Chile Guide
El Norte Chico
Bahía Inglesa
The beaches of BahíaInglesa are probably the most photographed in Chile, adorning wall calendars up and down the country. More than their white, powdery sands – which, after all, you can find the length of Chile's coast – it's the exquisite clarity of the turquoise sea, and the curious rock formations that rise out of it, that sets these beaches apart; unfortunately, green algae have invaded the bay, probably owing to fertilizer run-off from nearby farms, and the turquoise waters have gradually turned a murky green instead.
Several beaches are strung along the bay to the north of Caldera, separated by rocky outcrops: the long Playa Machas is the southernmost beach, followed by Playa La Piscina, then by Playa El Chuncho and finally Playa Blanca. Surprisingly, this resort area has not been swamped by ugly, large-scale construction, and while the place gets hideously crowded in the height of summer, at most other times it's peaceful and relaxing.
The problem with staying here is that accommodation tends to be ridiculously overpriced, but you should be able to bargain the rates down outside summer. Cabañas Villa Alegre, at the corner of Avenida El Morro and Valparaíso ( 
52/315074; Price: CH$35000-50000), offers humble but well-equipped cabins – and discounts of up to fifty percent outside high season. Neighbouring El Coral ( 52/315331; Price: CH$25000-35000) has comfortable rooms, two of them with good sea views, and an excellent, unpretentious fish restaurant. Further along Avenida El Morro, Apart-Hotel Rocas de Bahía ( 52/316005, 
52/316032, 
www.depetris.cl/rocasdebahia/index.htm ; Price: CH$50000-75000) is a whitewashed apartment block overlooking the ocean, with a pleasant pool and a good restaurant. Back from the beachfront, three blocks behind El Coral at Copiapó 100, Los Jardines de Bahía Inglesa ( 52/315359; Price: CH$25000-35000) has smart cabañas and a decent restaurant serving Italian-influenced fare. Camping Bahía Inglesa ( & 52/315424; CH$16,000 per site) is an expensive campsite just off Playa Las Machas.
Two eateries of note along the seafront are El Plateado, favoured by hippies and serving international cuisine including curries, outside, weather permitting; and, at the end of the promenade, El Domo, a futuristic tent-like cupola, inside which you can try some adventurous cuisine, or just linger over a real coffee or a drink.