Chile is Latin America’s best kept secret. While Peru is known for its Incas, Brazil for its women, and Central America for its rainforests, Chile is remembered by many only for being narrow. It’s that extra-hard-to-color-in strip of land smashed on one side of South America’s jumble of countries. The thin country is truly a cartographer’s nightmare, impossible to present in any handy and detailed form from tip to toe. And yet therein lies its temptation for travelers. Spanning more than half the length of South America, Chile is home to a remarkable diversity of climates, terrain, and wildlife. In the far North, at the base of the highest volcanoes in the world, flamingo-filled lakes surround the driest place on earth. In the south enormous glaciers flow down into National Parks, which protect trees born thousands of years ago. And in between all that, world-renowned vineyards share Chile’s rolling valleys with rheas, guanacos, and pudús.

Chile offers even more than incredible natural attractions, though. Its culture and history are a fusion of Spanish and English influences. What’s more, this unmistakably European feel is augmented by its indigenous roots, which add a unique flavor to the cultural mix. The diversity of terrain and climate are echoed in a diversity of culture. The eerie desert landscape of the north is inhabited by a laid-back, almost spiritual people, while the rolling, fertile hills of the Central Valley play host to a frantic, high-energy urban lifestyle. And farther south, the rugged, untamed forests and mountains are home to a cultural heritage that mixes the fierce independence of the Mapuche and the resilience of rural farmers. Wherever you go, however, a distinctly Chilean way of life is perceptible—characterized by a rapid, rhythmic incarnation of Spanish, hearty cuisine typically doused in a sauce of hot chili pepper or mashed avocado, and a humorous outlook on life.

Even from its isolated perch behind the Andes mountains, Chile has managed to distinguish itself among its sibling nations. It is a country with a long democratic tradition, still struggling to deal with a brutal interlude of authoritarian rule. Yet it has managed to return to that steady democracy despite the serious political and social challenges it still faces. Chile also excelled in the arts, boasting two celebrated Nobel Laureate poets, Pablo Neruda and Gabriela Mistral, the latter the only Latin woman to date to be distinguished with the honor. Finally, over the last few decades, Chile has gained a level of economic stability and development that well surpasses its Latin neighbors.

Currently on the verge of taking its place among the leading countries of the world with modern social programs and stronger economic and political ties to both Europe and Asia, Chile offers many of the conveniences and reliability of a developed nation while maintaining the amazing sights and fascinating culture that make Latin America such a popular tourist destination.

When To Go

Anytime, all the time, whenever your heart desires. Chile’s different climatic zones ensure that a variety of weather conditions prevail year-round, making a wide array of activities available at all times. Chile can be divided into three significant climatic areas: the arid north, the cool and damp south, and the temperate, almost Mediterranean, central Chile which experiences heavy rainfall between May and August and bright sunshine the rest of the year. The spring and summer seasons in Chile (between October and March, as in all countries of the Southern Hemisphere), tend to see the most tourist traffic, as foreigners and Chileans from far and wide flock to the white-sand beaches of the glamorous Viña del Mar and other coastal resorts. Santiago is warm and sunny this time of year (70-80°F Dec.-Mar.), trekking is pleasant in the Lakes District (50-55°F Oct.-Apr.), and the erratic weather of Patagonia simmers down to warmer days (daytime highs 45-65°F Oct.-Mar.). The peak tourist season that ushers in fully-booked hotels, packed discotecas, and exorbitant prices is between the end of December and the beginning of February, when locals are on summer vacation.