed body known as regional board (consejo regional).

The 15 Basic Administrative Divisions:

I TarapacáII AntofagastaIII AtacamaIV CoquimboV ValparaísoVI Libertador General Bernardo O'HigginsVII MauleVIII Bío BíoIX La AraucaníaX Los LagosXI AyséndelGeneral Carlos Ibáñez del CampoXII Magallanes y la Antártica ChilenaXIV Los RíosXV Arica y ParinacotaRMSantiagoMetropolitan

Note: XIII is not used.


Chile Chile · Cities

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Images from top to bottom: Atacama Desert in Norte Grande, Copiapó River in Norte Chico, Andes foothills inCentral Chile, Haverback Canal in Sur de Chile and Torres del Paine in Chile Austral

CitiesSantiago: the capital and largest city of the countryConcepción: Chile's second largest cityIquique: tourist center in northern ChileLa Serena: is the country's second oldest city after the na-tional capital ofSantiagoValparaíso: main Chilean port and a UNESCO World Her-itage SiteValdivia: called the "City of Rivers", rebuilt after thestrongest earthquake on historyPunta Arenas: the capital city of Chile's southernmost re-gion of Magallanes and Antartica Chilena

Attractions

Easter Island

Isla de Pascua (Spanish) or Rapa Nui (Polynesian) is one of themost isolated islands on Earth. Early settlers called the island"Te Pito O Te Henua" (Navel of the World). Officially a territo-ry of Chile, it lies far off in the Pacific Ocean, roughly halfwayto Tahiti. It is known as a sacred site. It is most famous for itsenigmatic giant stone busts which were built centuries ago toreflect the history of the dramatic rise and fall of the most iso-lated Polynesian culture.

Most of the accommodations on Easter Island are guest hous-es. Representatives of the guest houses will normally come tothe airport to greet the tourists and offer them lodging. Ratesare usually quite reasonable. The proprietors of these guesthouses will be happy to help the visitors find places to eat,drink, hire cabs and generally get around.

Getting Around: Easter Islandis extremely small and gettingaround is fairly easy. There are rental jeeps in Hanga Roa as wellas a few dirt bikes and bicycles. Most hosts will also rent outtheir jeep to visitors at competitive rates. For those who want


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to bike around, note that aside from the main paved roads inHanga Roa or the single smooth paved road to Anakena, roadsto many main sites are of dirt and sometimes quite uneven andpotholed. Exploring using a car cannot be overstated for someparts of the island.

Getting Here: The only regular domestic flights are via LAN Air-lines available daily between Isla de Pascua and the country’scapital, Santiago. With no competition for fares on an objec-tively lengthy and obscure flight, fares range between USD 300to USD 1200 round trip fromSantiago. The flight duration is ap-proximately 4.5 hours to 6 hours.

Map for getting around

Easter Island

Glimpse into its Polynesian heritage

Pucón

It is a small tourist town located in the Province of Cautín, Arau-canía Region. It is 100 km to the southeast of Temuco and 780km to the south of Santiago. It is extremely popular with boththe Chileans and foreigners alike for its nightlife and the beau-tiful views of Volcan Villarrica. The city center is a backpacker'sparadise that is filled with travel agencies offering any kindof day trips imaginable. January and February are the busiestmonths.

Must See and Do:

Climbing Volcan Villarrica: It looms majestically overPucón at 2,840 meters (9318 feet) above sea level. It is oneof Chile's most active volcanoes, rising above the lake andtown of the same name. Climbing to the its snow cappedtop is non technical and on clear days, relatively easy. Thou-sands of people make the climb each year, most of them inJanuary and February. Most of guided excursions begin ataround 7 AM but some agencies offer an earlier 5 AM start toavoid the big crowds that arrive later. Agencies will providethe equipment and transportation. Note that most guideswill not go further up after 2 PM so it is advisable to get upearly and avoid wasting too much time on the way up.Skiing and snowboarding: The ski area on Volcan Villarri-ca is open during winter, around May until the beginning ofOctober. Equipment rental is available in Pucón.

