Beaches

Chile's central coastline, which is caressed by the Pacific Ocean, is characterized by a series of beaches where the blue sea blends in with the green vegetation.

In the North, the Coquimbo Region offers 400 kms of coast with a wide variety of large beaches with white, fine sand.

Towards the South, the Valparaíso Region has many different beaches, fishing coves and the country's most important port.

Coquimbo Region

The Coquimbo regions coastline possess many beaches with warm waters ideal for water sports: swimming, rowing, waterskiing, diving, windsurfing and yachting. The sea generously provides numerous sought after products which form the basis of the area's rich gastronomy. Conger eel, sole, croaker, razor clams and large oysters are cooked in many different ways to satisfy even the most demanding palates. The seaside resorts in this area have an ever increasing amount of hotels. Furthermore, there are comfortable and well-equipped camping sites, whose use is enhanced by the total lack of rain during the Summer. The development of tourism in the area is favoured by efficient transport and telecommunication services, the good condition of the road network enables one to move about comfortably in the region and from Santiago.

Beaches like Pichidangui, which are famous for their perfect conditions for windsurfing, Los Vilos, Tongoy and the sheltered bay of Guanaqueros are prominent coastal points in the region.

New holiday resorts are being developed in Morrillos and Las Tacas. 

Local Beaches and Nearby La Serena and Coquimbo Towns

Peñuelas 

Between La Serena and Coquimbo, used for swimming.

La Herradura

The pirate’s bay on the southern slope of the Coquimbo peninsula, used for water-skiing, sailing, wind surfing and swimming. 

Totoralillo 

Swimming, surfing and skin-diving.  Motel & Polynesian Restaurant “Tiki-Tano”.  There is an entrance fee for the beach.

Las Tacas

Private resort, Spanish restaurant “El Chiringuito”. 

Morrillos

 25 minutes drive south, has camping site and restaurant.  There is an entrance fee. 

Las Mostazas 

30 minutes drive south, has a camping site.  There is an entrance fee.

Guanaqueros 

35 minutes drive south, is a fisherman’s village;  few established camping sites;  is good for skin-diving, fishing, swimming.  Local fishermen will take you out on the bay on weekday afternoons & weekends for a small fee.

Playa Blanca

45 minutes drive south on the road to Tongoy.  Has a camping site with private baths.  Restaurant during summer months.  There is an entrance fee.  To reserve a camping site call 244185, 244228, Parcela 57, Vegas Sur (take the dirt road by the discotheque Sundance).

Tongoy

50 minutes drive south, has seafood restaurants and two good beaches.

WARNING:  Dangerous beaches are El Faro, Cuatro Esquinas and Punta de Teatinos.  All of these are good for walks, but the waves and undertows are excessive.  Also, sometimes there may be pollution at the Peñuelas, El Faro, La Herradura and Guanaqueros beaches.

Valparaiso Region 

Valparaiso, and particularly Viña del Mar, is the most important tourist area in the country and one of the most attractive of its kind in South America. Between Los Molles in the North and Santo Domingo in the South, the coastline of the Valparaiso region is scattered with beaches which are among the most popular in the country due to their varied infrastructure and proximity to the capital.

A modern 120 km road links Santiago to Viña del Mar, known as the "Garden City" for its large green areas and colourful gardens and connected to the fervent market activity in Valparaiso, the main port in Chile. Viña del Mar is also linked to Mendoza and other cities in the Argentina by a paved road that crosses the Aconcagua Valley and the Andes mountain range. This city fuses both the old and the new. Beautiful villas, parks, gardens and mansions, mostly of classical and neogothic styles, reminiscent of the era of the nitrate boom at the beginning of the century. A tour in a "Victoria", an old carriage drawn by horses typical of the city, is good to appreciate thecity's modern architecture. Its 3 castles also stand out: Cerro Castillo castle, the Presidential palace, Wulff castle, currently a museum, and the castle where the Arab Club is lodged. The Fonck Museum and the La Rioja Palace also keep their splendour. This popular city-holiday resort has an excellent and varied tourist infrastructure. There are many hotels, motels, guest houses, restaurants, discotheques, a casino, cinemas and theatres. Furthermore, it is characterized by permanent and rich cultural activity, by its attractive shops, which are mainly concentrated on Valparaiso Avenue, and by the varied entertainment it offers. The open-air stage, where every year in February thousands of people vibrate to the International Song Festival, is in the Quinta Vergara, which is an ideal stroll for tree and garden lovers. It also houses a beautiful Venetian style building, which is the headquarters of the Museum and School of Fine Arts. Another place of interest is the Valparaiso Sporting Club hippodrome.

An attractive coastal road dotted with coves and restaurants, whose specialties are shellfish and fish, viewing points to enjoy the ever changing seascape, and stalls of handicrafts and other products of the region, leads to the Reaca and Con-Con beaches. The former stands out for its long white sandy beach, which in Summer becomes a real carnival of beauty, youth and entertainment. Con-Con has lovely views, a picturesque fishing cove and pleasant beaches. The Charm of Valparais'os port and its unusual architecture make it one of the country's most attractive cities. Open to the sea, European style mansions and thousands of multicoloured houses are to be found among its many hills. The visitor is captivated by the impressive number of streets, narrow passages, steps, attractive places and elevators built more than 100 years ago. This was what fascinated the Chilean poet and Nobel Prize winner, Pablo Neruda. His house, "La Sebastiana", is the place where the poet discovered the magic of the polychromatic city. To visit Valparaiso and "La Sebastiana" is to enter a world that goes beyond reality, a world that comes from the past with all the crazy happiness of the "Belle Epoque". The northern coast of the Valparaiso region displays a variety of beaches.

Exclusive seaside resorts are those of Zapallar and Cachagua which mix the beauty of the landscape with the architectonic tradition in Zapallar and the harmony of style in Cachagua.

Maitencillo stands out for its restaurants which are highly visited throughout the year by the gourmets who enjoy dishes prepared with fish (conger eel, sole, croaker, swordsifh) and shellfish (clams, crabs, razor clams, mussels and "picorocos").

The luxurious and new "Marbella Resort" is in this area, which combines the attractiveness of the country side and the beach.

A nice mediterranean-style hotel surrounded by gardens with a golf course, polo and tennis courts and swimming pools, make it an international tourist resort. The beaches on the Southern coast of Valparaiso, together with the fascination of the sea, offer additional attractions. The pleasant waters and smooth slope of the Algarrobo beach make it a large resort for water sports and international competitions. Every summer El Quisco, El Tabo, Las Cruces, San Sebastian, Cartagena and Llolleo attract thousands of visitors who enjoy the sun, swimming in the sea and youthful games. Rocas de Santo Domingo, quiet and familyoriented, is characterized by its beautiful houses surrounded by parks and gardens as well as a golf club, which is the centre of the social activities.