you know you are in Chile when
ChileSouth America

You know you are in Chile when…

Habits I observed in Chile

After traveling around the countries in South America and living in Chile for a while, I can’t help but compare. I must admit that Chile is somehow a bit quirky. Being the longest country in the world with the ocean on one side and the high mountains on the other, with glaciers in the far south of Patagonia and the driest desert of Atacama on the north, Chile with all the extremes will surely provide you with many stories to tell and impressions. Here are mine…

Laguna Miscanti, Chile


Favourite travel resources:

  • Booking.com for searching best prices on accommodation.
  • 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.
  • World Nomads travel insurance. I like them because they have quite extensive coverage of different activities.
  • 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.

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You know you are in Chile when:

Chile golf

  • You can find a whole menu dedicated only to hot dogs (completos)…and it is not only a sausage served with bread, it comes with an endless number of toppings and it’s served on a plastic pedestal.
  • To move to the northern region you need to go through passport control.
  • Ordering coffee with milk confuses the waiters.
  • Streets are widely decorated by graffiti and mosaics….and it doesn’t seem to be a crime, but art that represents the country’s history and culture. Here, in Antofagasta.
  • You witness the most diverse landscapes and climates.
  • Or you can float in a blue lagoon in the middle of the driest desert on Earth.

Chile lagoon

  • Going to the beach is taken to a completely new level…a towel and a parasol are not enough, this big escapade consists of packing the whole house and building a little village on the beach surrounded by a net fence.
  • You can watch an acrobatic and juggling show while waiting for the green light…and you are asked for collaboration.
  • Listening to Chilean Spanish makes you think that the whole sentence is just one word.
  • You can listen to live music shows while shopping at a market.

You know you are in Chile when

  • People don’t go out for a drink, they go to PISCOLEAR (verb made from a drink Pisco).
  • You notice that no one is afraid of temblors except you.

See also:

Caleta Buena. In search for penguins and discovering hidden gems of Chile.

Getting high? 8 tips how to survive high altitude sickness

A quick guide to San Pedro de Atacama

Keep calm…and go to Chile. What you need to know before your trip.

Best restaurants in Peru for the ultimate foodie experience


Have you ever been to Chile? What are your impressions?

*This post doesn’t aim to offend anyone in any way. It is entirely observational and should not be taken too seriously.

Patagonia

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Disclosure: Please note that this post included affiliate links, when you decide to purchase anything through these links I get a small commission at NO extra cost to you, it helps me to keep running this blog! I only promote products and services I use or would use myself. All images are the property of Postcards from the World and cannot be used without permission.




  1. What a fun collection of facts and impressions Anna. I had absolutely no idea about the diversity of Chile’s landscape, nor about many of the things you mentioned. And although I don’t normally eat hot dogs, I’d certainly make an exception for one served on a pedestal – I think that’s hilarious.

    1. I read your post, that’s so funny! So I am not the only one who couldn’t stop the urge to write a post like that.

  2. Oh, how I love traveling with you! Your descriptions and photos are so captivating! Chile is not a place I had given much thought to before, not sure why. Now I am intrigued. Thanks!

  3. I’ve never been to Chile, but after reading your post I’d love to go. Sounds like a fun place and very different.

  4. What a lovely share about your experience of Chile. I’ve never been there and doubt that I’ll ever get there. So thanks for sharing this fun post.

  5. How interesting, and colorful! I’ve not been to Chile, but it sure looks like it would be an interesting place to visit.

  6. You also know you know you are in Chile when Chileans take us obvious some incredibly ridiculous things. Here you are some examples…

    In the longest country in the world, if you are North (Antofagasta for example) and you want to travel by plane to Arica, surprise!!!!!! You will have to fly to Santiago!!!! (1.400 kms South of Antofagasta!!!!!!). Yes, ridiculous, but it is Chile!!!!!

    If you want to find some information about bus departing from Calama to Uyuni, you will have to go physically to Calama bus station for the information. Anything you find in websites (Atacama 2000 for instance) it is not updated, contact phone numbers do not exist, email addresses do not work… Riculous?, yes, but it´s normal in Chile. Remember you are in Chile were things are difficult for tourists and people is not ver kind and/or helpful.

    The thing about homeless dogs, it´s true. In the cities of Chile you have homeless dogs everywhere wandering around. It is a fact, there is no discussion on this.

    Dirt, in Chile people camp in beaches but they don´t take rubbish with them when the leave the beach. Well it is normal, it is Chile and dirt lays in beaches, parks and corners of cities. At least in the cities of Chile, north of La Serena. But this is normal, this is Chile!!!!!

    So be aware of all these, if you are planning to travel to Chile…it´s not easy, it is not an easy country, nor easy, nice or helpful people.

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