Chile - Puerto Natales
1. Orderly, good public safety, reliable infrastructure and a good driving culture all make this a convenient destination
2. Interesting, unspoiled, photogenic landscapes (e.g. Patagonia) with an interesting blend of wild nature and developed civilization. Deserts, beaches, good wine
3. A really surprising number of fantastic restaurants serving European cuisine, even in smaller cities
4. Not a lot of tourists, so exploiting tourists hasn’t become routine, and the cops aren’t corrupt
5. Reaching the top of the Torres del Paine after an exhausting climb and enjoying the view
(this is not on the top)
6. Marveling at the spectacularly clear night skies in the southern part of the country, and driving to the ‘end of the world.’
7. The hilly streets of Valparaiso, with their colorful houses, laid-back atmosphere and clean air
8. The ‘Valley of the Moon’ in the Atacama Desert – like a landscape from a science fiction movie
9. Chile outclasses its neighbors in fish and seafood dishes (both in quality and variety)
10. The thousands of penguins on Isla Magdalena – a once-in-a-lifetime experience!
1. The shape of the country makes the distances between destinations a real problem – getting around involves a lot of long, tiring bus journeys!
2. Not truly exotic – very modern and European in character
3. The capital, Santiago de Chile, doesn’t have much in the way of sights or character, though the Bellavista district is nice
4. Significantly more expensive than Peru and Bolivia, and a bit more expensive than Argentina, though these days it’s actually cheaper than Brazil
5. A long way away for European travelers, which means long and expensive flights
6. Too many stray dogs in Santiago, and the air quality is very bad (the city lies in a sort of bowl) oh, and a lot of gypsy beggars
7. Not many locals speak English
8. Missing out on a trip to the Easter Islands (though we heard mixed opinions about them)
9. Santiago is a hundred times less interesting than Buenos Aires
10. The beloved local liquor, a brandy by the name of Pisco, wasn’t to my taste
11. A lot of litter in the streets (particularly in Santiago and Valparaiso)
