CHILE

Arica (population 150,000) is on the Pacific Ocean 630 air miles / 1,050 km north of Santiago, Chile, near the Peru border.Arica is Chile's northern most city.It is an oasis with white sand beaches and warm waters good for swimming.Land locked Bolivians like Arica because it serves as their main port and seaside resort.Peruvians and Bolivians as well as Argentineans are attracted to the Municipal Casino.

CLIMATE: a consistent arid, desert climate with an average winter temperature of 59° F (15'c) and an summer temperature of 72° F (22°c).There is no rain in the summer or the winter.

TOURIST OFFICE: Calle Arturo Prat 375, 2nd floor Arica, Chile.

Tel: (80) 32101.

HOW TO GET THERE: Daily flights to and from Santiago, Chile, and La Paz, Bolivia.Taxis and buses to and from airport.

Av.Commadante San Martin 599, PO Box 1 Arica.

Tel: (58) 254540.

Fax: (58) 231133.

Type: Moderate first class hotel.

Location: Facing the ocean 5 minutes from downtown.

Amenities: 114 rooms & suites, restaurant, coffee shop, bar, outdoor pool, tennis 9 hole golf course, gym.

Credit Cards: AE / DC / MC / VISA.

Rates: US$55 - 240.Service & Tax Included.

Calle General Vetazquez 955, Arica, Chile, S.A.

Tel: (58) 224131.

Type: Small modern casino & nightclub.

Games: slots, 19 tables (6 French roulette, 10 baccarat, 3 blackjack).

Open: 9pm-3am; 6pm-3am Saturdays and Holidays.

Coquimbo (population 106,000) is 291 miles / 468 km north of Santiago and 7 miles / 12 km south of its twin city La Serena. Coquimbo is an import harbor with major fish processing plants. La Serena is famous for it beaches.

Corfovez 210, PO Box 303, La Serena, Chile.

Tel: (51) 222991.Fax (51) 222991.

Type: Moderate first class hotel.

Location: 4 miles from the airport.

Amenities: 88 rooms & suites, restaurant, lounge, nightclub, 2 bars, outdoor pool.

Credit Cards: AE / DC / MCNISA.

Rates: US$60 - 122.

Service: 20%.

Tax: 18%.

Penuelas s / n, Coquimbo.

Tel: (51) 242959.

Fax: (51) 242788.

Type: Small Casino with restaurant.

Casino Games: slots, tables (French roulette, baccarat, blackjack).

Open: 9pm-3am every night September through March; 6pm-3am Saturdays and Holidays; weekends only off season the rest of the year.Formal Dress.

Amenities: Restaurant.

Iquique (population 140,300) is the capital of the First Region (Tarapaca) from Arica to the Loa River, and Chile's main fishing port.It is on the northern Pacific Ocean coast 304 km / 190 miles south of Arica.

CLIMATE: Similar to Arica's climate, but the breezes off the ocean lower the heat to an average temperature of about 67? F (19?c).

TOURIST OFFICE: Anibal Pinto 436.Iquique, Argentina.

Tel: (81) 21499.

HOW TO GET THERE: Daily Lan Chile flights from Antofagasta, Africa and Santiago to Diego Aracena International Airport, 21 mi./ 35 km south at Chucumata.

Los Rieles 250, PO Box 54D, Iquique, Chile.

Tel: (57) 434800.

Fax: 434800.

Type: First class beach hotel.

Location: on Peninsula Cavancha.

Amenities: 76 rooms & suites, restaurant, bar, outdoor pool, tennis, fishing, windsurfing.

Credit Cards: AE / DC / MC / VISA.

Rates: US$109 - 140 Service & Tax Included.

Av.Balmaceda 2755, Iquique.

Tel: (57) 431391.

Fax: (57) 431383.

Type: Small casino.

Games: slots, tables (French roulette, baccarat, blackjack).

Open: 9pm-3am weekdays; 6pm-3am Saturday & Holidays.

Pucon (population 1,000) is 468 miles / 780 km south of Santiago on the southeastern shore of Lake Villarrica.Pucon is an attractive little town on Lake Villarrica in the southern Ande resort area near the ski slopes of the Villarrica Volcano.The resort has five ski runs served by chair and tow lifts; the longest is 6,200 feet.in the summer one can swim in the chilly Andean lake water.

CLIMATE: Good climate with rain in the summer and snowy in the winter.

TOURIST OFFICE: Av.Caupolican & Av.Brasil, Pucon, Argentina.

HOW TO GET THERE: By car or bus from Villarrica or Temuco.Ladeco has several weekly flights from Santiago to Temuco.

Clemente Holzapfel 190, Pucon, Chile.

Tel: (45) 441001.

Fax: (45) 236190.

Type: First class family resort hotel & casino.

Location: on Lake Villarrica.

Casino: opened 1991.

Casino Games: slots, tables (French roulette, baccarat, blackjack).

Open: 9pm3am weekdays; 6pm-3am Saturday & holidays.

Amenities: 180 rooms; 27 suites, restaurants, bar, pool, tennis.

Credit Cards: AE / MCNISA.

Rates: US$05 - 253.

