2. Travel documents
U.S. citizens need only a valid passport, they do not need a visa.
Upon arrival in Santiago, U.S. visitors need to pay US$100 (in
dollars, not in pesos) for an entrance permit good for the life
of the passport. Be sure you have the exact change. This fee
is Chile's response to the fee the US charges Chileans for a US visa.
3. Air routing
The major U.S. gateways to Chile are Miami, Newark, and Dallas. Flights from these airports are usually overnight flights arriving at the Santiago international terminal in the morning. American Airlines now has one flight to Miami leaving Santiago at 8:45AM. U.S. flag carriers serving Chile are American, Continental, and United.
Air flights within Chile connect major cities. To visit the ALMA site, take a flight on Lanchile, Ladeco, or Avant Airlines to Antofagasta (ESO office there) or Calama (closer to San Pedro de Atacama). These flights leave the Santiago domestic terminal (next to the international terminal) beginning at 11 a.m.
Chilean air carriers often change their schedules on only a few days notice. Be prepared to be flexible, and check the schedules frequently.
The domestic airlines also sell "air passes" to visitors that may offer significant savings over individually booked internal flights. The air passes include coupons to be exchanged for tickets at airline offices in Chile. A U.S. travel agent can make reservations on these airlines and, with instruction from LanChile US office, write specific tickets for the air pass.
Most Chilean airports assess a departure tax, typically around C$3500 or US$8. I have found this practice to be inconsistent. Tickets purchased in Chile include this tax in the ticket price. For tickets issued outside of Chile, the agent must collect this tax and, because of its less usual character, may not have the correct change.
Prices for Chilean domestic flights fall generally into three categories. The most expensive is to reserve specific flights through a US travel agent. Typically, the fare for a round trip between Santiago and Antofagasta could be US$420. Less expensive is the purchase of an air pass through a US agent. An air pass for up to five legs is about US$350. Additional legs may be purchased for US$80 each. Least expensive is the advanced purchase of specific flights through a Chilean travel agent (see below). This price could be as low as US$180 for a round trip between Santiago and Antofagasta.
There is no "free lunch," however. Whereas the air pass allows last minute changes in itinerary on a space available basis, the Chilean bargain prices allow changes only 48 hours ahead of departure. You could find yourself buying another ticket (at the standard price) if you needed to change a bargain ticket at the last minute -- thereby offsetting the savings.
The NRAO has established an account with Carlson Wagonlit in Santiago to facilitate purchasing Chilean air tickets at discount prices and making hotel reservations. Travel coordinators at each NRAO site -- and only these persons -- can arrange for domestic travel within Chile by FAXing your requirements to this agency. NB: make sure that you get a confirmation number if you plan to pick up the domestic tickets at the Santiago airport.
A city bus leaves the international terminal for downtown Santiago locations on the half hour. The one-way fare is C$640 or about US$1.40. Small micro buses (shuttles) are also available with fixed prices from area (comuna) to area (comuna). Perhaps best of all, the Santiago airport has two minibus companies that will drive you from the airport to any specific address in Santiago for a small, fixed fee. These companies are DELFOS and TRANSFER. Their booths are located next to the rental car booths. The fares are C$2,200 to the center, C$2,600 to Providencia, and C$3,000 to Las Condes where Eduardo Hardy has his office.
Santiago also has a subway system (Metro), connecting the major sections of the city. Unfortunately, it does not connect with the airport. But, you can connect to this with the airport bus.
Chile has many options for car rental, including Hertz and Avis. The NRAO can furnish an international Hertz charge card. Such cards are not often seen in Chile, and you may have to persuade the agencies outside Santiago to accept them. Hertz in Antofagasta is familiar with this card.
By law, non-Chileans need an International Driving Permit to drive in Chile. Any AAA office in the US can provide this permit.
