What you need to know to plan a perfect trip to Chile
Every country has own habits and not knowing them as well as not respecting cultural differences may cause some problems during our trip. It is therefore always useful to know a little bit about a country before we travel. Here you have a few tips I gathered during my 7 months in Chile. Some of them I have learned the hard way, some things I have observed or heard from locals.
Favourite travel resources:
- Booking.com for searching best prices on accommodation.
- World Nomads travel insurance. I like them because they have quite extensive coverage of different activities.
- Discover Cars is a great website as they search both local and international car hire services, so you can choose the best deal for yourself. Make sure though, that the company has a good reputation and reviews.
- Get Your Guide is my place to go for searching and booking tours and excursions, especially when I travel solo.
- Jack’s Flight Club is a service that can save you hundreds of dollars on flights, it works especially well in Europe.
- Trivago where you can search and save on hotels.
- Go City is a perfect site for booking bucket list experiences and attractions all in one to avoid paying for multiple tickets. Easy and saves money.
- Trip Advisor– amazing for good quality recommendations.
- Skyscanner is a perfect website for searching flight routes and comparing prices.
What you should know before going to Chile
Vaccinations
Not knowing enough about vaccine requirements caused me some problems in the past, so it is always important to check it out what vaccinations you need well in advance. Fortunately, there is no medical tests or vaccines required before entering Chile.
Earthquakes
Earthquakes are frequent in Chile, however most of them are just temblors. I didn’t expect so many of them before going to Chile and my first experience of a temblor of 5.2 Richter was a bit stressful for me. It seems that locals don’t even notice them. So if you are experiencing your first ever shake, stay calm and observe locals. They are likely to know whether it is a big threat or not.
Electrical plugs
You might need an adaptor for all you electrical devices and the Chilean plugs have three holes. You might manage with some devices with two, but some of them are too big and do not fit in Chile.
Visas
Citizens of EU, Canada, other countries of South America, USA and Australia do not require a tourist visa. If you are a citizen of a country that belongs to EU you will get a stamp at the border that will allow you to stay in the country for 90 days. Some countries (except EU) need to pay a fee when entering Chile.
See also: I saw penguins and whales! A boat tour to rememeber in Chiloé island.
Currency
The currency of Chile is chilean peso (CLP) and $US 1 is equivalent to approx. 620 pesos and € 1 to 670 pesos. Credit cards are widely accepted, but you might find it difficult to pay with travellers checks.
Chile is not a cheap country, so be prepared.
Tips in restaurants
Leaving the tip in restaurants is optional and it is usually 10%. After moths of living in Chile I realized that the tip is almost always included in the bill and you are given two quotes. It is your choice whether you want to leave some extra money or not. If you pay with a bigger note and don’t specify this, most of the time the waiters believe that you want to leave a tip (propina). I have seen some people tipping for coffee and juices too.
When to go to Chile
Every season is beautiful in Chile and offers you different experiences. Nevertheless, since the country spreads through the length of almost the whole continent, different climates and temperatures will welcome you.
If you go to the south of Chile, the best time is between November and April. Between June and September the freezing temperatures are not very pleasant (for a heat lover like me), although there’s still plenty to do there. If you like cold, go.
Middle part of Chile is most pleasant in spring and autumn (November-December and March-April) with nice warm temperatures. In Summer the temperatures in cities are impossible to bear, especially in Santiago.
The north of Chile can be explored any time of the year. Even in summer, it seems much hotter in Santiago than in Atacama desert. In winter the temperatures are cooler, but pleasant. Of course some parts are very cold, like El Tatio or Altiplano lagoons, because of the altitude. The landscape is always beautiful, but so far I must say that the winter colours make it magical.
See also:
Desierto Florido. Flowering desert of Atacama.
Caleta Buena. In search for penguins and discovering hidden gems of Chile.
You know you are in Chile when…
So you say you speak Spanish? A little guide to speaking Chilean language.
Living in a desert. All you need to know.
Turquoise Lagoons in a desert? Atacama-where cool things happen.
Health
If you head to Andean regions you might need to prepare yourself for altitude sickness, drink plenty of water, take it slow and avoid excess of alcohol.
The sun is very strong in Chile, especially on the north. It might not feel strong at times, but the radiation is still high, so always (but always!) use sun screen or wear clothes that cover your body even if you normally don’t burn easily.
