Located in South America, the country of Chile occupies a long strip of coastal land between the Andes Mountains and Pacific Ocean. Chile is one of the two countries in South America that does not have a border with Brazil. Chile has a diverse climate and is home to Atacama, one of the worlds driest deserts. The north experiences a Mediterranean climate in the middle and an Alpine climate complete with snow, glaciers, fjords and lakes in the south.
East of La Serena, Chile is the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, or simply the Tololo Observatory as it is known in Chile. This observatory was funded by the United States Science Foundation and operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy. The principal instrument is a 158 inch reflecting telescope, the largest in the the Western Hemisphere. The observatory hold regular seminars and tours daily for tourists from all over the world.
The largest island in Chile is Robinson Crusoe Island, which was formerly known as Mas a Tierra (closer to land). The island was made from ancient lava flows which built up over time and created the terrain. In the village of San Juan Bautista, there are between five to six hundred inhabitants which makes up the entire population of the island. Every year hundreds of tourists visit this remote island and enjoy scuba diving on the wreckage of the German light cruiser, SMS Dresden, which sank in the Cumberland Bay during World War I.
Easter Island is a Polynesian island and in the Pacific and a special territory of Chile. The island got its name from the Dutch explorer Jacob Roggeveen, who while searching for David Island, saw this island on Easter Sunday in 1722. Easter Island is a volcanic island and home to three dormant volcanoes; Terevaka, Poike and Rano Kau. Large stone statues or moai, are what has made Easter Island famous. There are a total of 887 stone monoliths on the island and in the museum, the statues are in the shape of a torso, kneeling with the hands placed over the stomach area. People from all over the world have pondered in wonderment as to what the statues mean and how they came to be.
Santiago, Chile is another popular destination for travelers. The Museo de la Solidaridad Salvador Allende is an art gallery and history museum located inside an old mansion. The art exhibits in the museum were gifted by those who supported the Allende government. The museum contains works by Matta, Tapies, Calder and Yoko Ono. The gallery also contains a multimedia station with audio commentary and films about the Allende government.
Arica, is to the north and is known as, “The City of Eternal Spring”. Arica is a developing seaside resort town with caramel colored sandy beaches, duty-free shopping and a lively night life. One of the major attractions of this city is Parque National Lauca, which is a park that has been declared an UNESCO World Biosphere Region. The Hill “El Morro” of Arica, is a 130 foot high rock which stands in honor of the Chilean military victories in the 19th century Pacific war. On top of themountain, is the Museum of History and Arms.
There are many prestigious hotels located in Chile, such as the Hotel Kennedy, the Hotel Antumalal or Hotel Park Camala. While Spanish is the official recognized language of Chile, English is spoken and understood in some areas. Chile has very dramatic climate regions, the north region is dry and home to Atacama, reportedly the driest desert in the world. In the central part of Chile, travelers experience a Mediterranean climate which has very little change in temperature from summer to winter. Tourism in Chile has been experiencing a steady growth pace over the past few decades and continues to grow even now.