Chillin' in Chile
Pinched between the Andes and the Pacific the longest north-south country in the world, Chile is a land of records, both natural and historical. These feats have shaped the landscape, history, and culture.
Chile is the longest north-south country on the globe and with all that length it might not surprise you that it is also claims the southernmost town on the globe, Puerto Williams. But did you know that Chiles Atacama Desert withstood the longest drought, 400 years; and that Arica is the driest city on the planet? With all that parched land, it is no wonder that Chile also claims the largest swimming pool!
Raging nearly as long as the Atacama drought, the Guerra del Arauco is the longest war in history, spanning from 1536-1883.
Nearly as devastating as the Guerra del Arauco was the 1960 9.5 earthquake, the largest ever recorded, that shook Chile to its core.
Oh yeah, and Santiago is home to the world's fastest guitar player! http://community.guinnessworldrecords.com/_Fastest-guitar-player/video/93243/7691.html
Travel Tips
Getting There: Found a cheap flight into SCL (Santiagos airport)? Tap on an extra $140 (USA), $132 (Canada), and $95 (Australia), for reciprocity fees! Our advice? Depending on where your heading, check out a flight into Peru where you can avoid the fees, travel cheap, and tick another country off the list!/p
*For Americans and Canadians the reciprocity fee is valid for the life of the passport, while Australians must pay every 3 months if they fly into the country.
Money: Chilean Peso (CLP), roughly about 500 pesos to $1(US) as of 2011
Water: Fill up your empty water bottles from the tap instead of buying new ones!
Yes, it is safe to drink the tap water in Chile. The water pumped through Patagonia is pure glacial refreshment, while in the deserts to the north its hard, minerally, and chlorinated- but safe to drink!
Alcohol: Chile has some of the greatest wines on the planet! At a fraction of their imported price anyone can become an amateur sommelier. Our pick? Exportacion. In a bulky bottle overflowing with nearly 2 liters of libation, you can find them at just about any almacén or supermarket for around $4, and its pretty good wine to boot!
Besides Spanish…
Mapudungun (Mapuche)
Aymara
Hostel Work Locations in Chile
Arica
Arica is a great place for either the chilled out beach bum or die-hard surfer. Located at the northernmost tip of Chile, in “The City of Eternal Spring” its always beautiful beach weather and is alive with surf talent who take to the water during several surfing and body-boarding competitions throughout the year, where the best of the best strut there stuff on the giant “El Buey” and the gnarly “El Gringo” waves.
Arica's location makes it a great place to live as your at the intersections of Chile, Peru, and Bolivia.
Puerto Natales
Purely Patagonian. The town is surrounded by snow-peaked mountains and glaciers that twinkle in the distance. If your a hiker or nature lover you will be overwhelmed by the amount of hikes and scenic landscapes Puerto Natales has to offer. The town is the hub to Torres del Paine National Park, Glaciares National Park, sprawling sheep ranches, and the Balmaceda/Serrano mountain ranges. Although its latitude is extreme, the infrastructure provided by tourism allows for very modern commodities and services.
Puerto Natales is a great escape into nature.
*more coming soon!
