Post: #26

Anyone know what Vina del Mar is like during the first week of March? I heard it tails off after the music festival.

Post: #27

I'll start working there in September and have a bunch of questions. Is any of you guys still down there?

Post: #28

(02-25-2016 01:43 AM)Lion Wrote:  Anyone know what Vina del Mar is like during the first week of March? I heard it tails off after the music festival.

March will be cheaper to go for sure, since in February Chileans have the big ''Festival de la cancion'' (Biggest music festival in Latin America) at least the most well known. Apartments will go from U$70 to about U$30 a day through Air B and B.

Hotel will go down from U$200 to U$100 /night.

First week of March will be awful for tail chasing though. All the Argentineans,. Brazilians, Uruguayans go back to their home countries for school/work,etc...

Also the nice girls from Santiago will no go to Vina del Mar during March. Weather will be sunny but not as in the summer, beaches will be empty since everybody will be at school/work.

I would not recommend going in March at all.

Now, if you want to visit Valparaiso, go Surfing, go to nice wineries,etc... March is the best month, still sunny, cheaper and not crowded.

PM me if you need more tips.

Post: #29

I have the option of going on a student exchange scheme at Diego Portables University, Santiago.

Anyone have experience of this?

Also, I can go for either semester 1 (march- august)
Or... Semester 2 (sept- Dec)

Any thoughts regarding language, weather and best times to visit.

Post: #30

I'm about to wrap a 6 months stint in Santiago and will add my 2 cents.

Background

I know Latin America fairly well. Have lived/ worked in Mexico, Panama, DR and Uruguay. Chile never has been on my radar and I was here only because the company I work for had a project here. For reference, I'm a tall blonde white guy with native level Spanish.

The city

It's not a beautiful city by any means. Sure, there some nice parts with fine arquitecture, but overall it has a pretty generic feel to it.

It's expensive, crowded, air quality is poor (not Mexico DF level, though) and it's some what lame.

On the plus side it's very save, clean and organized (for a Latinamerican capital). The infrastructure isn't bad and the police/ the government isn't as corrupt as in other Latin countries.

The girls

Pretty mediocre. Not bad but nothing special. Tend to be kind of chubby as very few work out. Many don't dress up. Found them to be rather friendly and they are prone to have big boobs, though. Hottest ones are the foreigners (Venezuelanas, Colombianas, etc).

The food

Sucks! The worst food in all Latin America. Really unhealthy and not tasty at all. Hotdogs and sandwhiches are staples here, nuff said.

It's actually pretty strange because the local produce that you can find on the markets like La Vega is top notch and cheap (discovered my new favourite fruit here, Chirimoya). I guess the Chileans overall don't care to much about food.

Also, supermarkets are expensive as fuck. For the basics like eggs, milk, pasta, etc. you pay more than in many European countries and the quality is worse.

Best bet are Peruvian restaurants.

The people

Chileans are very reserved compared to other Latinos. Not as warm as Mexicans or Dominicans but pretty nice overall. Didn't have one bad interaction in my time here.

The Chilean Spanish

I'm not a fan of the Chilean Spanish and it's not a good place to learn the language as the dialect is pretty heavy.

The country

This is where Chile scores in my book. It's a beautiful country, especially the south. I'm talking breathtakingly beautiful. Vulcanos, big lakes, deep forrests, endless beaches (cold water, though), etc.

It's so long and there is so much stuff to do that you'll have a hard time chosing. Unfortunately, it's also very expensive to do tourist stuff there. The cheapest hostels/ Airbnb are usually around 30-40 €/night for a double room and that is in low season. In high season prices can easily triple in some locations. Be prepared to pay European prices and get sub-European standard.


Conclusion

Santiago is the city with a very bad price-quality relationship. Everything is expensive and usually pretty mediocre. Unless you have to be here, I see no reason to stay for more than a couple of days.

The same can be said about the country itself. Everything is expensive and the quality is often lackluster. The countryside is beautiful, though and well worth a visit. If it wasn't for the inflated prices I had explored more of Chile.

If you are a nature/ trekking kind of guy with some money in your pocket, go visit Chile and you'll have a blast. If you looking for beautiful Latinas on a budget, stay away.

Post: #31

My sentiments exactly.

Out of the 18 Latin American countries I've been to Chile had the worst food. Most of it was expensive and inedible for me and I'm not that picky. Females were relatively open and the competition is low but girls dont workout and they hit the wall as soon as they graduate (or before). Every attractive girl I talked to in Chile was foreign. Wal-mart level obesity is noticeable here in a way I didnt see elsewhere in Latin America. In Brazil a slightly overweight woman will at least have a healthy bunda, not here. Big bellies and flat asses among the masses.

Nice people overall but dull, they are missing that "latin" element that the surrounding countries have. Their mentality is very westernized by comparison. They also speak the ugliest Spanish I've ever encountered.

The only positives i could see about the place is a strong economy and a higher than average safety level for Latin America.

