What other area to visit?
Because this was my first trip to Chile, I decided to stay about just over a week longer to explore another area of the country. The decision of where to go, however, was a bit difficult as there are so many places that appealed to me. After quite a bit of research and upon the advice of a Victoria friend who had lived in Chile at one point, I decided to head south for a few days.
Pucon
I took an overnight 800 km bus trip (very comfortable) to the small city of Pucon. It is a popular tourist destination and known for its outdoor recreation and adventure activities such as hiking, kayaking, white water rafting, horseback riding, zip line rides, skiing, snowboarding and more. Pucon is located in a beautiful setting beside Lake Villarrica and close to the Villarrica volcano. There are two national parks and a national reserve nearby.
The climate in/around Pucon is temperate and there is significantly more precipitation (rain and some snow) in the area than in Santiago. In sharp contrast to most of the vegetation in the Santiago area, the natural environment around Pucon is lush and green. During the few days I was there, it was overcast and damp most of the time. It was sunny only in the first few hours I was there, which provided some good views of the Villarrica volanco.
The peak tourist season had finished a month or so before I arrived in Pucon, so the atmosphere was very relaxed and exactly what i was looking for. During the almost three days there, I walked around much of the city, drank more than enough coffee and read a lot. I had good meals in Pucon at places recommended by Lonely Planet (Trawen and Latitude 39). I savoured a couple of great burgers at Latitude 39 complemented by very fine beer. In fact, there was a good selection of beers in Pucon and most were strongly influenced by German brewing traditions. In a country known for its high quality wines, I was not expecting to find several varieties of good quality beer.
On one of my walks, I found a few interesting carved wood statutes reflecting the indigenous people of the area. Elsewhere in Pucon, there are many buildings located along the lake as well as shops and restaurants that give the city a resort feel. I expect it gets very busy during peak season.
I enjoyed my time in Pucon and, while I would return this, there are other parts of the country to first explore on my next trip to Chile.
Because this was my first trip to Chile, I decided to stay about just over a week longer to explore another area of the country. The decision of where to go, however, was a bit difficult as there are so many places that appealed to me. After quite a bit of research and upon the advice of a Victoria friend who had lived in Chile at one point, I decided to head south for a few days.
Pucon
I took an overnight 800 km bus trip (very comfortable) to the small city of Pucon. It is a popular tourist destination and known for its outdoor recreation and adventure activities such as hiking, kayaking, white water rafting, horseback riding, zip line rides, skiing, snowboarding and more. Pucon is located in a beautiful setting beside Lake Villarrica and close to the Villarrica volcano. There are two national parks and a national reserve nearby.
The climate in/around Pucon is temperate and there is significantly more precipitation (rain and some snow) in the area than in Santiago. In sharp contrast to most of the vegetation in the Santiago area, the natural environment around Pucon is lush and green. During the few days I was there, it was overcast and damp most of the time. It was sunny only in the first few hours I was there, which provided some good views of the Villarrica volanco.
The peak tourist season had finished a month or so before I arrived in Pucon, so the atmosphere was very relaxed and exactly what i was looking for. During the almost three days there, I walked around much of the city, drank more than enough coffee and read a lot. I had good meals in Pucon at places recommended by Lonely Planet (Trawen and Latitude 39). I savoured a couple of great burgers at Latitude 39 complemented by very fine beer. In fact, there was a good selection of beers in Pucon and most were strongly influenced by German brewing traditions. In a country known for its high quality wines, I was not expecting to find several varieties of good quality beer.
On one of my walks, I found a few interesting carved wood statutes reflecting the indigenous people of the area. Elsewhere in Pucon, there are many buildings located along the lake as well as shops and restaurants that give the city a resort feel. I expect it gets very busy during peak season.
I enjoyed my time in Pucon and, while I would return this, there are other parts of the country to first explore on my next trip to Chile.
