Cheap Chile travel tipsIf you're looking for some adventure in your next holiday, make sure you book travel tickets to Chile in South America so you can enjoy some of the most spectacular vacation thrills and scenery in the world. Chile is a narrow country skirting the Pacific on one side and the Andes on the other, and has the most European community in South America. The country spans 4,830 kilometres from its northern border with Peru to Argentina's Tierra del Fuego in the south, and has a population nearing 16 million. Major cities are Antofagasta, Arica, Calama, Chuquicamata, Concepcion, Copiapo, Coyhaique, Iquique, Osorno, Puerto Montt, Punta Arenas, Santiago, Temuco and Valdivia. |
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CLICK ON THE PICTURE above for more world travel photos with cheap travel tips and travel agency links for plane tickets, hotel reservations and car rentals. What's on the next page? Denmark Tour Tips If you're looking for cheap airline tickets, car rentals or hotels in Chile, visit our Travel Shop. Thumbnail Picture Index Last Minute Travel Tips Useful Chile Links Map of Chile |
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Chile travel tips Chileans are mostly friendly and welcoming of tourists who travel to their country. Most Chileans in hotels and other travel-related industries can speak at least some English, but don't rely on it. It's well worth learning at least a handful of Spanish phrases before you buy tickets to Chile for your adventure travel. Economic reform has alleviated crushing poverty and Chile has become a comparatively expensive South American country in which to travel. However, a weak peso in recent years has cut the price of a holiday in Chile. Discount airline tickets within Chile can be purchased from LanChile, the discount bigger if you choose LanChile as your international airline carrier. Buses in Chile are efficient and comfortable with strong competition among bus companies keeping ticket prices down. Travel tip ... it can take longer than a day on the road to reach the far north of Chile from Santiago, so a luxury bus might be worth the few extra dollars to allow you to stretch your legs and sleep comfortably. You're on holiday. An airline ticket might alternatively be worth considering, although the price is significantly higher. |
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Santiago itself is a cosmpopolitan city boasting wide, tree-lined boulevards and green parkland. There are plenty of nightspots and superb eateries, and you shouldn't leave the country without trying some of its magnificent wines. Car rental in Chile is fairly good value and a vehicle can be booked on arrival at Santiago Airport, although there are cheaper car rental agencies out on the streets. Traffic in central Santiago is aggressive and might catch some foreigners off guard, but there's plenty of open road to travel out in the countryside.
Internet cafes and other points of web access can be found throughout Chile with rates normally between US$2 and $4 per hour. Fantastic ferry trips can be organised to explore the spectacular southern archipelagos from ports such as Puerto Montt, Puerto Natales, Puerto Eden and Puerto Chacabuco. Off-season hotel rates in Chile are often 50% less than during the peak tourist seasons, particularly in resort areas, and it's worth keeping these accommodation savings in mind when you buy your travel tickets. Don't be shy to ask for a lower price at hotels if you travel to Chile during the off-season. Almost all hotel rates in Chile include breakfast. The domestic travel season in Chile is generally from mid-December till the end of February, the week of Easter, and in July. Travel accommodation prices skyrocket and crowds can be overwhelming during these peak tourist seasons. If you're determined to enjoy your adventure travel in Chile at these times, book your hotel accommodation or holiday rental well in advance. Popular travel times for foreigners are from March to mid-May and from late September to early December, when the weather is pleasant, prices are reasonable and Chileans are too busy working to crowd out the tourist venues. Americans must pay an entry fee around US$100 to get through the airport at Santiago and citizens of Australia and Canada must pay a lesser amount. Britons, New Zealanders and Europeans don't pay a fee, and nobody pays a fee if entering Chile by land. Before entering the country to enjoy your holiday, you'll have to fill out a tourist card that allows you to visit for 90 days. The card can often be used to verify you are a tourist who is exempt from the 18% value added tax on many travel services and tickets, and must be presented to officials when the time comes to leave - so don't lose it. If you love Chile so much you want to travel longer than 90 days, simply cross the border and return or pay US$100 for a 30 day tourist card renewal. To book the cheapest tickets, hotels, car rentals, etc. for most South American cities, visit our Travel Shop.
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