Volcan Villarica


Chile Chile · Attractions

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Pucón Town Center

Idyllic Pucón

Puerto de Pucón

Getting Here: Pucón's airport operates only during summer.The closest airport for the remainder of the year is Temucowhich is about 1.5 hours away by road. Trains run to Temu-co during summer from December to February. Visitors plan-ning to come here by driving should know that from Santiago,this takes approximately 8 hours and involves passing severalroad tolls. The road from the turnoff to Pucón is paved and ingood shape.

Getting Around: There are available taxis to take the visitorsto places out of town. The town itself is small enough to walk.Cycling is easy as there are cycle lanes along the main road.There are also plenty of public buses.

Valparaíso

The town is a city located 69.5 miles (111.8 km) northwest ofSantiago and one of the country's most important seaports.The city is the capital of the Valparaíso Province and the Val-paraíso Region. Although Santiago is Chile's official capital,the National Congress of Chile was established in Valparaíso in1990.

The city is widely known for its bohemian culture, bright-ly colored houses and beautiful seaside views. Examples ofValparaíso’s former glory include Latin America’s oldest stockexchange as well as the continent’s first volunteer fire de-partment, Chile’s first public library and the oldest Spanishlanguage newspaper in continuous publication in the world.Valparaiso's Historic Quarter was designated as a UNESCOWorld Heritage Site in 2003.

Must Do: Going to Valparaiso and not going on the ascen-sores (funicular railways) is like going toVeniceand not taking aride on a Gondola. They are of practical use as they help peoplein getting to the higher parts of the town easily.

Getting Here: While Valparaíso itself can be a bit of a difficultcity in which to drive, the area's highway system is generally ofgood quality. Note that there are often tolls on the highways.There are also buses from a wide variety of destinations with-inChile with scheduled service to Valparaíso. The bus terminalis located close to the National Congress building. Bus traveltime is approximately 1.5 hours fromSantiago and there is reg-ular service all throughout the day.

Getting Around: Colectivos are taxis painted in black withyellow roofs that run fixed routes and they are very commonmode of transport between withinValparaisoand other sur-rounding areas. The cost of the trip, while more expensive thanthe bus or metro, depends upon the distance being traveledfollowing a system of zones. There are also regular taxis that docustom rides but they are less common and more expensive.The recently completed light rail system, Metro Valparaíso orMerval, runs along the coast. It starts at Valparaiso's port andheads into Viña del Mar and other more rural locales. Ascen-sores are funiculars that ply between the coastal strip and hill-side communities.


Chile Chile · Talk

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Ascensores

Valparaíso

Valle de la Luna

Also called as Valley of the Moon, is located 13 kilometres(8 miles) west of San Pedro de Atacama in the Atacama desert.It is a part of the Reserva Nacional los Flamencos. It has vari-ous stone and sand formations as well as dry lakes where thecomposition of salt makes a white covering layer of the area. Itpresents diverse saline outcrops which appear like man madesculptures. The valley is also considered one of the driest placeson earth, as some areas have not received a single drop of rain

in hundreds of years. A prototype for a Mars rover was eventested here by scientists because of the valley's dry and forbid-ding terrains. Entrance is around 2000 Chilean Pesos.

Getting Here: No airlines fly directly to San Pedro de Atacama.The nearest commercial airport is in another town named Cala-ma. Three airlines serving Calama are LAN, Sky Airline and PAL.Travel time from Calama Airport to San Pedro is about 90 min-utes by bus. If visitors are planning to travel by land fromSan-tiago, be reminded that the nearest route going to San Pe-dro is approximately covering a distance of 1600 plus kilome-ters. From San Pedro, visitors not planning to avail of organizedtours may find bike rentals in town.

Reminders: If planning to go by bike from San Pedro, it is bestto leave early from town and bring the following: flashlight,helmet with headlight (which is available in most bike rentalshops) and drinking water.

Getting Around: Once in the town, nearly all points of inter-est such as restaurants and services are within walking distancewith the exception of a few outlying hotels. Downtown com-prises twelve small blocks.

Valle de la Luna

TalkSpanish is the official language in the country and is spokeneverywhere. Chileans use a distinct dialect called Castellanode Chile with a variety of differences in pronunciation, gram-mar, vocabulary and slang usage. Spanish speaking foreign-ers will not have a problem understanding it although it maysound funny to them. On the other hand, Spanish is the officiallanguage and while not the first language of choice, local peo-ple would generally be fairly fluent.