Puerto tiaras (population 24,000) is 628 miles / 1,046 km south of Santiago; 15 miles / 25 km north of Puerto Mont.Puerto Varas is a beautiful spot in southern Chile on the shore of Lake Llanquihue.Lake Lanquihue covers over 194 square miles (540 sq.km) and is the third largest in South America.A 112 mile / 187 km road circles the Lake.

CLIMATE: rainy in summer months, and snowy in the winter.

TOURIST OFFICE: Salvador 109, Puerto Varas, Argentina.

HOW TO GET THERE: Daily flights or train to and from Santiago, then taxi or bus to Puerto Varas.

Klenner 351, Puerto Varas.

Casino Tel: (65) 232281, or 232282.

Casino Fax: (65) 232967.

Hotel Tel: 65232524.

Type: Luxury class hotel & casino.

Casino: Small modern.

Games: slots, tables (French roulette, baccarat, blackjack).

Open: summer only 9pm-3am weekdays; 6pm-3am Saturday & holidays.

Amenities: 106 rooms, dining, bar.Hotel & casino open September through March only.

Vina del Mar (population 284,000) is on the Pacific Ocean 6 miles / 9 km north of Valparaiso and 85 miles / 142 km northwest of Santiago.Vina del Mar is one of South America's foremost seaside resorts.It is an year round community crowded with tourist from September 15 through March 15.Within Vina there are more than six public beaches.The pacific beaches extend outside of the city for miles in both directions, from Papudo Beach on the north to San Antinio Beach on the south.All have excellent bathing facilities.
The moment you enter Vina del Mar you pass its landmark a sundial of flowers that keeps perfect time.North of the clock is the presidential summer home Cerro Castillo, a Spanish colonial mansion.Further north is the Naval Museum Castillo Wulff.As you approach the bridge crossing the Marga-Marga inlet, to the left is Avenida San Martin which runs north to the beaches.On the left of San Martin as you cross the bridge is Vina del Mar Casino, one of the most outstanding in Latin America, popular with the Chilean jet-set.The race track is open on Sundays from December to March.

CLIMATE: The climate is mild and rarely falls below 30? F (-1 ?c) in the winter and averages about 59? F (15?c) throughout the year.The summer heat, if any, is tempered by the constant ocean breezes.

TOURIST OFFICE: Avendia Valparaiso 507, 3rd Floor, Vina del Mar.

Tel: (32) 882285.

HOW TO GET THERE: The best auto route from Santiago is along Route 68, a 90 minute scenic trip going through the Lo Prado tunnel instead of over the hill.There is one expensive toll of about US$5.The bus from Santiago's Mapocho Station takes about 2-1 / 2 hours, or one can take the train for a 31 / 2 hour scenic trip.From Valparaiso one can catch the electric train or the express buses.

Calete Abarca s / n, Vina del Mar.

Tel: (32) 64077.

Type: Fashionable first class oceanfront hotel,.

Location: On the rocky coast at Calete Abarca Beach overlooking Valparaiso Bay.Amenities; 122 rooms,.12 suites, dining room, disco conference facilities, terrace with bay views, outdoor swimming pool, sauna, boutiques, beauty shop, casino nearby.Season Year Round.

Credit Cards: AE / DC / MCNISA.

Rates: US$133 - 254.Service & Tax Included.

Plaza Vergara, Vir a del Mar.

Tel: 32-882016.

Fax: (32) 883537.

Type: Famous Historic Superior Class Hotel.

Location: On the main plaza adjacent to the train station.

Amenities: 263 rooms, 15 suites, restaurant, American bar, disco, conference facilities, outdoor swimming pool, sun terrace, indoor winter garden, shops, garage, service station.casino nearby.Season year round.

Credit Cards: AE / DC / MCNISA.

Rates: US$80 - 180.Service & Tax Included.

Avenida San Martin s / n, Vina del Mar.

Tel: (32) 689191.

Fax: (32) 689195.

Type: Moderate first class hotel.

Location: Near the casino and beaches.Amenities; 180 rooms, 10 suites, room service, restaurant, lounge with panoramic view, American bar, meeting facilities.laundry.Season year round.

Credit Cards: AE / DC / MCNISA.

Rates: US$58 - 140.

Av.San Martin 199, Vina del Mar.

Tel: (32) 680618.

Type: Large Latin American Casino.

Location: Overlooking the Marga-Marga Inlet.

Clientele: Chilean Jet-setters.

Casino: The second largest casino in South America.

Games: 200 slots (tokens US$0.25-1.00 eqv.), 74 tables (16 American roulette (US$1-80), 38 baccarat (US$40 & 120 mins.), 6 blackjack (US$8-80), 4 craps (US$2-40)).

Other Games: bingo, boule, big wheel, chuck-a-luck, lucky sevens.

Open: 9pm-3am weekdays, 6pm-3am Saturdays & holidays in Summer (mid-September to mid-March), open weekend nights rest of the year.Entrance fee US$1 Admission; US$2 membership card required.ID / Passport required for foreign tourist.Formal dress.

Casino currency: Austral.

Casino language: Spanish.

Amenities: bar, restaurant, nightclub.

Description: The casino is one of the most outstanding in Latin America.It is in an elegant 1930 building set in an ample beautiful garden overlooking the bay.Its a gamblers haven for blackjack, baccarat and roulette.There is also a separate room for tragamonedas (slot machines, one-armed bandits).Besides the gaming action one can also enjoy the bar, dining room, or floor show.