Don’t forget insurance. My favourite provider is World Nomads.
Bringing food into Chile
Chile has a strict policy on bringing food and plants into the country. Check for details before crossing the border as you might get fined. Some food items such as chocolate are acceptable though.
Language
You don’t speak Spanish? Don’t worry, you will do just fine. Even native Spanish speakers struggle with understanding Chileans, it is like knowing English and going to Scotland for the first time. You can read a little bit more about the secrets and mystery of this language here. But seriously, learn some of the words and phrases to survive as not that many people speak English here and it is always nice to learn a local language, which will make your trip easier and your experiences richer. Being able to communicate with locals is great as they will tell you so many nice stories and tips that will teach you so much about the culture of the country.
How much time do you need to see the country
Chile is 4300 km long, so it takes time to explore it all, plus if you want to visit Ester Island it is a 6-hour flight each way. I would say that 3 weeks would be enough to see the most interesting places, for example:
Santiago and Valparaiso: 4 days is enough to see the cities and their highlights. Of course you won’t be able to explore it in depth, but there’s so much more to see in the country and only in 3 weeks.
If you travel in winter months and want to do some snow sports, you will definitely need to stay there a couple of days longer to enjoy it at least a bit.
For Easter Island you need around 4-5 days or a day longer if you really want to explore it. Only LATAM Arline goes there, and you can flight there from either Santiago de Chile or Lima (Peru). The flights are pricey and the whole trip to the island is usually the most expensive part of the holidays, but if you already pay so much for the flight, just enjoy the place, don’t rush. It’s worth it.
To explore the highlights of the north you need around 8 days. Only for San Pedro de Atacama you should reserve at least 4 days as there is so much to see around there and as we know the distances are big.
If you really want to explore Chile you will need more than 3 weeks. If apart from sightseeing you would like to do some trekking, winter sports, dune sandboarding kayaking etc. you definitely need to reserve a bit more time.
See also: Walks in Patagonia. Searching for Bambi in Bosque de Arrayanes.
Accommodation in Chile
As I already mentioned Chile is not very cheap. Sometimes for a simple room you need to pay a price that in Europe, for example, you get something way fancier. I never stayed in hostels, so cannot talk about their quality, but medium range hotels up to luxury hotels are usually of a good standard and I haven’t seen filthy rooms. One of my favourites, but also a top price was the chain Tierra, which has a few hotels across the country: Tierra Atacama or Tierra Patagonia.
Use Booking.com to search for your favourite hotel. There are some really lovely options.
Transport
The quickest way, of course, is flying from place to place. This option might not be cheap, but if you plan well in advance to can get good deals. Buses are much cheaper but they take time. I traveled by night buses to save the time and they are comfortable and you can sleep. If you chose this option often though for long distances, you will notice the tiredness building up.
Use 12Go to search and book bus connections
Flying to Chile
The most popular airline to book flights with to Chile is LATAM. They have frequent offers if you fly from the USA. Alternatively you can search for cheap flights using Skyscanner.
See also: I saw penguins and whales! A boat tour to rememeber in Chiloé island.
Driving around Chile
You won’t meet many crazy drivers on Chilean roads (in comparison to some other countries), which makes moving around a bit easier.
What you need to remember, always, that in some parts of the country there are not many petrol stations. I learned it hard way. I have no experience of that on the south of the country, but exploring north by car might be stressful. At times we drove for 400km without a petrol station and if you need to go back- then you might be in trouble. What locals recommend is to carry a container with petrol in the car, just in case. Moreover, since some of the road are off road-like and you might be passing salars (salt cristals are like knives), you need a spare wheel. You should also always have with you in the car water and a blanket.
I suggest using Discover Cars for comparing prices and hiring a car as they have local providers as well, which sometimes results to be cheaper.
One more tip: don’t expect to always find a petrol station in average size towns, sometimes they are located in tiny places and in the middle of nowhere. We always calculate how much petrol we have and top up at every station we meet on the way as you never know where will be the next one.
Have you traveled to Chile? What would you add to that list, so others can benefit from? Don’t keep it to yourself and share it with fellow travelers. All lovely tips and ideas are always much appreciated.
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I found it funny that the Spanish is a little different there. I liked the example of Scotland’s English.
