Chile
The information below is provided by Lonely Planet readers and is not verified by Lonely Planet. For the official lowdown, contact your nearest embassy or check out our Travel Links.
Visas, Embassies & Border Crossings
From Arica (Chile) to Tacna (Peru): This can be done yourself for less than half the price than buying a ticket in Arica bus station. Go to bus station in Arica, negotiate taxi to Tacna and buy a bus ticket to next Peru town you want to go to. It is a lot cheaper than having this arranged by the bus agent in the Arica station.
Odette van Galen, Netherlands (Aug 05)
Buses from San Pedro de Atacama (Chile) now go to Salta (Argentina) 3 times a week - Tues, Fri and Sun at 11am - but make sure you get your Chilean exit stamp in San Pedro as there are no Chilean emigration facilities at the border, only Argentinean border control. DO NOT listen to the man in San Pedro if he tells you "no es importante" - it makes for a LONG 3hr drive back...
This Salta bus route is useful, as travelling - like everything - is now hugely cheaper on the Argentinean side of the border following the crash of the peso. Generally, spending all your time in Argentina and then nipping into Chile to see the things you want to see on that side is the cheapest way of doing things. Something to bear in mind when in the initial planning stages of a trip.
Antonia Cobb, UK (Jan 04)
Travel Tips
The '@' sign is difficult to locate on Spanish keyboards. It seems that almost each one I used had a different shortcut key. Ctrl alt F2 or alt number pad 6 then 4 are common ones. Makes sure you know how to get the '@' before wasting time in Internet cafes.
Don't forget your tramping boots. I saw many people trying to enjoy their walks/tours while hobbling about in jandals. Don't hesitate to make room for them in your pack!!
ATM machines give mostly 10, 000 peso notes. One really needs to get them changed either at the bank or using the many supermarkets, which are good value. The only problem with supermarkets is that more often than not you will be asked to leave you bag in a locker - best to leave packs etc in your hotel and then go to the supermarket. Even plastic shopping bags are usually kept for security reasons. Remember to take you wallet out first... Fruit sold on the street is of a better quality and price than in supermarkets.
Regardless of the heat, I wouldn't recommend wearing shorts and short tops. It advertises you are a tourist as locals don't wear them. Men may wear longer Bermuda shorts but women should be encouraged to wear sundresses instead.
Your guide did not mention that toilets are hard to find in Chile. Even in Santiago - public toilets, even those you had to pay to get into, were few. Sadly the more beautiful a place seems to be the less likely you were to find amenities of even the most basic kind.
Kathleen Stringer (Jan 04)
Scams & Warnings
I have special characters in my passwords, and in Chile many of the computers would not support certain characters. This limited the ability to use the ubiquitous Internet Cafe's.
Dan Stephenson, USA (Jul 05)
Gems, Highlights & Attractions
Your listing of the contemporary art museums in Santiago in your "South America on a shoestring" should include The Museo de solidaridad Salvador Allende, on calle Herrera. Artists from 31 countries as famous as Miro, Calder and Soto donated their works for what is the greatest collection of contemporary art in this city. It should be worth mentioning.
Another extraordinary place is Galeria Animal, in Las Condes, which presents almost all the living Chileans contemporary artists. They have a splendid collection.
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