From Wikitravel

Punta Arenas is a port city in the Extreme South of Chile. The city has a good infrastructure, in particular an abundance of shops, such as supermarkets, pharmacies and hiking gear shops.

Punta Arenas (literally in Spanish: "Sands Point") is the largest settlement on the Strait of Magellan and the capital of Chiles Magallanes y Antártica Region. It has a population of 120,000 (2002).

It is located on Brunswick Peninsula, 1418 km from the coast of Antarctica.

[edit] Get in

There is an international airport on the outskirts of the city with numerous connections to Puerto Montt and Santiago.

Buses leave daily to Puerto Natales as well as Rio Gallegos, Argentina.

[edit] Get around

The town is accessible by foot.

[edit][add listing] See

• Port area.
• Regional Museum, with historical artifacts and part of the Braun-Menéndez Mansion
• Museo del Recuerdo, with an outstanding collection of old steam engines, horsecarts, cars, historic houses furnished in the 1875s style and farm implements.
• Maggiorino Borgatello Museum
• Salesian Society museum of natural history and prehispanic ethnic groups.
• Punta Arenas Cemetery, dates back to 1840's, with many english and croatian graves.

Out of town:

• The penguin colony "Seno Otway" north of Punta Arenas is a place where each spring hundreds of magellanic penguins come home to their birth place to breed. Many travel agencies offer day trips from Punta Arenas that leave you very little time at the colony, so it's best if you have your own car.
• Rey Jorge Island Natural Sea Park (whale observation).
• Torres del Paine National Park, near Puerto Natales.
• Seno Skyring
• Puerto Hambre, an early Spanish colony which failed and under the name of Port Famine became a Royal Navy base. It was here that Captain Pringle Stokes, the captain of HMS Beagle, shot himself in his cabin due to severe depression and temporary command was given to Lieutenant W.G. Skyring.
• Fauna Patagónica "Estancia Lolita". A beautiful place for watching different species of native animals and birds.

[edit][add listing] Do

Ski, Torres del Paine Trekking, visit Porvenir (by ferry) or Puerto Natales (by bus or ferry)

[edit][add listing] Buy

There is a large outlet mall in the outskirts of the city. There is also a small open market ("feria") for tourist type merchandise downtown.

[edit][add listing] Eat

[edit][add listing] Drink

Kamikaze - Japanese WWII-themed nightclub may be unusual but makes for an entertaining evening. Mixture of Western / Latin and Reggaton music, played into the early hours and attended by enthusiastic locals and tourists alike. Entry includes free drink but a bit pricey at 6,000 pesos at the weekend.

[edit][add listing] Sleep

There is an abundance of cheap hospedajes in Punta Arenas, so you never have to worry about accommodation.

• Hostal Patagonico [1] is a familiar place for lodging. It has 5 rooms with private bathrooms. It is very quiet place. Its is placed near to Hypermarket, restaurant, Zona Franca, hospitals, videoclubs. All buses and taxis are very near. The manager is very friendly with the tourist and he helps and answers questions about Punta Arenas, city.

• Hostal Maria Isabel, cnr Errazuriz and Senoret, Tel 228926/228553, dorms only (doubles in Arauco 1066), central location, kitchen access, free internet, lots of warm water. A friendly, well-heated place.

[edit] Get out

Punta Arenas is the launching point for various expeditions to (relatively) nearby Antarctica.

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