English is widely understood in large cities especially in San-tiago. It is also understood albeit to a lesser extent in theother towns of Valparaíso, Concepción and La Serena. Sincelearning English is now mandatory in schools, younger peopleare far more likely to speak English than the elderly. Locals 40


Chile Chile · Get in

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years old and above are unlikely to speak any English, unlessthey are tourist industry workers.

Various indigenous languages are spoken in Chile but only be-tween indigenous people, who comprise less than 5% of thepopulation. Even many people belonging to such indigenousgroups are also not able to speak their native language and useSpanish instead. Some people understand French, Italian andPortuguese. There are some German speakers especially in thesouth of the country, due to the arrival of the German migrantsduring the second half of the 19th century.

Get in

Entry Requirements

Citizens of the following countries may be exempted fromtourist visa requirements:

Up to 90 days: Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda,Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium,Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Colom-bia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Den-mark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Fiji,Finland, France, Germany, Guatemala, Haiti, Holy See, Hon-duras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy,Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Re-public of Macedonia, Malta, Mauricio, Mexico, Monaco, Mon-tenegro, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norue-ga, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia,San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, SouthKorea, Spain, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and theGrenadines, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Ton-ga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, the United Kingdom, theUnited States, Uruguay and VenezuelaUp to 60 days: Grenada, Greece, Indonesia and PeruUp to 30 days: Belize, Bolivia, Jamaica, Malaysia and Singa-poreUp to 21 days: Dominica

Citizens of other nationalities, including several African andAsian nationalities, will not be able to enter Chile unlessthey apply for a special visa from a Chile consulate before entry.

Citizens of four countries must pay a reciprocity fee of varyingamounts. The fee is USD 132 for Canadian citizens, USD 140for American citizens, USD 61 for Australian citizens and USD15 for Mexican citizens. The fees are equivalent to the amountthat the aforementioned countries require for entry visas fromChilean citizens. The fee is only for tourists entering by plane.

For accurate information regarding entry requirements andfees, please visit the website of the Ministry of Foreign Af-fairs at: www.minrel.gob.cl

Travel Options

By Plane: The most common entry point for overseas visitorsis through the Arturo Merino Benítez InternationalAirport (IA-TA code: SCL) which is located approximately 15 km (9.3 miles)north-west of downtown Santiago. It is the largest aviation fa-cility in Chileand one of the busiest in South America in termsof passenger traffic (over 11 million in 2010). It is a major con-necting point going to Latin America and is served by non-stopinternational service, mainly from Europe, the Americas andOceania.

Airlines serving this international airport are LAN Airlines,Aerolíneas Argentinas, AirCanada, AirFrance, American Air-lines, Avianca, Copa, Delta,I beria, Pluna and TACA. Other air-ports in Chile with international service are located in Arica,Iquique, Antofagasta, Concepción, Puerto Montt and PuntaArenas. The Mataveri International Airport onEaster Island re-ceives only LAN Airlines flights.

By Bus: For travellers who are already in South America, acheaper and reliable way is to go by bus to Chile. Buses fromArgentina depart daily from Mendoza, Bariloche, San Martín delos Andes and weekly from Buenos Aires. Buses also come fromPeru, Bolivia and Brazil.

Get around

Travel Options

By Plane: Chile has a rather good airport infrastructure. Themain hub for flights in Chile is the ArturoMerinoBenitezInterna-tionalAirportinSantiagofrom where several airlines serve eventhe remotest corners of the country. The three Chilean airlineswith expansive domestic routes are LAN Airlines, Sky Airlineand Principal Airlines. Because of the shape and the expanse ofthe country, many routes are subject to several time consum-ing layovers.

By Intercity Bus: The bus system is pretty sophisticated andprovides a cheap and comfortable way to get from town totown. Keep in mind that local companies will usually stop atmany stations along the way. Travellers can always ask if thereis a non-stop option called directo. Bus companies that coveralmost the entire country are Turbus (www.turbus.cl) and Pull-man (www.pullmanbus.cl).

Travellers should keep in mind that prices vary on a daily ba-sis. They are usually more expensive on weekends and holi-days than on weekdays. The quality of service varies quite a lot.Check if the bus has cama (bed), semi-cama (heavily incliningseats) or ejecutivo (executive with slightly inclining seat). Toi-lets are not always available and if available, they are not alwaysworking.