5. Money
While exchanging money at airports and in banks is easy, the best mechanism is to use an ATM and a debit card to transfer (and exchange) money from your home checking account. ATMs are found everywhere--except in small villages like San Pedro de Atacama. Banks corresponding with U.S. networks participate in the "Red Banc" network; "red" means "network" in Spanish. A distinctive horizontal red stripe across the bank facade identifies member banks. NB: Ask your bank if it corresponds with the Red Banc network; not all US banks do. Chilean ATM machines offer menus in Spanish and in English. Their daily limit on withdrawals is C$100,000, corresponding to US$200.
Chilean custom, like Europe's, uses "." to separate 1,000s and "," to mark decimals. Example: US$1,234.56 would be written US$1.234,56 in Chile.
Traveler's checks can be difficult to cash in Chile. For example, only VISA-franchised banks can cash VISA checks. The situation is similar for American Express checks.
Cash is always good but has no protection against loss.
6. Language
While English is spoken in major hotels and in tourist centers, the language of Chile is Spanish (called "castellano" in Chile). Both Santiago and Region II (because of the mining industry) have many English-speaking residents, and you can get along adequately in both locales without a specialized knowledge of Spanish. North American Spanish speakers will notice a different pronunciation.
7. Hotels
These can be surprisingly expensive, especially in Region II. Rates usually include breakfast. Most hotels accept standard credit cards. At larger hotels, foreign travelers can avoid the Chilean tax by showing their passport and paying with a credit card in dollars or other foreign currencies. Travelers should arrange such payments well before checking out because of the extra time and paper work involved.
New mining investments in Region II keep hotel prices high and stimulate the opening of new hotels. Normally, NRAO travelers stay at the Plaza Hotel or the Hotel Antofagasta (special ESO rates) in Antofagasta and at the Casa de Don Tomas in San Pedro de Atacama. The Hosteria in San Pedro is another choice. This situation is fluid. A new Holiday Inn Express is under construction in Antofagasta. The Casa de Don Tomas now accepts credit cards.
In Santiago, some NRAO travelers stay at the CTIO guest house, which provides meals and transportation that are later charged to the NRAO. They can arrange for taxis to meet you at the airport. This house lies in a residential suburb, ten blocks from Providencia--a fashionable, lively section of the city with lots of shopping and good restaurants. The CTIO offices in La Serena (from the USA: 011-56-51-225415) make these reservations.
A city of five million, Santiago has many good hotels. Discounts for the older but plush, centrally located Hotel Carrera can be arranged through Hernán Bustos (hbustos@noao.edu, 011-56-2-204-7394), business manager for CTIO in Santiago. The district of Providencia offers many hotel possibilities, is lively during weekends and evenings, and is near ESO and CTIO offices. Recently, NRAO visitors have been staying at the Hotel Montebianco at Isadora Goyenechea 2911 in Las Condes. Their telephone is 011-56-2-232-5034; FAX 011-56-2-233-0420.
Angel Otárola (aotarola@sc.eso.org) of the ESO office in Antofagasta (011-56-55-260032) can make hotel reservations for you in Region II at discounted prices.
8. Dining customs
Chileans generally
follow eating hours and customs similar to Spain: a light breakfast of
(instant) coffee, juice, and toast or a roll; a large lunch between 1:00
and 3:00 p.m., and a small dinner at home in the evening at 8:00 P.M.
Although most restaurants open at 8:00 or 8:30 p.m.., at restaurants
Chileans eat dinner at 9:00 p.m.. Many Chileans take snacks and tea in a
meal called "onces" at 5:00 p.m..
Tap water in large cities may be safe for drinking but can contain sufficient minerals to cause intestinal problems for newcomers. Water in smaller towns and villages may not be potable. Bottled water with gas (agua con gas) or without gas (agua sin gas), beer (cerveza), or wine (vino) are better choices -- and are available everywhere.
