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Chile Holidays, Flights & Travel Guide
Chile travel guide - Chile
holidays, holiday packages & Chile hotels.
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Chile Holidays, Chile Holiday
Packages Overview
A Chilean legend maintains that
after God had created the wonders of the world he had many pieces
leftover. He had raging rivers, sprawling glaciers, valleys and
soaring mountains, snow-capped volcanoes, sparkling lakes,
beautiful forests and deserts, icy fjords and sandy beaches. Rather
than let all this beauty go to waste, he put them together in a
remote part of the world, and so Chile was born.
Shaped like a long narrow strip and making up the western
part of South America's tail, it is 2,610 miles (4,200km) in length
and at most 115 miles (180km) wide. Travellers are drawn to this
country because of its multitude of natural attractions, from the
northern desert to the Lake District, and the mountains and fjords
of Patagonia in the south. It has some superb National Parks,
including Easter Island famous for its mysterious giant statues,
and numerous activities for outdoor enthusiasts.
Chile's European heritage is evident throughout the
country and travellers here are likely to feel more familiar with
its culture than those of the neighbouring countries, with their
strongly indigenous lifestyles. There are still local traditions
persisting in parts of Chile however, and together with the
European influence this makes for an interesting juxtaposition,
providing a distinctive culture. The people are resilient, cordial
and warm, from the fashionable capital city of Santiago to the
isolated island of Chiloé, and Chilean hospitality is
renowned. Besides natural beauty and an
interesting blend of cultures, Chile offers the visitor excellent
wines and seafood, unique handicrafts and shopping, and a variety
of characteristic architecture, making it a beautiful and memorable
place to visit.
Tourist Offices - Chile National Tourism Board SERNATUR,
Santiago: +56 (0)2 696 7141
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Entry Requirements
for Chile Holidays & Chile Travel
Passengers must hold a Tourist Card (issued
free of charge on arrival for 90 days) and sufficient funds to
cover intended period of stay. A return or onward ticket is not
required if holding a credit card or sufficient funds to purchase a
ticket. Passengers with a passport from Australia, Canada, United
States or Mexico are required to pay a reciprocity tax on entering
the Santiago airport before passing through Customs. Fees are US$56
for Australians, US$132 for Canadians, US$100 for US nationals and
US$15 for Mexican passport holders. This tax must be paid in US
dollars cash; it is paid once and remains valid until the passport
expires.
- For Australians -
No visa is required by Australians for visits of up to
90 days, but a US$56 reciprocity fee, payable in USD cash on
arrival, will be charged for tourists. The receipt is regarded as a
multiple entry visa and is valid for three months. A passport is
required.
- New Zealand nationals must hold a passport. A visa is
not required for a stay of up to 90 days.
- No visa is required by US nationals for visits of up
to 90 days, but a US$100 reciprocity fee, payable in USD cash on
arrival, will be charged for tourists. The receipt is regarded as a
multiple entry visa and is valid until expiry of passport. A
passport is required for travel to Chile.
- No visa is required by US nationals for visits of up
to 90 days, but a US$100 reciprocity fee, payable in USD cash on
arrival, will be charged for tourists. The receipt is regarded as a
multiple entry visa and is valid until expiry of passport. A
passport is required for travel to Chile.
- UK nationals do not require a visa for visits of up to
90 days. A passport is required.
Chile Holidays - Currency of Chile
The local currency is the Chilean Peso (CLP), which
is divided into 100 centavos. Visa, Mastercard and, to a lesser
extent, American Express are accepted in most large shops and
hotels. Travellers cheques, particularly in US Dollars, are welcome
in major towns, where there are banks and
cambios offering currency exchange services.
ATMs are widely available.
Chile
Telephone Access Codes and Communications
The international access code for Chile is
+56. The outgoing code is 00 followed by the relevant country code
(e.g. 0044 for the United Kingdom). The area code for Santiago is
(0)2. Internet cafes are available in the main towns. A number of
telephone companies offer different rates for national and
international calls, depending on the time of day. Public phones
are widely available and international call centres are available
in most shopping malls. Mobile phone companies have roaming
agreements with most international cell phone companies; otherwise
mobile phones can easily be rented. A GSM network is in operation.
Internet cafes are widespread, particularly in the big
cities.
Chile
Duty Free Allowances & Restrictions
Travellers entering Chile do not need to pay
customs duty on 400 cigarettes, 50 cigars (large or small) and 500g
tobacco; 2.5 litres of alcohol; and perfume for personal use. Meat
products, flowers, fruit and vegetables may only be imported if
permission is given by the Department of Agriculture in
advance.
Chile
Holidays & Packages- Tipping Information
10% is expected in restaurants. It is not
customary to tip taxi drivers but it is usual to round up the fare
if they help with luggage. In general tipping small amounts is
customary for all services.
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