Visiting Chile is on many people's bucket-lists and for good reason - with its diverse wildlife, agreeable climate, kind people, good food and interesting culture Chile truly has something for everyone. It's also the southernmost country in the world which is something I personally think is cool (pun intended: Chilean Antarctica is a thing!) And it doesn't stop there, it's also the longest and narrowest country in the world!
The 8 Best Places to See in Chile
But if you only have a limited time there and want to visit several places in this wonderful country, where are the best place to see in Chile? Let's explore!
#1. Rapa Nui / Easter Island
If you want to experience Chile to the full, well, in my humble opinion, even those with limited time should visit Rapa Nui (the native name for Easter Island). This is because, put frankly, it's one of the strangest places on the planet which will capture the imagination of young and old alike. There's so many mysteries surrounding the Moai statues including, but not limited to how they built them, did the building of them contribute to the people dying out and simply: why they build them. There's also a question as to how the people got to the island in the first place! Even though Rapa Nui is a special territory of Chile, it's actually situated more than 3,500 km way from it.
#2. Santiago
Arguably the best city in Chile is its capital Santiago. Like most capitals around the world, this is the place where the best and brightest mecca to and thus you'll find the hippest cafes, the top restaurants and the coolest clubs. It's also the place to explore the high-end side of Chile with its posh hotels and fancy outings.
If you're planning on spending an extended amount of time in Chile and don't speak Spanish, I would recommend spending time in Santiago first because a) it's one of the more international spots in the country and b) because you can take some great Spanish lessons there at competitive prices which will equip you better for the rest of your trip. Or you can just install Duolingo on your phone before you go and pick up the basics - Spanish is easy and fun to learn, trust me!
#3. Torres del Paine National Park
If you're looking for nature in Chile then Torres del Paine National Park is for you. They have it all, from glaciers to mountains, lakes and, of course, trees. You will probably experience seeing animals like foxes, pumas and guanaco (a relation of the llama) here. If you're really lucky you'll see a huemul (like a chilean version of a deer), they are endangered hence the luck needed to spot one. Animals aside, this is one of the best places in Chile to spot birds too (e.g. the superstars Chilean flamingo, Austral parakeet, Darwin's rhea or the Magellanic woodpecker!)
#4. Bahia Inglesa
It's generally agreed that the best beach in Chile is Bahia Inglesa thanks to its crystal clear waters and soft white sand. I personally wouldn't just stop there though, Chile has a coastline of nearly 10,000 km so your mission is to find your own personal favourite best beach in Chile, an easy and enjoyable mission in my opinion. Possibly, your multiple new favourite beaches.
#5. Nevado Ojos del Salado
And it's not just an abundance of beaches that Chile can boast - they also have a lot of mountains, in fact Chile is the eight most mountainous country on the planet, with only 20% of the country not counted as a mountain. Nevado Ojos del Salado, boasting the highest volcano on Earth, is part of the Andes and in my opinion it's one of the most beautiful mountains too. If climbing mountains isn't your thing (fair enough) you can still enjoy camping at the base and experiencing it in your own way.
#6. Atacama Desert
One of the (many) things that shocked me when I started learning about Chile is that they have a desert - and not just any desert but one of the driest deserts in the world! If you're already visiting nature spots like beaches and mountains I personally think that you should add in this kind of terrain too, just for the sake of variety :)
It isn't a boring desert either, there are salt flats and thermal pools, as well as lagoons and even volcanoes! Not to mention the wildlife: foxes, emus, cougars, flamingos (again!) and of course... scorpions (watch out with those!)
#7. Pucón
Chile is a famously great place to star gaze and even see the milky way, thanks to the fact that there are rarely clouds (or even rain) so high up in this mountainous country. Both Torres del Paine and the Atacama Desert are great places to star gaze but my personal favourite is the town of Pucón, I can't exactly say why, so just trust me on this one. Okay, it is a hub of adventure tourism, with access to countless activities like white-water rafting, snowboarding, chilling out in all-natural hot springs or beaches on the lakeside, hiking in the nearby rainforest... need I continue?
#8. Colchagua Valley
Thanks to the fact that it's such high quality, Chilean wine is famously good. So what better way to celebrate that than to drink wine in one of the best wine regions in Chile (unless of course you travel t-total, but even those can enjoy the beautiful scenery that goes hand in hand with wine making). Colchagua Valley is a famous wine region and in my opinion it is fairly crowned. So sit back, drink up and enjoy beautiful vineyard views.
Wrap Up: The Best Places to See in Chile
So there you have it, a list of the best places to see in Chile in my humble opinion. I tried to get a fairly rounded list here, but it is Chile so it was hard not to lean on the fascinatingly beautiful nature sites. Wherever your Chile trip takes you, I hope you enjoy it - keep me updated!
What about you, have you ever been to Chile? Feel free to share any tips & advice below!
ABOUTME
We overland. We eat plants and fungi. We live outside as much as possible. We are all connected. A female travel blogger overlanding and writing about ecotourism, ethical and sustainable travel, socially conscious travel and housesitting. An online travel magazine since 2015.
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