As my plane started its descent into Santiago, Chile, I felt the excitement build within my chest. After my 10-hour night flight from Dallas, I was feeling worse for wear but highly anticipated what would await me in Chile’s capital.
I gathered my carry-on backpack, de-planed, and stretched as I walked toward customs. My spirits were high… Until I saw the following:
I had to pay $132 USD to enter Chile.
This practice, known as reciprocity, essentially amounts to tourists from specific countries being charged to enter their destination country. These fees are reciprocal presumably because the country the tourist is from also charges tourists from the destination country. While I don’t know how much Canada charges Chilean tourists to enter, I do know this: reciprocity is bad for my pocketbook.
I grit my teeth, pulled out my credit card,paid the fee, and prepared myself for what was to be a long wait for my luggage.
But my spirits weren’t dampened for long. With relative ease, I boarded a Tur Bus right outside of the arrivals hall, which, for the low price of 1700 Chilean Pesos, dropped me at Pajaritos metro stop. From there, I paid another 570 Chilean Pesos for a metro ticket, and rode it all the way into Santiago’s centre and onward to my hostel. The journey only took about 45 minutes; pretty decent for such a cheap and painless transfer.
You may remember this post where I wrote about my increasing dislike of hostels. I wondered aloud if, as someone who is nearly 30 with enough savings to splurge on a hotel, I am too old to be sharing dorms and bathrooms with backpackers and college students. However, as a solo travelling female who is trying to budget, I decided to give hostels another go on this trip.
My first hostel, the Bella 269 in downtown Santiago, renewed my faith in budget accomodation.
I chose it because it was the highest rated hostel on Hostelworld.com. Located in the trendy Bellavista neighbourhood, the hostel itself was ridiculously stylish. I loved the decor in the dorms, the common area, and the kitchen. The bathroom was spotless. And the best thing was that I had the 6-bed female dorm all to myself! I was the only girl staying in the hostel that night.
Buoyed by my nice dorm room and hot shower, I took to Santiago’s streets for an hours’ long walking tour. Armed with my Lonely Planet Chile guide, I walked down to the Bella Artes metro station and plotted my route.
But first, I needed food. Directly in front of the metro station I saw a bakery. I went in and ordered an empanada and a coke. The empanada, called “Ave” and filled with chicken, onion, pieces of a boiled egg, and olives, was heavenly.
What followed was a walking tour that took me up, down, and around Santiago’s centre, through the market, what appeared to be the financial district, and pedestrian walkways lined with shops. The photo opportunities were endless. Santiago has got some pretty buildings!
Energy completely spent and soles aching, I limped back to my hostel and made it an early night. The next morning I had to wake up at 4:00am to catch my red-eye flight to Chile’s Atacama desert!
42 Comments
I want to go to Chile!! 🙁 I think (although I'm not sure) the reason for the reciprocity fees are b/c of the high cost of visas to the U.S. I don't know what Canada does, but I know when the the U.S. started photographing all visitors it was right before I went to Brazil, and the Brazilian government may have upped the visa as a response. My visa there was quite a bit of money. Santiago looks very historic. More updates please!:)
Ahhhh!!!! I love this 🙂 Amazing! That hostel is beautiful…WHOA. And I am loving all the colors in chile 🙂
Can't believe that fee to get into Chile though…geez!
Wow, Chile looks amazing. I have never wanted to go there but with your recap, it looks pretty darned visitable. I know, that is not a word. Also, that is an amazing hostel. Those beds beckoned me to go lie down. If I am ever in that neck of the woods one day, I will have to reference this blog as it is really impressive.
Wanted to say. Very cool Blog. Love the pictures. Keep up the good work.
Budget accomodation can be good! Try the mid range between hotel and hostel a B&B. They offer a bit more comfort and privacy but not as high a cost. Also some hostels are stepping up their game. I stayed at a hostel in Berlin and it looked like and had the standard of a hotel.
The pacific islands often have a "departing" and "arrival" fee each about $20 bucks.
It looks beautiful! can't wait to hear more.
I always forget about reciprocity – sorry I didn't warn you!
I'm glad it sounds like you've liked Santiago so far. I agree that a lot of the buildings are beautiful. Even though the area where I work now is nicer than downtown in terms of having more open space and less traffic, I miss the historic old buildings. See you in a bit!
It looks so beautiful there! Thank goodness I don't live in any of the reciprocity countries. $132 is a LOT of money and I wouldn't want it eating into my travel budget. I'm such a snob (well not really, it just turned out that way) but I've never stayed in a hostel!
The food looks yummy, I would definitely try some of that!
Chile looks absolutely stunning!! That hostel as well! You're so lucky that you were able to get the entire room to yourself. I use the same tactic on hostleworld as well; I only go for the ones with the highest rating in a particular city/town. (And, of course, I always read the reviews.) I've never been a hostel person until five months ago. Now I know they're not that bad.
The pictures are beautiful but my main focus was the mouth watering pictures of the empanadas eventhough I can't have them anymore.
I had the best ones in D.C. Holy Cow.
That hostel looks like it's truly earned its reputation.
Terri: I ve heard that the Brazilian visa is quite expensive as well! Ugh!!
Ashley: I know! So colourful! I took a bunch of pictures yesterday in a neighborhood that had tons of coloured houses, will post soon!
@Rhona: Chile is one of those destinations that the mainstream ignores I think. But it is an AMAZING place so I´m just trying to promote it where I can!
@Joe Clyde: Thanks for stopping by!
@Melissa: Years ago I stayed at an amazing hostel in Berlin near Templehofer Ufer station. I think it was called Meninger? It was great and I still dream about the breakfast there- it was that good!
@Deidre: You were missed the other night!
@Emily: Ooh, which area do you work in? I´m going to have to patrol the area! And what a fab time last night, you are awesome!
@Emm: It IS a lot and I wonder if that has deterred some American and Canadian tourists from going in the first place?
@Diana: There´s good and there´s bad and I´m so lucky that I stumbled upon this one!
@Udara: How come you can´t eat them any more?? *sad face*
Your posts about how much you enjoyed Chile are actually making me love Chile more. And you more…if that were possible 🙂
That’s very good point
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