Chile Chile · Buy

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By Micro: It is the local bus that will take its passenger to thedifferent points within the city. In Chile, the price for riding it isfixed regardless of the distance. The fare for one block is equiv-alent to the fare for going across the entire city. This fixed pricefare varies from city to city. In Santiagothe fare is pegged at550 Chilean Pesos or approximately less than USD 1.20 as ofNovember 2011.

For detailed instruction how to use the micro: www.southamerica.cl/Chile/Santiago/Local_Buses.htm

By Driving: Car hires are available from major cities and air-ports but not necessarily from smaller towns. Rental rates varydepending on the location. Rates in the bigger cities tend to bemore affordable compared to those in smaller towns. For com-prehensive road maps, please contact the Automóvil Club deChile in Santiago via www.automovilclub.cl or by phone on(2) 431 1000. Usually a credit card, a valid driver's license anda passport, all three issued to the same person, are needed torent a car. An international driving permit is also necessary tolegally drive in Chile eventhough some rental companies donot require it.

General Driving Reminders

Must Do:

Driving is on the right with overtaking on the left.Always give way to vehicles on the right.Avoid the rush hour in the cities which are normally from 7AM to 9 AM and from 5 PM to 8 PM.

Must Avoid:

Smoking while drivingUsing a mobile phone without the hands free option whiledrivingListening to music using a headset while drivingIf caught with a violation, never attempt to bribe the police.

Inside a Micro

BuyCurrency and Exchange: Chile's currency is the Chilean Peso(CLP). Although other currencies are not widely accepted, mostcities have exchange bureaus called casas de cambio with rea-sonable rates for the Euro and the US dollar. The rates shouldbe published on widely visible boards and exchanging moneyon the streets should be avoided. Although foreign currencyexchange is also available in hotels as well as the airports, therates are much less competitive than what the exchange bu-reaus in the cities will offer. As of 2013, 1 USD is approximatelyequivalent to 473 CLP.

ATM and Banking: Banco Santander has a monopoly on allthe ATMs located at the airports and will add a surcharge of2500 Chilean Pesos or around USD 1.00 for retrieving cash. TheATM network inChile is respectable in coverage. Visitors mustbe aware that different banks will have varying charges for ex-tracting cash with the usual fee pegged at USD 1.00. Credit anddebit cards are widely accepted in most of the major cities andin all chain stores regardless of location. Of the foreign com-mercial banks in the country, HSBC and Scotiabank have thelargest coverage.

Banking Hours: Banks are normally open from 9 AM to 2 PMduring weekdays. ATMs operate usually on a 24 hour basis.

Prices: Traveling in Chile is not cheap by South American stan-dard but it is still comparably cheaper than in Europe and NorthAmerica.

Sample of Approximate Prices as of 2013:

Bottle of beer in a bar: USD 1.00Bottle of beer in a store: USD 0.90Standard McDonald’s meal: USD 5.00Cup of coffee: Less than USD 2.00Large bottle of water: USD 0.70Internet access per hour: USD 1.20Local call per 3 minutes: USD 0.40Taxi ride per 0.62 mile: USD 0.50Midrange hotel room per night: USD 21.00 to USD 42.00

What to buy: Aside from its world class wine, jewelries and or-naments made of lapis lazuli stones and Mapuche silver arethe must buy items when visiting Chile. It is recommended tobuy the semiprecious lapis lazuli stones from reputable jewel-ry shops. In Santiago, the best place to shop for such itemsis the area surrounding Patio Bellavista. For travellers going tothe Lake District in Southern Chile, Mapuche silver necklacesand ornaments should not be missed.


Chile Chile · Eat

13

Lapis Lazuli Stones

Eat

Traditional Food

Pastel de choclo: corn casserole filled with ground beef,onions, chicken, raisins, hardboiled egg, olives, and toppedwith sugar and butter.Empanada de pino: a baked pie filled with ground beef,onion, raisins, a piece of boiled egg and a black oliveEmpanada de queso: a deep-fried pastry packet filled withcheese. Found everywhere, including McDonald'sCazuela de vacuno: beef soup with a potato, rice, a piece ofcorn and a piece of squash.Cazuela de ave or de pollo: chicken soup with a potato, rice,a piece of corn and a piece of squash.Porotos granados: stew made with fresh beans, squash,corn, onion and basilLomo a la pobre: beefsteak with fried potatoes, egg andonions

Variety of Chilean food

Cazuela de Vacuno

Empanada

Pastel de Choclo


Chile Chile · Drink

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Besides typical foods, you should expect food normally foundin any Western country. The normal diet includes rice, pota-toes, meat and bread. Vegetables and fruits are abundant incentral Chile. Typically, portions increase the farther south onetravels.

