Caldera is a town on the coast of Northern Chile.
Understand
It has a pleasant main square and some beaches, but most people going to the beach head to nearby Bahía Inglesa.
Get in
All buses going to and from Copiapó can let you off near Caldera on Route 5. It's about a 30-minute walk to the center.
There are two bus stations in town: The 1 Pullman Station and the 2 Expreso Norte Station, which are also served by other companies. Tickets can be bought there. Furthermore, a Pullman and Turbus office can be found just north(west) of the plaza towards the main beach.
Get around
The town is small enough to be discovered on foot.
See
Do
Buy
- 1 Banco Estado (just northeast of the plaza). M-F 09:00-14:00. Exchanges money at very competitive rates.
Eat
- Santa Isabel (two blocks north from main square). Supermarket.
- El Plateao, 756 Avenida El Morro, Bahia Inglesa. Great waterfront restaurant with indoor or outdoor seating and great views of the beach. Marketed as a Thai restaurant, but the cuisine is a bit more eclectic than that.
Drink
- Kavana, Carvallo, 299A (a block or two away from the main square, towards Route 5). Juices, drinks, cocktails, and snacks. Computers with internet (CLP$600/hour or so) and wi-fi!
Sleep
- Residencial Millaray, Cosiño, 331 (on the square). Simple accommodation; you can use the kitchen. CLP$7,000-8,000.
- Ckamur Hospedaje Boutique, Camino Al Faro 1018, Mirador de Charito, Caldera, ☏ 569 9 2209544, ✉[email protected]. Cute lodge by the water with nice architecture and simple accommodations. Each apartment has a kitchen and access to the patio with firepits and barbecues. The owners (Rodrigo and Andrea) are extremely friendly and accommodating.
Cope
- Laundry. There is a woman who does a laundry service out of her house. If you are in the main square facing the church, walk up (south) on the street on the right of the church. In about 2 or 3 blocks, there is a sign for Lavandería and it has the address. You can also ask, everyone seems to know it.
Connect
The plaza offers free WiFi, but the connection is not always reliable.
Go next
- Bahía Inglesa – a picturesque and lovely yet windy beach about 20 minutes away by collectivo (CLP$1,000) or hitchhiking
- Rocas Negras – walking south from Bahía Inglesa along the beach, you will encounter this rock formation after about 3 km
- Parque Paleontológico Los Dedos – beyond Rocas Negras and in the hot middle of nowhere about 1 km from the beach, an outdoor museum for fossils