The beaches of Bahia Inglesa

Just 900km north of Santiago in the middle of Chile you will find Caribbean flair. Fine white sandy beaches and the turquoise, dark blue and clear hues of the water make Bahía Inglesa (“English Bay”) a special seaside resort. Only the water temperatures, which in this part of the Pacific are not nearly as warm as those of the Caribbean Sea, remind you that one is already quite south on the globe. Plus, just past the miles of Bahia Inglesa’s white beaches is the mighty Atacama Desert.

The Pacific lives up to its name here and has very gentle waves which come through to the sheltering bay – ideal for swimming and drifting on the waves. But also active “water rats” (as we Germans call people who love to be in the water) love it here. The gentle winds make surfing, kite surfing, diving, and kayaking perfect recreational fun. Also, the sky is always a bright blue here.

In the nearby town of Caldera, we recommend a visit to the paleontological museum, which is installed in the first railway station in Chile (which no longer in use). Nature lovers will be amazed by the prehistoric finds of extinct species; Bahía Inglesa is a species-rich “quarry” with fossils of nearly 80 different species. One fossil of great note is the over 10 million year old skull of a primeval whale.