What an IMPORTANT fact to know, that there are very few petrol stations! Wow, I am one who likes to have my gas tank half full at all times. I think this place just might make me nervous.
I lived in Santiago for 6 years and highly recommend the Turistik city tour – it is a little pricey but well worth the money for this hop-on/off guided tour of the city’s top tourist sites.
Several observations are that you need to tip for several things – the grocery bagger, the parking lot attendant, and of course restaurant waiters.
When driving you cannot turn right on red unless it is indicated that you can. You must also be careful because pedestrians always have the right of way…even if you have a green light.
Temperatures are more bearable in the summer because it cools off significantly at night…so be sure to bring a sweater for summer evenings.
Be sure to try the Chilean specialty of Pastel de Choclo – similar to Shepherd’s Pie but with corn instead of potatoes…delish! Another summer corn dish is Humitas, corn tamales eaten with sliced tomatoes on top. Fresh bread is available everywhere and is eaten with pebre, a mixture of cilantro, peppers and onions sometimes with a spicy red Chilean sauce. Fresh juices are also widely available, but a must-try is the “frambuesa” or raspberry juice.
The most fun celebration of the year in Chile is Dieciocho, Chilean Independence Day, September 18. Many parks will have week-long celebrations with “asados”, cookouts, rodeos, fairs, parades, and dancing the Chilean “cueca”…a definite cultural experience.
Thank you very much for so many great tips! Much apprectiated.
You should also advice about thiefs, picpocketers and the likes, do not were anything flashy or new( specially shoes) jewelry , watches… we had bad experiences
Hi Veronica, thank you for stopping by and giving us tips. Sorry to hear you had bad experiences, I haven’t had any like that during the whole year in Chile and I must say that do not know many people that had. I wish you only good experiences while traveling.
Thank you very much for amazing tips! Nicely Drafted 🙂
Interesting to read some background. I’ve had the Chilean Fjords on my mind for a few years, but still need to get there 🙂
omg thank you! I love that this post is so informative! Everything I need to know in one place!
I’ve travelled 3 weeks in Chile and I really enjoyed this country 🙂 Chile is really a stunning destination, and has an amazing culture and cuisine that should be experienced. You can visit the driest place on earth, the Atacama Desert… but also trek to glaciers in Torres del Paine ! Your post includes really useful and informative tips. And I fully agree with you on the fact that even native Spanish speakers struggle with understanding Chileans !
Great post with so much helpful info. I’d absolutely love to visit.
Wow, your photos are stunning — you totally convinced me to go to Chile through the photos alone! Good to know the drivers aren’t as crazy as other countries. That’s one of the things that stresses me out most when I travel.
Hey!, i don’t really know how i got here but anyway… I’am Chilean, i’ve lived here my entire life so here are some tips if you are planning to come to this beautiful country of ours:
-The best season to come to Chile, in terms of climate, is either Autum (March-June) or Spring (September-December).
-Be aware of picpocketers, specially in downtown Santiago or downtown Valparaiso/ Viña del Mar. They are crowded places so the bastards are abundant.
-If you go to popular places or events, if they notice you are foreigner they will problably treat you better than the average chilean, but they’ll probably try to charge more money than usual. Be aware of these kind of people, they are the less but they exist, specially if you go somewhere were prices are not listed.
-Tipping is extremly usual, it’s not politically correct to leave a place where they serve food without leaving a tip. It is optional but in restaurants the tip is integrated into the bill as a 10% of your final price. You can tell the waiter/waitress you don’t wan’t to pay a tip but you’ll probably be seen as a cheap person.
-We use a 220 V outlet of electricity. So if you have something that it is design for less voltage it will probably burn. You have to buy a transformer. We use type c outlets and rarely type f (google them if you don’t know them).
-Santiago has a pretty well organized subway system. This is not the case for buses. If you wan’t to move quikly prefer the subway (Santiago it’s the only city with a subway system).
-If you really wan’t to learn about our history, culture and nature, take at least a month, month and a half to explore the entire country. We are thin but freaking long so make sure you have time to explore all of the diferent things we have to offer. I mean, even i don’t know all of Chile, and i’m 21.
-Take time to know the locals, interact with them (it is better if you know spanish of course or have someone to translate, not a lot of us speak english). We are usually pretty friendly, but do not aproach us if you see us in a hurry… You’ll probably get insulted or ignored. Know our night life, we seem pretty boring in the day but once the night comes, we can get pretty crazy, specially on weekends haha.