Also, with such an enormous coastline, travellers can expectfish and seafood almost everywhere. Although Locals eat rawshellfish, visitors should be cautious of eating it raw becauseof the frequent outbreaks of red tides. Chileis the world's sec-ond largest producer of salmon, as well as a number of otherfarmed sea products including oysters, scallops, mussels, troutand turbot. Local fish include corvina (sea bass), congrio (con-ger eel), lenguado (flounder), albacora (swordfish) and yellowfin tuna.

Drink

Wine Production

Terremoto

Pico Sour


Chile Chile · Sleep

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Alcohol

Wine: Chile is a renowned wine producer competing withFrance, California, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand forworld market share. Red wines such as Cabernet Sauvignonand Carmenere along with the white wine from the CasablancaValley are the notable wines produced by this country. Thereare several popular drinks made of wine such as Borgoña (redwine with strawberries), Jote (wine with Coke), Melon con Vi-no (hollowed out melon with white wine poured inside), Nave-gado (heated red wine with orange and sugar) and Terremoto(pineapple ice cream mixed with pipeño white wine) amongothers.

Chilean Pisco: This is a brandy made from Muscat grapes. Pop-ular brands are Capel, Alto del Carmen, Mistral and Campa-nario. This is very popular and is mixed to make a variety of al-coholic drinks such as Pico Sour (with lemon juice and sugar),Piscola (with Coke) and Mango Sour (with mango juice).

Drinking Reminders

Chileans drink a lot of alcohol. However, unlike other LatinAmerican countries, the laws are much stricter. It is illegal todrink in unlicensed public areas such as public parks or streets.Vendor hours are also implemented. Normally, selling of alco-hol is prohibited between 3 AM to 9 AM depending on theday of the week. The legal drinking age is 18. When looking forbars, beware that the English word "night club" literally meansbrothel in Chile.

Sleep

Accommodation Options

Hotels and Resorts: There are several hotel chains and bou-tique hotels meeting western standards available particularlyin Santiago. The cost of lodging in the capital is much high-er. During summer holidays from January to March, makingadvance booking particularly in coastal resort areas is recom-mended. Hotels in the country are graded using the 5 to 2 stargrading system with 5 as the highest rating denoting luxuriousfacilities.

Backpacker Hostels: They continue to materialize through-out Chile mostly due to the increase of younger tourists com-ing to the country. Typically cheap, however standards greatlyvary depending on the amenities available. There are hostelsoffering the bare basics as well as additional luxuries for themore discriminating traveller. For additional information, visit:www.backpackerschile.com/index.php/en/

Residenciales: These are popular and cheap type of lodg-ing in which in the rooms of local homes have been convert-

ed for tourist rental. For additional information, visit: http://www.residenciales.cl/

Sample of a hostel room

Hotel Sheraton

Portillo Ski Resort


Chile Chile · Stay Safe

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Palafito Hostel

Stay Safe

Common Crimes

Pickpocketing, muggings and other thefts are common espe-cially inSantiago. It is advisable for tourists to avoid going tothe downtown area wearing expensive jewelries as well as car-rying laptops even during day time. It is recommended to wearbackpacks placed in front of the body and to use the internetcafés instead of using laptops in public places.

Police Assistance

The National Police called Chilena Carabineros are very trustworthy. Unlike other South American countries, the policeforce here is honest and bribery is a serious offense.

Emergency Police Hotline: 133

Carabineros

Basic Reminders

Keep the coins handy as they are more frequently usedwhen paying for basic items and services. It is much betterto have the bills of higher denomination concealed unless itis necessary to bring them out.Petty thefts are common so, tourists are advised to buy localphones instead of bringing their mobile phones from homewhich contain important contacts.Before taking pictures of military buildings or ships, it is bestto ask first. If caught, the authorities have the right to inspectand confiscate the photographs taken as well as questionthe tourists regarding the reason for taking the pictures.Because Chile is a fairly homogenous country, Chileans tendto stare at Black or Asian tourists. Racial attacks are infre-quent though.Never ride a cab if there is already another passenger inside.

