• Discounts of over 15% can be obtained on hotel bills by foreigners in Chile. This is due to the fact that the value added tax, known in the country as "IVA," need not be paid by foreigners. In order to get your lodgings tax-free you have to request that a special bill be prepared, using a special Foreign Visitor Invoice, which not all hotels will have available.

• Do not assume that someone is trying to take advantage of you if they don't have it -- it is a specially printed form which the business has to provide and then have each copy numbered and stamped by the tax office before it is legal to use it. For this reason, you may wish to ask before you check-in whether or not this option is available to you. (The tax, at this writing, is 19%, and this works out to a +15.9% discount when figured on the price that you would normally have to pay.)

• Some people have reported that even without this legal form, it has been possible to get a discount by paying in cash and not receiving any receipts for the expenditure. This is an illegal way of achieving the end result and carries a heavy fine and other penalties if the business is caught, although if they are confident they are dealing with a foreigner who won't report them they may take a chance.[to top] (submitted by Jack Feka)

• Gringo is a term used quite widely in Chile to refer to anyone who is blue-eyed, blond or red-head and fair skinned. Usually it is not a disparaging term, which is not always the case in other Latin American countries.

• The origin of the term which is most frequently heard is that it came from Mexico when soldiers from the United States, some versions cite the "Green Berets," were in the country and at some popular demonstration some people started shouting to the soldiers --dressed in green-- "Green go home ... green go home!" From this the word "gringo" is supposedly derived.

• A more scholarly version of the term (which is not very widely known) states that this term originated in Spain at least a couple of centuries ago and is a corruption of the word "griego," which means "greek" in Spanish. It was fashionable at one time in Spain to refer to anyone foreign as "a greek," just as in English is is common for one to say "It's all greek to me" to explain that something is not in one's known tongue. Over time, the term "griego" in this context became corrupted and evolved to "gringo." [to top] (submitted by Jack Feka)

• Foreign Exchange Deals are not generally easy to find in Chile since the liberalization of foreign exchange markets. The rate will fluctuate day by day and is usually available in most daily newspapers. Outside of major cities, your best source for exchanging foreign currency is either an exchange house (Casa de cambio) or a bank. Banks are often busy and long waits in line may be necessary that might be avoided at a private exchange house. Travelers cheques and Dollars may be accepted at some merchants but you may have to accept a less favorable exchange rate because it can be a considerable task for the person accepting the foreign currency to exchange it. [to top] (submitted by Jack Feka)

• ATM (Automatic Teller Machines) are very common in Chile and are an excellent way to get cash if your credit card or bank card is set up for international use. Generally speaking you will be getting the best exchange rate possible and can avoid carrying large amounts of cash.

• Credit Cards are NOT widely accepted, in spite of what the card compnies would like you to believe, especially in smaller or budget priced businesses.  Because of the high commission charged by the credit card company, you can frequently get a discount if you pay in cash. 

• Getting a Driver's Licence is fairly easy in Chile but you have to follow the procedure required.

1. First step is to apply at the municipal Department of Transit for a background check called "Certificado de Antecedentes." This will cost about 500 pesos and will require your Identity Card number.
2. Providing that this comes out without anything that would impede your being licenced you'll then have to take a written exam which is usually about 20 questions of multiple choice. Even if you know Spanish you may have trouble with some of the specific terms used. If this is the case you may ask the person monitoring the exam to explain the terms.
3. After the written exam you'll need to have meet the medical examiner and be given a coordination test in addition to a brief interview to confirm that you have no physical impediments.
4. Next, is the road test in a vehicle which you must provide. You'll be requested to turn in your old licence if you had one or may be requsted to provide a sworn statement declaring that you have lost it and it is not being held by some authority pending a charge for some offence. Usually an International Driving Permit will be accepted.

5. Providing all the above result OK, you'll need to pay the fee of about 15,000 pesos and provide two copies of a recent photograph which most photo studios will provide in the required format if you tell them you need it for a licence. Some licencing offices may now take your photo on site, ask about this when you take the written exam if you want to avoid running around.

6. The licence will then be prepared for you to pick up at a later time. [to top]

• Lisa Taplin suggests, when traveling in Chile, I highly recommend taking the Salon Cama class busses. You can get a one way from Santiago to Ancud, Chiloe for about US$50.

