Summertime - Beach Time
18. December 2019
It's summer in Chile - Santiago is sweating, the beaches around Viña del Mar and La Serena are full of tourists and even in Chile's south, with the notoriously rainy weather, a few days of sunshine transform the lakeshores into holiday resorts.
Time to introduce our favorite beaches "off the beaten track", which are not too far from Santiago de Chile – one can be visited during a day trip, while other can be explored best over a weekend:
Pichilemu
... this beach resort is definitely one of our picks because not only is it really great, but one of our language schools is located there. It´s the perfect spot to learn spanish if you are surfing enthusiast: Pichilemu is Chile's hotspot for surfing fans from all over the world. There are first-class waves all year round, and during summer, international level surf competitions take place. If surfing is not yours, you should come anyway: watching the surfers is also fun, the beach is beautiful, the gastronomy as well and there is quite a nightlife.
Matanzas
... this very uninviting name ("butchering, butchery") comes from the time when sea lions were hunted in this area. According to legend, it was also a pirate place, even Sir Francis Drake paid a visit. Today things have changed in Matanzas, about 165 km southwest of Santiago: The small village offers camping sites and upscale accommodation and the gastronomic options range from the local fishermen with their stalls to fine restaurants. The beach is long and beautiful even in the high season never really full and an impressive high dune makes the scenery perfect.
Puertecillo
... next to Matanzas is an insider tip, yet not too secret anymore in Chile: A long, mostly empty beach with a tiny village at one end and a surfing school at the other end. If you like something more "rustic", you're in the right place. In recent years, the range of accommodations has steadily developed.
Quintay
... a great place for a day trip from Santiago! In this picturesque fishing village, , you can enjoy excellent fish and seafood dishes overlooking the small bay. For the more adventurous, there are diving classes available.What´s really interesting here, is the "Fundación Quintay" museum. It is located in an old whaling facility, where you can visit, among other things, the ramp on which the whales once were pulled ashore. Based on old photos and videos, you can imagine how things were like there only a few decades ago. Just around the corner, behind a hill lies the beautiful beach "Playa Grande de Quintay". Unlike many other beaches in the region, there is no busy city or beach promenade behind it, just a few holiday apartments nestled into green hills. If possible, do this tour on a work day, since the place is quite popular on weekends.
So, if you are in already Chile, for a language study trip in Chile, an internship in Chile or a volunteer job in Chile, just call your friends and off you go to the beach!
Are you still at home, but feel like coming to Chile? Then just contact us and we will help you to organize your stay abroad in Chile. In addition to the above mentioned programs, we also offer Farm Stays in Chile, Work & Travel in Chile or Au Pair in Chile.