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  ABOUT CHILE TRAVEL TIPS |
Insurance
Discover Brazil does not offer travel insurance, therefore it is recommend to take out a policy, which covers medical expenses, emergency evacuation, personal liability, theft and cancellation of the trip.
Vaccinations.- Regulations and requirements may be subject to change on short notice and it is advisable to contact your doctor well in advance of your date of departure. If you are going to the Andes region, it is wise to check your blood pressure. Recommended vaccinations are: Yellow Fever, Typhoid, DTP and Hepatitis B.
Health
Water: In general, the city's water supply is safe, although it is always advisable for to drink bottled water. Be careful when leaving the larger cities and entering unpopulated areas though, for your security it is highly recommended to drink bottled water. As in other countries, hygiene or cleanliness of the foods in Chile depends on the place you are consuming foods. In general, serious problems with hygiene do not exist.
Raw food
It is generally not advisable to eat uncooked vegetables that grow close to the soil (i.e., lettuce, carrots, strawberries, etc.), unless you get them from an established supermarket chain (Jumbo, Unimarc, Almac, etc.), who monitor the source of their products. Established restaurants will also guarantee this.
Altitude sickness
In the Chilean high plains, at the North of the country, and in some border zones, it is possible to become affected by altitude. The lack of oxygen and atmospheric pressure may cause headaches, nausea, shortness of breath, and physical weakness in some people. In two to five days, the body should adapt to the oxygen shortage.
Hanta virus
The Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) is a serious and frequently lethal respiratory disease originally discovered in Manchuria before WWII. It was later identified during the Korea's Civil War (1951) and is now present in Asia, especially in China where it is a nationwide health problem. Cases have been reported in Japan and Eastern Europe as well. In the last few years, similar or identical agents have been found in rats and mice in the Western United States, with an epidemic in 1993 in Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina and Chile.
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Presumably, this disease has been present in Chile for several centuries, but only modern methods of diagnosis have only now allowed precise identification. The disease does not have epidemic status in Chile, and does
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tourism in the affected zones.The virus has a short life outside the carrier (mostly long tailed mice), which means that in open, well-ventilated areas or those exposed to sunlight, it will not survive.
Recommended preventive measures for campers or visitors to rural zones are:
• Before staying in an abandoned or inhabited cabin or refuge, open and ventilate the place for at least 1 hour. Check for the presence of rodents and do not stay inside if traces are found.
• If you are sleeping outside, check the site for mice droppings or dens.
• Do not bother the rodents in their dens or holes.
• Avoid sleeping close to woodpiles, garbage or typical rodent habitats.
• Avoid sleeping on the floor without protection. Use a sleeping pad or similar.
• If you use a tent, keep it closed to prevent rodents getting in.
• Keep your food in rodent proof containers. Bury, burn or dispose of carefully the garbage (where allowed). Keep the place clean.
• Boil suspicious water or purify it with iodine or chlorine tablets.
Visa
As regulations are subject to change at short notice it is advisable to check with the Chilean Consulate for the latest information. At present, for most countries, a visa is not required and at entrance, customs gives up to 90 days.
Note: Nationals of the USA , Canada , Mexico and Australia entering Chile for tourist purposes will be charged a processing fee payable on arrival and in cash only.
For nationals of the USA the fee is US$45, for nationals of Canada , the fee is US$55, for nationals of Mexico , the fee is $15 and for nationals of Australia the fee is US$30. Citizens of other countries then the above mentioned do not need to pay this fee.
Currency
Peso Chileno (1 USD = 690 Chilean pesos, August 2003). Changing currencies other than US dollars is very difficult. Credit cards and traveler's cheques: Access/Mastercard, Diners Club and Visa are all used in Chile with Visa and American Express being the most widely accepted.
Dollar bills with rips or tears are generally not accept, or they can be exchanged at a significantly lower rate.
Banks
Most bank machines accept Visa, Mastercard and Plus cards. Most ATM's also accept cards with Cirrus and Visa Electron logos.
Tipping
Tip 10% in restaurants and hotels. Do not tip taxi drivers, though you may leave them change from the fare. Tip bellhops Ch$500-$1,000 per bag.
Safety
Compared to most Latin American countries, Chile is very safe for traveling. Exceptions, are, as everywhere, the slums and the centers of the big cities. Beware of (well-dressed) pickpockets who practice their swift tricks especially on the Metro, on buses, and in crowds on busy streets.
Since as a foreigner you will stick out anyway, you should make sure of the following:
• Do not flaunt valuables, cameras, jewelry, etc.
• Leave larger amounts of cash, travelers' cheques, credit cards, airline tickets, passport, etc. in your hotel safe, or carry them around your waist or on your chest in a special money belt/pouch.
• Always keep your eyes on your bags and luggage, clutch purses and daypacks in front of your body.
• Do not allow anyone to distract you (a popular ruse) in a crowd, e.g., when getting on and off the Metro or a bus.
• In cafés and restaurants, never hang your bag over the back of your chair, and never leave it unattended.
• Make a copy of your passport and keep it in a safe place (separate).
On the other hand, cases of robberies at gunpoint or muggings are rare. When in doubt, do not try to be a hero; hand over your money! It is better not to go for walks alone on Cerro San Cristóbal in Santiago, as well as some of the hills of Valparaíso, and also avoid Cerro Santa Lucía in Santiago at night.
Leaving your luggage where you are staying is usually not a problem, even if they should not have a safe
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Our Team