•  Don't be fooled by the low price, this is travelling in style. The seats are wide and set far apart. The stewards serve meals and drinks and there may even be a BINGO game and movies for your entertainment. The bus will stop for dinner at a roadside restaurant if the in-transit meal isn't enough. At night, the large seats fully recline, you are handed a blanket and pillow and you can get a good night's sleep. Travel from Santiago to Chiloe is about 17 hours.[to top] (submitted by Liza Taplin)

• If you are in the lakes region, and can arrange it, I highly recommend organizing a night or two stay with a Mapuche family.

• In Temuco there are several indigenous organizations where this can be arranged, or you may meet a friendly vendor at the artisan's market who can arrange a stay for you, as I did.

• A combination of supplies and money is a fair trade for a stay (sugar, mate, flour). You might end up staying in the Mapuche's traditional dwelling, a ruka, but talking with the famalies and having a glimpse into the indiginous side of Chile is a magnificent experience.[to top] (submitted by Liza Taplin)

• Just as we have happy hour, the Chileans have something called Once[on' - say]. Most families in Chile eat dinner after 9pm, so the stomach starts grumbling around 6.

• Once was traditionally a time for men to go off drinking, but has evolved into a light supper and cocktail hour. Many restaurants have special once menus, while most pensions and hotels will serve bread, cheese and fruits, along with tea and coffee or beer.[to top] (submitted by Liza Taplin)

• In the south of chile, a tea drink called maté [ma'-tay] is popular. Many Mapuches drink this tea with handmade silver "straws" called bombillas [bom-bee'-yass].

• The green tea is packed tightly into a tin cup, lots of sugar and hot water is added. When the tea has been steeped, a bombilla is used to sip the drink, while filtering out the tea leaves. This is a very strong drink, popular in Argentina with cowboys, and with campasinos and mapuches alike in the south.[to top] (submitted by Liza Taplin)

• Some selected Chilean terms :

"MIJITA RICA": a pretty woman (If she is gringa, better)

"HUEVÖN" : friend, guy, fellow, partner (may also be an insult if used inappropriately.)

"HUEVA" : Anything (i.e.example. a car, a flower, a ship, a table, etc)

"NO ESTOY NI AHI": It doesn't matter.

"CACHAI" : "you know". This word comes from English slang term "to catch" meaning to understand an idea or concept. Cachai?

"ECHARSE AL POLLO": Let's get out (from a place)

"MARICÖN": gay person.

"AL TIRO": Immediately, as soon as possible

[to top] (submitted by RICARDO RUBIO JR.)

• Good Deals on domestic airlines are often available only in Chile. For example, it is often possible to purchase one way or round trip tickets for as little as half the normal fare by making a reservation 7 days in advance and paying for the ticket at the time of reservation. Some restrictions may apply. Currently offered by LAN Chile, Ladeco and National Airlines.

• Another possibility is to check into "Fly-Chile" plans which have been offered by LAN Chile to visitors. These are available only for purchase outside the country but carry the advantage of traveling almost anywhere where scheduled traffic is available for a very low cost. [to top]

• Be spontaneous and open but be careful of people who might try to take advantage of your unfamiliarity with local customs or conditions, advises Monica Oliva, who is one of many Chileans who believe that her country has more than it's fair share of shysters. My personal experience is that many Chileans are overly critical of their own country but this is good advice for travelers in almost any country.[to top]

• Exchange English pocketbooks when traveling in Chile at the International Traveler's English Exchange Library (ITEEL) in Lican Ray. Outside of Santiago, places where you can find English reading material at any price are extremely rare. ITEEL will accept a book you've finished reading and, for a small fee, allow you to take another book in it's place. Other locations, anywhere in the world, which offer similar services will be listed at the ITEEL website.[to top]

• If you're driving in Chile and need first class service for tires and batteries you can't go far wrong stopping by Neumático Centro in Villarrica. The business was founded and run by Jack Feka (the operator of this web site), and introduced to the area a new level of standards in attending to the needs of customers. Not all the staff speak English, but they'll probably find someone who can, if you need it.[to top]

• Getting Cheap Flights From the US and Canada.... If you want REALLY cheap flights, I found that Travel Cuts (a canadian company which specializes in Student travel) offered me a one-way flight from LA to Santiago with one layover in Costa Rica for $375.00 US  . . .  and we got to choose almost all the dates and times. This was compared to the $1000 plus we were quoted from most larger "budget" companys like travelocity. You must be under 25 or a full-time college student. (submitted by Noah Rockefeller)[to top]