Post: #32

I can confirm, I got food poisoning my first day in Chile. Their muffled accents are very boner killing and the girls are much more flakey than other Latin countries. Have you guys experienced the flakiness or have any explination?

Still a great place to visit but I would never want to live there. The wine is pretty amazing and dirt cheap.

Post: #33

Been to Santiago for business but mostly skiing.

Skiing? Awesome.

Girls in Santiago? Meh.

Food? Meh.

Pisco sour? Yum.

Post: #34

Good thread. I'll be heading down to Chile in August to ski and I've never been to South America, so I'm eager for advice from experienced travelers. From what I gather from this thread (and the lack of many others on Chile), I'm thinking of just spending a couple days in Santiago, and pre-gaming the trip in Lima, Peru, or maybe Bogota. For reference, I'm mid 40's, fit/handsome, well-to-do, very little Spanish (but going to work on it). I look Spanish (but I'm not), so I don't know if that will play against me down there. Any advice is much appreciated.

Post: #35

I'm here in Santiago getting ready to go to Lima; I just want to jot down a couple of thoughts. The food was better than I expected, based on some feedback here. Maybe not up to Peru standards, but not bad at all. I had some very nice steaks, seafood and sautéed vegetables.

As far as the ladies go, I saw a lot of 6s and 7s and a few 8s. I don't think I saw a 9. But overall, plenty of eyecandy. They don't get too dolled up. In fact I saw more well dressed men than women, but everyone is pretty low-key in the fashion department.

Everything is expensive for Latin America. I'd consider retiring here, but I'd have to import a filipina or vietnamese sidekick. For now, it's just too far from the USA.

Post: #36

Be careful with the traditional Peruvian food. It's very calorie heavy (each dish has enough oil for a mack truck), and very garlic heavy. Probably at least 2 cloves minimum per dish. Personally, I find the food in the south of Peru to be the better traditional Peruvian food, but it's simply not well known. You can't go wrong with a rocoto relleno for example.

There's also the fusion Peruvian-Chinese food known as "Chifa". There's a place called "Titi" in San Isidro, arguably the best Chifa in Lima.

Contrary to what people say, there are hot women in Peru but they are going to be from the upper class everytime, and they are very conservative. Since the Peruvian stereotype is mainly one of poverty to this day, the upper class in Lima can be more standoffish than what you'd see in other South American major cities.

Peruvian culture in general is about as socially conservative as you can get in the western hemisphere, although this slowly changing as the economy continues to improve.

Post: #37

I went to Santiago last month. Living in Bs.As. I can compare both cities. In favour of Santiago I can sum up saying that:

- Santiago is much safer and cleaner.
- It has a better subway! Really fantastic.
- People live with much higher standards. Even in outside areas.

But,
- Girls (and boys) are in general at about 2 or 3 points below Bs. As. in beauty (not to offend any chilean brother).

I visited Bella Vista neighbourhood at night. And really had fun during the week and also on weekend. It starts and ends earlier than in Argentina. So you have to be cautious with time. People is in great mood and police make their duty if any incident would happen (I could see them in action twice).

Post: #38

I spent a good amount of time in Santiago in November/December and can confirm everything on this thread. It's an interesting city with enough to see for about four-five days, but after that you will have exhausted the sights.

Re: the accent, it's awful, just terrible. I'm mostly fluent in Spanish and was straining to understand people. They've mangled the language a lot more than other countries have. It gets worse the further you get from Santiago.

Re: the price, yes, it's more expensive than other Latin countries. I stayed at a fabulous Airbnb in Lastarria for about $50 per night, and that was the best deal I saw, at least without sharing a room. If you want to save money, go elsewhere.

Re: the girls, I banged two off Tinder in five days. One was a sweetheart, a solid 7, maybe 8, a low-grade Penelope Cruz, and I enjoyed spending time with her. Very submissive and pleasant. If I'd been living there, I would've gone exclusive with her. The other was a solid 8 but had such a strange, off-putting personality that I could barely get it up for her. Plus her accent was impenetrable. I ended up kicking her out of my place without finishing. (That still counts as a notch, right? lol) The quality of woman in Santiago overall is pretty normal. Much like the States.

So why go to Chile? For northern Patagonia. That was undoubtedly the best part of my month in the country. Here's what you do: Fly to Coyhaique and rent a car and see the Aysen region. It's stunning, really and truly. Brighter colors, higher mountains, crisper air, colder lakes, tastier lamb, better wine. I mean, I went to three different glaciers in a single goddamn week. A monkey could take a beautiful photo there, everywhere you spin is more natural splendor. I ran out of superlative adjectives after about three days.

You ever go someplace in the world that you love so much that, even before you leave, you already know you'll be going back? That's the Aysen region of Patagonia for me. Highly recommended.

Overall, Santiago is a good, safe, normal city -- but it ain't heaven on earth. If you want a fuckfest with tens of thousands of gorgeous women, go to Colombia (where I lived for four months once). But if you want outstanding, unparalleled, alpine nature, the type that makes you feel like you're reborn, head to Chilean Patagonia, and the Aysen region in particular.

