Ocean Pacific and Beaches

A must-see is touring the coastal circuit of the Atacama Region, where you can enjoy paradisiacal beaches and take a boat ride watching penguins in the sea in front of Pan de Azúcar National Park.

And for the most extensive recreation, you can also go trekking, be amazed by the life of the prehistoric seas at the Caldera Paleontological Museum, get to know the endemic flora of the coastal desert and take photographs of surprising landscapes.

The trip can be started in the northern coast of the Atacama Region, in the Pan de Azúcar National Park. This conservation site brings together beautiful maritime landscapes and the coastal desert, to which are added its endemic cacti and its marine and terrestrial fauna, where the Humboldt penguins and guanacos stand out.

While there, it is the opportunity to participate in a boat trip to see the marine fauna on Pan de Azúcar Island, as well as enjoy exquisite fish in the cove of the place. In the area there are cabins and camping areas, on the shores of white sand beaches and turquoise summer sugar loaf waters.

28 km to the south is the city of Chañaral, a place suitable for the supply and use of basic services. Continuing south along the coastal route, it is possible to discover a large number of beaches such as Portofino, home to surf lovers, and the Flamenco spa, an extensive beach with waters without waves and with basic equipment for camping in summer.

A little more than 90 km to the south, you arrive at Caldera, where the most important deposit of fossil marine vertebrates in Chile is located and one of the most relevant worldwide, since it allows us to know what the sea was like and what animals populated it. millions of years ago. It is advisable to visit the paleontological museum of the place.

In Caldera begins a fantastic coastal route to the port of Huasco, appreciating some of the most beautiful beaches in northern Chile. 6 km to the south is Bahía Inglesa, the most famous spa in the region, with white sand beaches and natural pools that form between the rocks. The place has various accommodations, as well as restaurants that offer the sought-after oysters. Continuing south you access numerous secluded beaches.

45 km south of Caldera and 7 km south of Puerto Viejo, you arrive at one of the best beaches in the region: Playa La Virgen, of great beauty and crystal clear waters, hidden between the rocks and a cliff. It has a camping area, cabins and a restaurant with seafood cuisine. In addition, it is ideal for kayaking, diving and sport fishing.

Further on are Barranquilla, where Piedras Bayas beach stands out for its calm and clear waters, Bahía Salada, Carrizal Bajo and Carrizal.

Finally, continuing towards Huasco, we reach the Llanos de Challe National Park, which stands out for the presence of a large amount of flora and the existence of guanacos. In the years when it rains in the area, it is possible to see the phenomenon of the Flowering Desert, where different plant species germinate presenting a unique landscape.

Source: chileestuyo.cl