Tourists enjoy the Coquimbo region all year round due to its abundance of attractions. A mild climate, beautiful beaches, fascinating history and dramatic landscapes are what it offers. Additionally, there are plenty of activities related to astronomy, gastronomy and agriculture as well.
The capital of the Coquimbo region is La Serena, a well preserved quiet city offering visitors culture in their local museums and simple lifestyle. Close by is the city of Coquimbo, a natural harbor and well established port.
The calm Coquimbo region has experienced an increase in development in areas such a mining, fishing and agricultural industries. This development, enhanced by a huge increase in tourism has resulted in the region's boom in growth.
This region has a micro climate that enables an abundance of flowers and plants to decorate residential and public areas. Tourists adore this region, savoring delights of many attractions and having the chance to partake in traditional hospitality. Of course, the food is amazing and the Pisco sours are always a treat as well.
The Coquimbo region has a unique variety of flora and fauna in their vast number of national parks, reservations and enchanted valleys. The Fray Jorge National Park is densely populated with myrtle, cinnamon and olivillo trees and filled with plenty of eagles, quail, hawks, owls, foxes and rabbits. Additionally, the puma, mountain cat, guanaco, sea lions and endless number of bird species live here.
The only reservation protecting the Chilean chinchilla is here called the Chinchilla National Reservation. It houses over 6,000 chinchilla and offers visitors the chance to see raptors, owls, hawks and eagles living in unity with smaller birds.
The Humboldt Penguin Natural Reservation also finds its home in this region to protect these penguins as well as South American seagulls, Dominican Republic gulls and plenty of tropical white-tailed birds. The rich marine life here is also quite a sight full of dolphins, sea lions and sea otters.
If nature isn't your thing then maybe the wine will be. The Tamaya Vineyard lies here known for its delicious blends of wine stocks and a large variety of grapes used to create the Pisco are grown here. Visiting the facilities always allows for the treat of plenty of tasting.
Due to the wealth of marine life, the area is abundant with scallops, clams, flounder, Spanish sardines and mackerels. Fisherman in the area harvest seaweed and shellfish for local consumption as well as exporting so if you appreciate fabulous seafood, you will be in heaven here with the quantity of shellfish and fish dishes offered. Sea lions are found everywhere in this region as are sea otters too. Moving to the Southern part of the Coquimbo region, you are sure to catch a glimpse at dolphins and an occasional whale.
Another reason to fall in love with this region is the wonderful opportunity it offers to observe stars. There is a stable climate and a clear, remarkable atmosphere. This is an ideal place to bring your telescope and observe the constellations. Of course, if you don't have your own telescope. There are scientific observatories to accommodate you.
The Coquimbo region has more than anything you could ask for and with good ground transportation from major cities like Santiago and Arica, it makes it an easy destination to visit when you want to escape the noise of the city life and get in touch with nature.