Stay HealthyVaccinations are not required for entry except for yellow feverif coming from infected areas within 5 days. When going torural areas, tourists should take extra precaution against theHanta virus which is potentially fatal and is being spread by ro-


Chile Chile · Respect

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dents. Inspect that the accommodations are free from signs ofrodents.

Chile has relatively good nationwide standards in medicine.However, travellers will usually find more refined resources atprivate medical facilities called Clinicas.

Standards of hygiene are generally reasonable so food and wa-ter are safe to consume. Just know that water is produced fromthe mountains, so it might be harder for foreigners to drink. Inthat case, it is advisable to buy bottled water.

Emergency Medical Hotline: 131

Respect

Some Basic Reminders

Dining etiquette can be quite formal at times. It is recom-mended to observe around especially if invited to localhomes. Generally, women are seated first. Guests shouldwait for the host to show them their seats as well as for thehost to make the first toast before drinking.Chileans hate arrogance. Being polite is always the best bet.It is best to keep one’s political opinion about Pinochet pri-vate.Due to past territorial conflicts against Bolivia and Peru,some locals still harbor ill feelings and opinions against suchcountries although these conflicts happened a long timeago. Be careful when asking about such sensitive historicaltopics.

Contact

Centro de Llamado

Phone Access

Public phones located on streets are very likely to be tamperedor vandalized. It is more convenient to use the phones available

in internet cafes as well as in call centers called centros de lla-mados. Prepaid cards for mobile phones and landlines are soldat most newspaper kiosks, supermarkets, gas stations, phar-macies and phone dealers. These call cards are very handy asthey would allow both domestic and international calls. Chile'scountry code: 56.

Roaming agreements exist with international mobile compa-nies although coverage is much better inside towns. For cheap-er rates, it is recommended though to buy a basic prepaid cel-lular phone or a GSM SIM card. No identification is required tobuy a prepaid phone.

Internet Access

There are cybercafes in major and midsize cities as well as inpopular tourist destinations, many of such shops remainingopen all day. Some libraries also offer free use of their comput-ers with internet access. Many lodging facilities provide inter-net connection at a relatively cheap rate of USD 1.00 for 30 min-utes. Public wi-fi hotspots are also becoming increasingly pop-ular with free ones marked as "gratis".

Postal Services

Chile's postal service is called Correos de Chile(www.correos.cl) and it is considered as generally reliable.Mailing to Europe and the US via air takes approximately 4 daysto 1 week. In Santiago, post office hours are from 8:30 AM to 7PM during weekdays and 8:30 AM to 1 PM on Saturdays. Postoffices in villages tend to operate with reduced hours.

Quick FactsOfficial Language: SpanishTime Zone: Chile Standard Time (CLST) with daylight savingtime in effect during summerElectricity: 220 volts/ 50 Hz. Electrical outlets have twoopenings. Bringing an adapter is recommended.Tipping: 10% in restaurants and based on guest’s discretionin hotels. It is not necessary to tip taxi drivers.Taxes: An 18% sales tax is applied to rooms when guestsshow their tourist cards as well as if they opt to pay in USDollars.Shop Hours: 10 AM to 8 PM (weekdays) and 10 AM to 2 PM(Saturday) with large shopping center opening daily from 10AM to 9 PM


Useful info Useful info · Sunrise/Sunset

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Useful info

Useful info

Sunrise/SunsetSun will rise at 07:45:49 and will set at 19:53:40 in local time.

Useful phrases

English SpanishWelcome Bienvenido (sg) Bienvenidos (pl)Hello ¡Hola!Hello(on phone) ¡Diga! ¡Dígame! ¿Sí? ¿Bueno? ¡Hola! ¿Aló?Good morning Buenos díasGood afternoon Buenas tardesGood evening Buenas tardes / Buenas nochesGood night, Night night, Nighty Night, Good night, sleep tight,hope the bedbugs don't bite!