Post: #39

Guys, I am going to Chile in January next year for a holiday for a few months. I do not necessarily want to carry a large amount of cash in my suit case (in case it gets lost or stolen), but in Australia travel money cards only do not have any south American currencies available on them. So I either have to get a travel money card and load it with U.S. dollars then withdraw U.S. dollars at ATMs (paying a fee) and then change it at currency exchanges.

I wanted to know in Chile if the banks offer a local travel money card (that I can get without having a Chilean bank account) that I can load up with Chilean pesos? I am open to any suggestions about how I can best manage the currency issue.

Post: #40

(11-24-2018 01:16 AM)Australia Sucks Wrote:  Guys, I am going to Chile in January next year for a holiday for a few months. I do not necessarily want to carry a large amount of cash in my suit case (in case it gets lost or stolen), but in Australia travel money cards only do not have any south American currencies available on them. So I either have to get a travel money card and load it with U.S. dollars then withdraw U.S. dollars at ATMs (paying a fee) and then change it at currency exchanges.

I wanted to know in Chile if the banks offer a local travel money card (that I can get without having a Chilean bank account) that I can load up with Chilean pesos? I am open to any suggestions about how I can best manage the currency issue.

Not sure what a travel money card is supposed be. Just use a regular credit card like Visa and withdraw Pesos. The fees are not that high.

Post: #41

A travel money card is a currency card which you can pre load with various currencies (in Australia they offer about 10 different currencies) and then use it to withdraw that money from an ATM. I do not own a credit card. besides even if the fees are low on a credit card ATMs will always rape you on the exchange rate.

Post: #42

(11-24-2018 03:36 PM)Australia Sucks Wrote:  A travel money card is a currency card which you can pre load with various currencies (in Australia they offer about 10 different currencies) and then use it to withdraw that money from an ATM. I do not own a credit card. besides even if the fees are low on a credit card ATMs will always rape you on the exchange rate.

Not necessarily. Some ATMs in South America are free and offer close enough to the official rate. Your bank is more likely to do the raping, and a "money card" sounds even worse. Getting USD to exchange isn't a great option either, except it's done at a bank counter with no or low fees.
If you go to one of those Casa de Cambio outlets, don't forget to bring lube, as the rape is guaranteed.

If the money card offers USD, I don't see why you would need to withdraw USD to further exchange in cash. First of all, almost zero ATMs in South America will dispense USD. Your USD will be directly converted/withdrawn as Pesos at the ATM.
I withdraw from ATMs very often, when I'm in Colombia. You just need to try a few ATMs to see which offers the best rates, low fees or free to use.

I've never been to Chile, although I did meet/make out hard with a sexy petite Chilean milf on South Beach, Miami this summer - within 5 minutes of meeting her. She was visiting from Santiago, so I guess that makes me an expert on all things Santiago .

Post: #43

What I was ideally hoping to do (but not sure if possible) is convert Australian Dollars in bulk to Chilean pesos in Australia at a currency exchange or bank (you get a higher exchange rate when you do a bulk buy plus I only exchange currency once instead of twice). Then take the physical Chilean pesos to Chile. Walk into a Chilean bank or currency exchange and get a travel money card (currency card). Then load the Chilean Pesos onto the currency card. I want to know from people that know the banking/currency system in Chile is my idea cost effective/possible/feasible?

p.s. Poseidon when I was in Peru and Colombia most ATMs I went to gave you a choice of withdrawing USD or local currency.

Post: #44

I am really looking forward to the nature in Chile. I honestly wonder if people here are exaggerating about how bad the food is in Chile.

Post: #45

@Australia Sucks
I've used no fewer than 30 different ATMs in Colombia, and never saw any such option to withdraw USD.
I have never even heard anyone say they did this.

I am 99.9% certain no ATMs in Colombia are loaded with USD. Except it is owned and operated by a Casa de Cambio (which is a different matter).

There's a possibility you misunderstood the message some ATMs give about doing the conversion from USD on their end. This is only an option to choose between the ATM provider's exchange rate or your bank's exchange rate.

The 0.1% uncertainty is only reserved for you saying "I withdrew USD from multiple regular ATMs in Colombia."

Post: #46

(11-26-2018 01:41 AM)Australia Sucks Wrote:  I am really looking forward to the nature in Chile. I honestly wonder if people here are exaggerating about how bad the food is in Chile.

They're exaggerating. The food was fine, same as U.S. or Australia. In some places, it was really good.

You want bad food, go to Bolivia.
You want mediocre food, go to Colombia.
You want normal food, go to Chile.
You want great food, go to Argentina.

Post: #47

Poseidon I withdraw physical U.S. dollars from many regular ATMs throughout all of Colombia, I do not claim to be an expert on Colombia so maybe someone on the forum can clarify that.

Post: #48

That's interesting. I've neither heard of that or seen any such options at an ATM.
I just did a light Google search also, and couldn't find anyone who has done this either.
Although, admittedly I've never had any need for USD while in Colombia, so I've never looked deep into it.