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La Serena
From Wikitravel
La Serena is a town in the north of Chile. It is a perfectly charming Chilean town. There is a lot to see and do nearby.
[edit] Get in
[edit] By bus
Buses leave several times every hour from Santiago de Chile to La Serena. The trip takes 7 - 8 hours. Companies include Pullman Bus, TurBus and Flota Barrios. Available are regular buses, semi-cama and the first class salon-cama. Prices vary greatly. You can see TurBus booking and timetables here: [1]
[edit] By plane
LAN [2] flies three times daily from Santiago de Chile to La Serena at 10:50, 14:00 and 19:00. Flight duration is 1 hour and fully flexible ticket cost $168 US one way, $305 return; advance non-flexible return tickets through the website may be much cheaper than the flexible one way price.
[edit] Get around
[edit][add listing] See
- In the Archeologigal Museum there is the only rapa nui moai head to have toured Europe. Entry CLP$600.
- The nearby observatory is also open to the public.
- If you are around in early Spring you might be lucky enough to see the desert in bloom. It happens in occasional years and is stunning.
[edit][add listing] Do
- The japnese style (indeed, laid out by a Tokyo landscape architect) garden Jardin del Corazon is just west of the center. It celebrates the 450th anniversary of La Serena, its ties with its Japanese friend Tenri and the export of Chilean ore to Japan. Plenty of ducks and geese in the pond, some fish and the odd turtle. Entry CH$600.
- Beaches - La Serena has some of the country's longest stretches of beach. You can take a whole day walking from one end to another.
- Observatory tours. The Elqui Valley outside La Serena has some of the best conditions for observing the sky, hence the many observatories, some open to the public doing tours from La Serena city at night. Tour prices including transport are about $15000.
- There is a cinema[3] at the Mall Plaza, by the bus terminal
[edit][add listing] Buy
- Papaya Juice - Sold all over the city but especially at markets, the papaya is grown locally here
- Pisco - The national drink of Chile is brewed in the nearby Elqui Valley and is a must-try for every traveller, enjoyed either as a Pisco Sour (Pisco with limon juice, sugar, and egg-white) or Piscola (Pisco with Coke)
- Handicraft - Nice handicraft markets are held every summer
[edit][add listing] Eat
The densest cluster of restaurants and fast food joints is around the intersection of O`Higgins and Eduardo de la Barra.
- Daniella II, Av. Francisco de Aguirre. Set lunch for $1500. edit
[edit][add listing] Drink
Loads of bars near the intersection of O`Higgins and Eduardo de la Barra. At least a couple of them will be busy even on a Monday night thanks to the town`s students.
[edit][add listing] Sleep
There are loads of options in the town. The area from the bus station throughout the center has at least one hostal on every block, and many fancier options, including package tour hotels along the beach.
- Hostal El Punto, Andres Bello, [4]. Good breakfast until 11 AM Dorm bed $6500, double from $13000. edit
- Residencial Jofré, Regimiento Coquimbo, Central La Serena. Has excellent rooms with private bathrooms, hot water, shared kitchen facilities, TV room and free internet. US$23/double.. edit
[edit] Get out
- A few hours to the south is Fray Jorge National Park.
- At Isla Damas it is worth seeing the penguins and sea lions. From La Serena it is 120 km north at a coastal village called Los Choros. Dolphins also frequent the area.
- The Valle de Elqui is a beautiful valley in the otherwise arid region. Equestrian tours are available that climb into hills going in among the papaya farms and looking down on valley. Taste some pisco sour at a distillery and stay the night. You might see UFO's.
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