Where to go in Chile

Chilean Patagonia

A herd of guanacos in Torres del Paine National Park

Tourism is a welcome and growing force in this remote, sparsely populated and starkly beautiful part of Chile, where sheep-farming and oil production had been the economic mainstay.

Stone moai statues dot the isolated Easter Island

Situated 3790km west of the Chilean mainland in the middle of the Pacific, including Rapa Nui on your tour of Chile involves quite a detour, but it's certainly fascinating enough to warrant one if time and finances allow.

The Villarrica Volcano as seen from the town of Pucon

Photo: Stephan Sauder

The snow-capped Andes provide a dramatic backdrop to downtown Santiago

With its swanky restaurants, see-and-be-seen nightlife, shiny shopping malls and high-rise buildings, Chile's capital has all the hustle of a true 21st century metropolis.

Such modernity is countered by bohemian suburbs such as Bellavista, where poets read at colourful cafes and artisans craft lapis lazuli jewellery for sale to passers-by.

The desert town of San Pedro de Atacama is a travellers' hub

An oasis of life set in the harsh dazzle of the mineral desert where clear skies have always attracted stargazers, the small town of San Pedro de Atacama has now grown into something of a travellers' hub.

It makes an ideal base for exploration of the surrounding area and has an atmosphere of laid-back hedonism by night.