Buenas noches

Goodbye Adiós, Hasta luego, Hasta la vista, Hasta mañanaHow are you? ¿Cómo está usted? (frm) ¿Cómo estás? (inf)Reply Bien gracias, ¿y usted? (frm) Bien gracias, ¿y tú? (inf)Long time no see ¡Cuánto tiempo! ¡Tanto tiempo sin verte!What's your name? ¿Cómo te llamas? (inf) ¿Cómo se llama Usted? (frm)My name is ... Me llamo ... Mi nombre es ...Where are you from? ¿De dónde eres? (inf) ¿De dónde es usted? (frm)I come from ... Soy de ...Pleased to meet you Mucho gusto EncantadoGood luck ¡Buena suerte!Cheers! Bottoms up! Down the hatch! Mud in your eye! ¡Salud!Bon appetit! Enjoy your meal! (frm) Enjoy! Tuck in! Get stuck in!Eat already! (inf/slang) Happy eating! Get your laughing gearround this! (inf/slang)

¡Buen provecho! ¡Buen apetito! ¡Que aproveche!

Bon voyage / have a good journey ¡Buen viaje!Excuse me ¡Perdón! ¡Perdone! ¡Discúlpe!Sorry ¡Perdón! ¡Perdone! ¡Lo siento!How much is this? / How much does this cost? ¿Cuánto cuesta? ¿Cuánto cuesta esto?Please Por favorThank you Thank you very much Thank you kindly Thanks a lotMany thanks Thanks Cheers Ta (used mainly in northen Eng-land)

Gracias Muchas gracias

You're welcome Don't mention it My pleasure No problem Noprobs Not a problem No worries No big deal

De nada No hay de qué

Where's the toilet / lavatory / bathroom / restroom / powderroom / gents/ladies? Where's the loo / bog / dunny / little boys'/girls' room? (inf/slang)

¿Dónde están los aseos ¿Dónde están los sanitarios? ¿Dóndeestá el baño? ¿Dónde está el cuarto de baño?

Have a nice day ¡Que pase un buen día!Get well soon Que te mejores Que te mejores pronto ¡Recupérate pronto!

Pronta recuperaciónWould you like to dance with me? ¿Querría bailar conmigo? (frm) ¿Querrías bailar conmigo? (inf)

¿Quisiera bailar conmigo? (frm) ¿Quisieras bailar conmigo? (inf)I love you Te amo / Te quieroI don't understand No entiendo No comprendoPlease say that again ¿Me lo puede repetir, por favor? ¿Puede repetirlo, por favor?Please speak more slowly Por favor hable más despacio


Useful info Useful info · Useful phrases

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English SpanishCan you please write it down? ¿Puede escribirlo, por favor?How do you say ... in english? ¿Cómo se dice ... en español?Do you speak english? ¿Habla usted español? (frm) ¿Hablas español? (inf)Yes, a little Sí, hablo un poquito de español Sí, un pocoLeave me alone! ¡Déjeme en paz!Help! ¡Ayúdame! ¡Socorro! ¡Auxilio!


References References ·

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References

References Reasonable care has been taken in creating this personalized travel guide by combining information from the sources identifiedunder the section 'references'. However, the information is provided 'as is' and there is no warranty about the information in the guidebeing accurate, complete or up to date. To the maximum extent permitted under applicable law, all liability arising from the use ofthis guide will be denied. Verifying critical information (like visas, health and safety) before you travel is recommended.

Chile data is from Wikitravel, urls:

– http://www.wikitravel.com

City info data is from Wikipedia, urls:

– http://www.wikipedia.com

Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. See Terms of use fordetails. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.

Weather data is from Norwegian Meteorological Institute and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation yr.no, urls:

– http://www.yr.no/place/Chile/Santiago/Santiago_de_Chile/

Sunset data is from Norwegian Meteorological Institute and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation yr.no, urls:

– http://www.yr.no/place/Chile/Santiago/Santiago_de_Chile/

Currency data is from Xavier Finance Api, urls:

– http://finance.xaviermedia.com/

Maps data is from Yahoo Local Maps, OpenStreetMap, Qype, urls:

– http://maps.yahoo.com– http://www.openstreetmap.org– http://www.qype.com


Notes

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Notes

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Documents

Chile @cruiseluxurious