Things to know before traveling to Chile

Chile is a South American tourist paradise with incredibly impressive attractions such as Easter Island, Torres del Paine National Park, Marble Caves, and the San Pedro de Atacama Desert. So, if you're planning a trip to Chile, let's explore some essential information together.

Vườn quốc gia Torres del Paine — Torres del Paine National Park

Sa mạc San Pedro de Atacama — San Pedro de Atacama Desert

1. Chile is very long.

Chile has a total area of 756,950 km².²Therefore, if you want to explore all the main attractions in Chile, you'll need to plan a long trip. To put it into perspective, the width of the United States is only 43 km longer than the length of Chile, which is roughly the distance it would take to travel from London to all of Europe, then to Kyiv, Ukraine, and finally back to London.

Chiều dài và chiều rộng của Chile — The length and width of Chile

2. visa

From August 11, 2017, Vietnamese tourists have been granted visa-free entry to Chile for up to 90 days. If you wish to stay longer, you can fly out of Chile and return, or even cross the border to Mendoza, Argentina, the following weekend and then return, thus extending your stay in Chile for another 90 days.

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Hang động Marble, điểm đến không thể bỏ qua ở Chile — Marble Caves, a must-see destination in Chile.

3. Language

Tourists from neighboring countries and those fluent in Spanish still encounter difficulties with some verbs, nouns, and slang used by locals in Chile, as they differ from standard Spanish. If possible, equip yourself with a few simple sentence patterns to avoid awkward situations.

4. Weather

The weather in Chile varies by region, as the north is a barren desert, while the south is Patagonia (a geographical area encompassing the southernmost part of South America) with snow-capped mountains. Therefore, you should check the weather forecast carefully to prepare appropriate clothing and supplies.

Những ngọn núi phủ tuyết trắng ở Patagonia — Snow-capped mountains in Patagonia

5. Meal times during the day and tipping

In Chile, it's difficult to find a place to have lunch at 11:30. Restaurants usually don't open until 1:00 PM, and dinner doesn't start until after 5:00 PM. Additionally, restaurants often automatically add a 10% tip to your total bill. At the time of payment, if you agree to give a "propina" (tip), they receive that 10%; otherwise, they deduct it.

Người dân Chile thường ăn trưa muộn với bánh ngô là một trong những món chính — Chileans often have a late lunch with corn tortillas as one of their main dishes.

6. earthquake

Earthquakes are commonplace in Chile. You might panic when the ground beneath your feet shakes, but the locals react as if nothing is wrong, calmly saying, "It's just an earthquake." That's because the entire country is prepared for this natural disaster. Sometimes, earthquakes considered large-scale in other countries are nothing compared to what happens in Chile. If you are caught in an earthquake, just follow the local people's reaction.

7. means of transportation

If you want to save money, buses are the ideal mode of transportation in Chile. They're not as cheap as buses in Bolivia and not as expensive as in Argentina, but they're much better quality. Alternatively, you can also travel by train.