I recently visited Santiago. The country is beautiful but the air is filthy. I cut my visit short due to the air pollution. Travelers should know about the $65 entry tax on USA visitors and the $26 departure tax as of August 2002. Many vendors prefer US $$ over their own currency. The people were pleasant but they really want your money. Prices for hotels and taxis were very reasonable but prices don't make up for the poor air quality. Don't believe what the tree huggers say about the USA being the world's big polluter. My advice: visit Europe instead.

I sympathise with Mr Coloney, having lived in Chile for 5 years. The winter air can certainly be terrible. However, I feel that it should be noted that 1) it is largely the WINTER air, and 2) it is really only Santiago that has air pollution problems. Other tourist destinations such as the coast, the northern deserts or the great expanse of wonderful scenery in the south are about as pristine as it comes.<BR><BR>Other than the odd bus or two on a gradient, when you inspect them you will find that the vehicles in Chile are amongst the "cleanest" in Latin America - obviously there are exceptions as always. So what is the problem? Santiago is ringed by mountains, forming a natural basin. Secondly, in winter there are upper air temperature inversions that place a natural "lid" on the basin, and then the limited but constant goop emissions just keep on accumulating. <BR>To repeat, this is largely a winter problem. <BR><BR>Regarding the USA tax, this is in lieu of the visa costs that Chileans have to incur in visiting the States. You bite me, I bite you.<BR><BR>Sorry Mr Coloney, there is no debate. Per capita the USA is way ahead as the biggest energy consumer (dare I say waster, given the freezing air pouring our onto summer city streets)and hence biggest polluter. Santiago air has nowhere to go. The USA exports their's to the oceans and to Canada.<BR><BR>By all means visit Europe, but don't write of Chile. A pity you left Mr Colony. A few 100 kilometers south and you would have been enchanted.

I sympathise with Mr Coloney, having lived in Chile for 5 years. The winter air can certainly be terrible. However, I feel that it should be noted that 1) it is largely a WINTER problem, and 2) it is really only Santiago that has air pollution problems. Other tourist destinations such as the coast, the northern deserts or the great expanse of wonderful scenery in the south are about as pristine as it comes.<BR><BR>Other than the odd bus or two on a gradient, when you inspect them you will find that the vehicles in Santiago are amongst the "cleanest" in Latin America - obviously there are exceptions as always. So what is the problem? Santiago is ringed by some pretty high mountains, forming a natural basin. Secondly, in winter there are upper air temperature inversions that place a natural "lid" on the basin, and then the limited but constant goop emissions just keep on accumulating. LA (Ca) has a similar problem (similar climate) but without such an obvious and deep "basin".<BR>To repeat, this is largely a winter problem. <BR><BR>Regarding the USA tax, this is in lieu of the visa costs that Chileans have to incur in visiting the States. You bite me, I bite you.<BR><BR>Sorry Mr Coloney, there is no debate. Per capita the USA is way ahead as the biggest energy consumer (dare I say waster, given the freezing air pouring our onto summer city streets)and hence biggest polluter. Santiago air has nowhere to go. The USA exports their's to the oceans and to Canada.<BR><BR>By all means visit Europe, but don't write Chile off. A pity you left when you did Mr Coloney. A few 100 kilometers south and you would have been enchanted.

Chile does not even come close to the US when it comes to pollution. The number of homes wired up to receive mains electricity and the number of homes owning a car are sunstantially lower than the US. In addition the population is negligible in comparison to the US. The USA remains the world's main polluter and should be disgusted by its attitude (and Mt Coloney's) for notr setting a better example to the rest of the world considering it has by far the most money.

I used to be an aquaintance of an auto industry exec. Who told me that US auto makers and dealers routinely ship huge quantities of older, air polluting vehicles to countries in S.A and Asia. Cars that would never be allowed to operate in the US are shipped by the ton to other countries where they ruin the air.

If you go to a lot of Latin American cities you will find them clogged with old western cars. <BR><BR>Unfortunately the Japanese, Australians and Europeans are also to blame.

I will be leaving for Chile on Feb. 3, 2003...and I plan on staying there for at least 6 months. Any tips for a good moderately priced hotel for my initial visit to Santiago? Any other suggestions for help with being in this wonderful country.