Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
By ferry
The ferry to Argentina (and the Ventisquero
O'Higgins) docks at the Bahía Bahamóndez, 7km east
of town (see box, p.461); a private minibus charges
CH$2000/person from Villa O'Higgins (CH$3500 return).
Tourist information
Helpful staff run the small tourist
o
ce on the plaza (summer only; Mon-Fri 9am-5.30pm;
no tel,
W
villaohiggins.com) and provide plenty of
information on the town and the surrounding area. The
public library, just off the plaza, has free internet (the
whole town is covered by slow, but free, wi-fi). There are
no banks in town, so bring plenty of cash with you.
Cut of from the rest of Chile by the
giant Campo de Hielo Sur (Patagonian
Ice Fields) to the northeast, the locals
have a strong camaraderie with their
counterparts across the Andes; many
consider themselves to be Patagonians
first, Chileans or Argentines second.
PUNTA ARENAS
On the shores of the turbulent Magellan
Strait,
PUNTA ARENAS
is Patagonia's
largest city, with a booming economy and
flourishing tourism industry thanks to its
proximity to penguins, glaciers and Tierra
del Fuego. Established in 1843, nearby
Forte Bulnes was Chile's first outpost in
the region, but the city itself has its roots
in a penal colony founded five years later.
The port provided a convenient stopover
for ships heading to California during the
gold rush of 1849, and then grew in size
and importance with the introduction of
sheep from the Falkland Islands to the
Patagonian plains. Punta Arenas emerged
as a wool empire, drawing migrant
workers from Croatia, Italy, Spain and
especially Britain. Following the decline
of the wool economy after World War II,
the city benefited from the discovery of
petroleum in Tierra del Fuego in the
1940s, and now makes its living from
a combination of petroleum production,
commercial fishing and tourism.
ACCOMMODATION, EATING AND
DRINKING
Camping Los Ñires
Hernan Merino s/n
T
67 431811.
Just south of
Hostal Runín
, this spacious, tree-lined
campsite has indoor cooking facilities and
hot showe
rs,
though the ground can be muddy. Per person
CH$3000
Entre Patagones
Carretera Austral s/n
T
67 431819,
W
entrepatagones.cl. Excellent family-run restaurant,
busy after 8pm, serving tasty Patagonian favourites such
as
asadór patagónico
(spit-roasted lamb) and hearty
cazuela
in a homely environment. To reach it, follow
Carretera Austral to the northern end of town. Dinner
CH$6000. Mon-
Sat 7.30-11
pm, Sun 1-3.30pm. Also has
cosy cabañas for
CH$60,000
Hospedaje Patagonia
Río Pascua 191
T
67 431818.
A comfortable, family-run choice by the plaza that
offers clean, basic rooms with shared bathroom.
Breakfas
t CH$2500
extra; lunch or dinner CH$5000.
Doubles
CH$16,000
Hostal Runín
Pasaje Vialidad s/n
T
67 43170,
E
runin
@villaohiggins.com. Tranquil, popular guesthouse with
welcoming rooms, hot showers, tasty home-cooked break-
fasts and
the occasional BBQ (ot
her meals e
xtra). Dorms
CH$8000
, doubles (shared bath)
CH$24,000
4
WHAT TO SEE AND DO
The city centre is compact and easy to
navigate, its streets laid out in a grid, and
most services and conveniences lie within
a few blocks of the main square. Taxis
charge a flat fare of CH$350 anywhere in
the centre (CH$400-450 at night).
Southern
Patagonia
Enormous glaciers calving icebergs
the size of houses, pristine fjords and
dozens of islands make up the other-
worldly vistas of Magallanes province,
or
SOUTHERN PATAGONIA
. Add in
forbidding craggy peaks, impossibly
blue glacial lakes, a wealth of wildlife
and the sheer size and majesty of the
internationally renowned
Torres del Paine
national park, and it's easy to see why
Patagonia captures the imagination.
Plaza Muñoz Gamero
The heart of the city is this tranquil,
shady square lined with lofty Monterrey
cypresses and craft stalls. In the centre
stands a fierce-looking statue of
Ferdinand Magellan
, donated by
Spanish-born wool magnate José
Menéndez in 1920 to commemorate
the 400-year anniversary of the explorer's
voyage (a bust of Menéndez stands on
the north side of the plaza). A statue of
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