Beach of the Week: Vina Del Mar, Chile

Each week we bring you one of the best beaches in the world as our beach of the week. This week’s best beach is one of the most beautiful beaches in Chile.

BEACH: Vina Del Mar, Chile

WHERE: An hour and a half to the west of the Chilean capital Santiago, Vina Del Mar is the place to see and be seen on the South American Pacific Coast (even the President has a home here).

WHY: Vina Del Mar started life as an exclusive summer retreat for Chile’s well-heeled. Remaining one of Chile’s most luxurious seaside town it has been coined the ‘Cannes of the Andes’, and the comparisons don’t end there. Thanks to the sweeping swells it is often regarded as the Laguna of Chile but be warned the waters here can be a little, well, chilly. If you can drag yourself off the sandy shores (it will be hard we know) the town’s rich colonial history is well worth exploring. The grand avenues lined with majestic palm and banana trees are best enjoyed through a romantic horse-drawn carriage ride. Comparisons aside, Vina Del Mar has Latin American flair like no other.

HOW: Fly into Santiago and catch a 90 minute bus to Vina Del Mar. Simple.

H20 TONE: Midnight Indigo.

SAND TONE: Butterscotch Angel Delight.

STAY: At family-run Hotel Monterilla, a charming colonial house delightfully decorated with contemporary paintings by local artists. Thoughtfully nestled between the shoreline and nightlife it makes stepping out (or stumbling in) a breeze.

WHEN: The town may be chock-a-block with people during December to February which is high season, but we think the electric atmosphere the throngs of people create is totally worth it.