WELCOME TO CHILE!

By: Solange Passicot | Date: 19 February, 2021 | In: Blog , Culture , Nature ,

Do you dream about walking through the driest desert in the world, enjoy the beaches of the Pacific Ocean, or feel the astounding fascination of the south’s Patagonian forests? Welcome to Chile! A land of dreams and a country that should be included in your agenda of places to visit.

Chile has it all! A great diversity of climates constrained by the majestic Andes to the east, the arid desert to the north and the exquisite beaches along the west coast. In the middle of these natural frontiers, bountiful rivers and a plethora of valleys give life to beautiful and fascinating cities.

TOUR CHILE RESPONSIBLY

With so much beauty and many attractions, tourism was growing steadily until the pandemic arrived. Thousands of travelers have visited our land and we are sure that once the sanitary conditions allow it, Chile will return to be one of their favorite places to visit.

While that occurs, we invite you to learn how important it is to be a good tourist and tour Chile responsibly. Here is everything you need to know to make your travel days an enriching experience in every sense.

1. Get Information

Today, more than ever, is particularly important that you become informed before traveling. The Covid-19 pandemic has forced us to implement sanitary measures and entry requirements to avoid the spread of the disease.

Currently, entry to Chile is only allowed through the Arturo Merino Benitez airport in Santiago and traveling between cities is based on the disease’s infection status. In chile.travel.cl you will find everything you need to know through the Travel to Chile Plan.

Lastly, to have a great experience we invite you to read about the culture of the destination you will visit to understand their customs and respect the local communities.

2. Enjoy the exchange of experiences

Our country has a large and assorted community of indigenous peoples distributed from north to south whose customs and festivities are still alive and are certainly not to be missed. When you visit Chile, try to join a celebration or traditional festivity of one of our indigenous peoples, valuing and respecting the cultural exchange of which you will be a part. Some of the gatherings that are worth considering are the Tapati.

3. Respect customs and traditions

The Fondas that rise every September 18, the Cueca, the lapis lazuli crafts, the carnivals with masks and colorful costumes of religious festivities in the north and the delicious curanto recipes and lamb spit roasts in Patagonia, are just some examples of the many traditions and customs that make our country a unique destination.

When you visit Chile keep in mind that each of the festivities and traditions have ancestral origins and are an important part of our popular folklore, so if you are invited to participate in a dance or share a delicious piece of kuchen, value this instance and honor the history behind it.

4. Care for cultural heritage

Cultural heritage is our legacy! And we must protect and care for all destinations and monuments that are declared as such.

Renowned worldwide for its steep funiculars and colorful houses on the hills, the city of Valparaiso, located 115 km northwest from Santiago, is undoubtedly a good example of Chile’s historical and artistic heritage. An ideal destination for lovers of bohemian life, street art, and poetry.

5. Learn about the destination’s artistic, historical, and tourist value

Like its geography of intense contrasts, the artistic expressions that emerged in our country are equally varied and opposing. From Violeta Parra’s traditional guitar to the surrealism of painter Roberto Matta, in Chile you will find an enormous artistic, historical, and souvenir collection in each of its destinations.

Have you heard about the Chilean Nobel Prize poet Pablo Neruda? He lived in the port of Valparaíso, in a house he named La Sebastiana, which was his refuge in the 1960s.

Today it operates as an unmissable museum that you must visit, because you will be surprised by the large number of objects that aroused the poet’s collecting curiosity, from maps and spyglasses, to ship skylights and pieces of stained glass.

6. Environment protection

In Chile we unfortunately have a large list of endangered species. The culpeo fox is one of them and it is everyone’s responsibility to protect it. If you see one during your visit, it is likely it will come close to you because they are very curious and are not afraid of humans, but please remember not to feed them.

7. Reduce-Reuse-Recycle

Likewise, always remember to take all your waste with you to discard it in trash containers or in the appropriate recycling container. And if you find litter, you can always leave the place you are visiting better than it was.

8. Protect natural resources

Climate change requires us to be more responsible every day with the use of water and in Chile we are no strangers to this global issue. Our imposing glaciers and millenary ice fields, located mainly in the south of our country, are at serious risk and every year they recede a little more.

How can you help? Consume only the energy and water you need, as much as possible use environmentally friendly means of transportation such as bicycles, avoid lighting bonfires and if you can, plant a tree.

9. Your safety also depends on you

No one wants to suffer an accident when traveling, so help us to take care of you and your family, choosing only the activities that are within your abilities; if you are going to tour a trail, stay within the outlined boundaries and do not take unnecessary risks.

10. Respect the vacations and interests of other tourists

Whether traveling in a group or alone, do not organize activities that may disturb other tourists visiting the destination. For instance, if you go to a park or a national reserve and want to listen to music, use your headphones and avoid shouting.

By following these simple tips from the Good Tourist Guide, you will not only improve your travel experience, but you will also contribute with the protection of the destination you visit so that the next generations will find it better than it was when you visited it.