The cuisine is similar to Europe or the United States. Chileans eat beef (carne), pork (cerdo), chicken (pollo), and fish (pescado) with vegetables (verduras) and salads (ensaladas). Chilean cuisine is spiced only mildly. Chilean wines are excellent. Pisco Sours are a Chilean (and Peruvian) specialty--especially when made with the tart lemons from citrus groves near Arica in Region I.
9. Climate
Generally, the climate of
Santiago is similar to Los Angeles; and Antofagasta, to Tucson in the
early fall (65-85F). Santiago's mild rainy season is July and August.
Region II has little variation in its climate because it is close to the
equator. A four-day forecast for Santiago
may be useful in planning your trip.
10. Clothing
Chilean dress is similar to
that of the United States. Business men customarily wear coats and ties.
Business women tend to dress on the elegant side, in dresses or
skirts/slacks with dressy blouses and jackets. Public officials tend to
dress like business people. Neither men nor women wear shorts in
public. Jeans and informal attire are fine for touring and shopping.
San Pedro de Atacama is a tourist attraction, and dress is always casual. Days are warm, and evenings are cool year round.
The ALMA site lies at 5,000m (16,500ft). Take clothing that will let you survive the freezing nights if your vehicle breaks down. A ski parka or a down jacket, gloves, a hat with ear protection, and wind pants work well. Sun glasses are helpful. Drink lots of water. Use sunburn protection. Your doctor may prescribe Diamox (acetazolamide) to mitigate the altitude.
11. Medical Emergencies and Precautions
Contact your hotel clerk. Hospitals, clinics, and physicians are
everywhere in Chile, often in small villages as well. Such clinics often
are marked with green paint and carry the letters ACHS (Asociación Chilena
de Seguridad). Another clinic chain is Mutual de Securidad. Historically,
they have been happy to help tourists at little or no fee. However, these
clinics may require a deposit or proof of insurance before more extensive
treatment--as in the U.S.A.
At present, NRAO employees traveling to Chile to work should contact Monroe Petty before departure. Monroe will inform ACHS by FAX of your presence in Chile and will guarantee medical payments in case of an accident. In time, the NRAO will enter into a contract with ACHS to ensure automatic medical coverage for its employees working in Chile. Please also advise the ALMA General Manager for Chile, Eduardo Hardy (Telephone: 011-56-2-224-8083 or FAX: 011-56-2-224-8087) of your travel plans before you arrive in Chile.
The U. S. Center for Disease Control posts recommendations for travelers to temperate South America. Note that some of these recommendations may not apply to the specific "ALMA areas" in Chile.
As is prudent for new travelers in all countries, avoid ice cubes and tap water. Brush your teeth, rinse your mouth and tooth brush with bottled water. Wash your hands before dining. Avoid raw fruits and vegetables unless you've cleaned and peeled them yourself. Your immune system may not have developed sufficient antibodies against local flora.
12. Safety Manual
The NRAO has prepared a document listing safety
regulations for travel to, work at, and travel from the proposed ALMA
site at Llano de Chajnantor, east of San Pedro de Atacama. The altitude
of this site is 5,000m (16,500ft). Please familiarize yourself with this
document.
Internally, Chile uses two-digit "city codes" to route telephone calls from one region to another, similar to the system used in Europe. Unlike the US, local numbers can have different numbers of digits. For calls from one Chilean "city" to another, dial the complete city code and then the local number, 02 (for Santiago) + 123456, for example. Calls within a code area do not need the "city code."
To call Chile from the United States, one dials the US international access code (011), the country code for Chile (56), the city code WITHOUT the leading 0 if present, and the local number. For example, a call to CTIO in Santiago (02-2047394) requires dialing 011-56-2-2047394. A call to the ESO office in Antofagasta (code = 55) would be 011-56-55-260032.
Most Chilean hotels equip their rooms with digitally, multiplexed telephones. To use these with a modem, you'll need a "Digital Telephone Enabler" that intercepts the analog signal between the telephone base and the earpiece. It controls the analog power level to prevent overloading the PC modem. The NRAO subscribes to a service provider in Chile. Call me for details.