3 Best Sights in El Norte Grande, Chile

About 60 km (37 miles) southeast of Antofagasta via Ruta 5, this giant hand sculpture rises 36 feet tall from the Atacama Desert like a mirage. It was created in 1992 by famed sculptor Mario Irarrázabal, the same artist who created the Monumento al Ahogado hand sculpture in Punta del Este, Uruguay. It's best visited early in the morning or at sunset, when you can see the hand reaching out of the earth into the rays of the Andean sun. You can't miss the Mano from the highway, and a dirt trail leads off the main road toward it. Be sure to park at a respectful distance to ensure other visitors can also enjoy the sculpture.

Inside the historic customs house, this museum is the town's oldest building, dating back to 1866. It displays clothing and other bric-a-brac from the nitrate era.

High above Plaza Colón is this clock tower whose face is a replica of London's Big Ben. It was erected by British residents in 1910.