ADVENTURE TRAVEL in Chile

Banks: Mondays thru Fridays from 9am to 2pm.
Exchange: Mondays thru Fridays from 9am to 6pm and Saturdays from 9am to 2pm.
Business: In Santiago, big stores open from Mondays thru Sundays from 10am to 10pm. Shopping malls and supermarkets generally close at 9pm. In the rest of the country, shops are usually closed from 2p to 4pm.

The Chilean Peso is the official currency used for all kind of business transactions. Likewise, personal checks are a widely used document and the presentation of an ID is required for their use.

In Chile, currency exchange is not regulated by the government. This makes currency exchange easier at any <k>casa de cambio</k> (<k>Bureaux de Change</k>), bearing in mind daily market driven exchange rates.

American dollars are generally accepted, especially at hotels making special VAT discounts for foreigners who pay cash in such currency.

At shopping malls, it is easy to find ATMs from the Redbanc network which accept cards from local banks and Cirrus network cards.

The most widely accepted credit cards are American Express, VISA, Diners Club and MasterCard. Even if they are used frequently and do not pay extra charges, only cash is accepted at rural districts distant from the main urban centers. Likewise, outside large cities, there might be inconveniences to operate with travelers’ checks.

If you lose your credit card in Chile, please contact:

• American Express # 800-201022
• Visa # 631-7003
• Master Card # 631-7003
• Diners # 232-0000

Although there is no established standard, it is usual to leave 10% of the price paid for service at coffee-shops and restaurants as tip. It is also frequent to tip porters, bellboys and ushers on condition that the assistance provided by them is good.