-We are really patriotic, we love our country and love to talk about it, specially to foreign people. Sometimes we criticize a lot and we seem a bit pessimistic, but i belive it is because we want our country to grow better every day.
-The lack of petrol stations it’s an issue when you go into the desert, so be careful there. It is okay troughout the rest of the country tho.
-Try our national beverages, we have great wine and our national liquor “pisco” (wich peruvians say it’s theirs but anyway hahahaha) i’ts just amazing.
-If you wan’t to try great national dishes at a fair price, go to “juan y medio” or “la casa vieja” (this last one is a little bit more expensive) in Santiago. Great food. (I’m from Santiago so i can’t give you a lot of references to other cities)
Anyway, hoped it helped :D, have a good one visiting our country.
Hi Vicente. Thanks for all the tips. I am sure they will be helpful to the readers.
Excellent post Anna!
I have lived in Chile for 3 years. I took the opportunity during those 3 years to meet Chileans (locals), to learn from them and learn about their culture.
– It is true that Chileans are boring (los chilenos somos “fomes”, like they say).
– Generally speaking, the nicest Chileans, the nicest food in Chile and the nicest landscapes you will find them in the South of Chile (Los Lagos region, Torres del Paine and Punta Arenas are a must). Apart from the South Chile, Santiago and Valparaíso, Easter Island and San Pedro de Atacama are a must for someone visiting Chile.
– In Santiago (Chile is not just Santiago but everything happens in Santiago, ie: you can not fly from Antofagasta to Punta Arenas with Latam on a direct flight. You will have to stop in Santiago) there are pickpocketers but there are more homeless dogs than pickpocketers. In fact, you will find homeless dogs all over Chile. This is a lack of education problem they have. Chileans generally don´t take care of animals.
– Although Chile has more than 5,000 kilometres of coast, there are not nice beaches in Chile. Some exceptions could be Viña del Mar, Reñaca, La Serena, Pan de Azúcar, Iquique, Bahía Inglesa or Playa La Virgen. Beaches in Chile are usually very dirty. Chileans generally don´t have the habit of tidying up behind.
– Food is very simple in Chile. Chileans are very proud of “completo” which is a hot dog with avocado paste on top. They are also proud of pebre (tomato, coriander, chili pepper and fresh onion salsa). They are also very proud of “marraqueta” which is basic white bread which remains crispy 2 hours the most. The best food in Chile you will find it in Peruvian restaurants.
– Drinks. Wine is very good in Chile. The Spaniards introduced in Chile the tradition of planting vineyards and making wine. Chileans continued this Spanish tradition, now they have very good wines and they have been able to save some European grape variety like carmenere (Chileans can not export to the European Union wine with carmenere designation of origin since European regulations protect France).
Pisco. Let´s stick to history, thus, to facts. Pisco was invented by the Spaniards in the Virreinato del Perú, they started to produce this schnapps (“pisco”) in Perú in the city of Pisco and surroundings during the XVI century. Later, in the XVIII century, Chile started to produce similar schnapps in the region of a village named La Greda, later called La Unión and later, in the XX century renamed as Pisco de Elqui in order to allow Chileans (with this trick) to say their schnapps could also be named pisco since it was originally from Pisco de Elqui (hahaha). Gabriela Mistral, a Chilean poet who won the Nobel Prize for Literature, expressed her disagreement over this change of name (this business trick) and hoped that one day Chile would restore the previous name of La Unión to this Chilean village.
Wow! I’m Chilean and I’m really surprised at how accurate this is! Haha. Chile is great! Lately we’ve been have a rough time with protests, but don’t let this discourage you! Though, I would recommend you to study Chilean Spanish thoroughly before coming here (I’ve spoken Chilean Spanish my whole live and I still don’t understand everything when someone speaks too fast)
Come visit us! Haha. The more tourists we have, the less amount of native forests get chopped down. Why? Because locals start protecting nature if they realise its valued and paid for by foreigners, and that it is more convenient than planting exotic trees to make paper.
Hi Renata, I lived in Chile for nearly three years, such an experience and so many beautiful places to visit. And you are totally right about learning Chilean Spanish before, at least a few main phrases, otherwise, it’s hard to understand people. I actually wrote another post just about that after my failures and struggles to know what people say.